Are you taking a trip to the Southwest? How about to the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, or Texas? Do you know about the National Park Junior Ranger Program? If you are be sure to check out to see if a Junior Ranger Program in the Southwest is near you.
What is the Junior Ranger Program?
“Explore, Learn, and Protect!” The Junior Ranger motto is recited by children around the country; each taking an oath of their own to protect parks, continue to learn about parks, and share their own ranger story with friends and family.
The NPS Junior Ranger program is an activity based program conducted in almost all parks, and some Junior Ranger programs are national. Many national parks offer young visitors the opportunity to join the National Park Service “family” as Junior Rangers.
Interested youth complete a series of activities during a park visit, share their answers with a park ranger, and receive an official Junior Ranger patch and Junior Ranger certificate. Junior Rangers are typically between the ages of 5 to 13, although people of all ages can participate.
Junior Ranger Program Online
Sometimes you can’t make it to the specific site. There are some badges that can be earned online by downloading the packet or contacting the site by email/phone/mail. Once you complete the packet you can mail the packet to an address and the site will mail you back a badge and certificate. If this is available at the site it will be indicated with “**Online Available**”.
There are other fun Junior Ranger Badges you can earn at home like Junior Archeologist Badge, Junior Cave Scientist Badge, and Junior Ranger Let’s Go Fishing! Badge. Check out the complete list of Junior Ranger Specialty Badges.
Junior Ranger Badge Display
Collecting Junior Ranger Badges while visiting National Parks and Sites is a great way to show all the kids have learned over the years. Have your many badges from the Junior Ranger Programs in the Southwest? Why not display them. I’m sharing Junior Ranger Badge Display that’s fun and easy to make.
Junior Ranger Programs in Arkansas
Click for Interactive Junior Ranger Map!
ARKANSAS (AR)
Arkansas Post National Memorial
Buffalo National River
Fort Smith National Historic Site
Hot Springs National Park **Online Available**
Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site **Online Available**
Pea Ridge National Military Park
President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site **Online Available**
Junior Ranger Programs in Louisiana
Click for Interactive Junior Ranger Map
LOUISIANA (LA)
Cane River National Heritage Area
Jean Lafitte National Historical Park & Preserve
New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park **Online Available**
Junior Ranger Programs in New Mexico
Click for Interactive Junior Ranger Map!
NEW MEXICO (NM)
Aztec Ruins National Monument **Online Available**
Bandelier National Monument
Capulin Volcano National Monument
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Chaco Culture National Historical Park
El Malpais National Monument
El Morro National Monument
Fort Union National Monument
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
Manhattan Project National Historic Park
Pecos National Historical Park **Online Available**
Petroglyph National Monument
Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument
White Sands National Monument
Junior Ranger Programs in Oklahoma
Click for Interactive Junior Ranger Map!
OKLAHOMA (OK)
Chickasaw National Recreation Area
Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum **Online Available**
Washita Battlefield National Historic Site
Junior Ranger Programs in Texas
Click for Interactive Junior Ranger Map!
TEXAS (TX)
Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument **Online Available**
Amistad National Recreation Area **Online Available**
Big Bend National Park
Big Thicket National Preserve
Chamizal National Memorial
Fort Davis National Historic
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Lake Meredith National Recreation Area
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park
Padre Island National Seashore
Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park **Online Available**
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
Waco Mammoth National Monument
Map of all Junior Ranger Programs
Interested in Junior Ranger Programs in other areas check out the following:
This is me Destiny! I'm a content creator that covers DIY, Cricut, Travel, National Parks, Disney, Games and Family. I’m navigating life with my husband Mike, 2 kids and live in the suburbs of Maplewood, New Jersey.