Bark Ranger Day

As part of National Park Week, today is Bark Ranger Day. Let’s take a guess what this might mean…..bark….like dogs!

BARK actually stands for:

Bag your pet’s waste

Always wear a leash

Respect wildlife

Know where you can go.

These are four great points to remember when bringing your pet to a national park.

Enjoy a photo of our first dog, Ranger, at Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota.

 

 

 

Friendship Friday

Everybody needs a friend! Even the national parks need friends. As part of the National Park Week, today marks Friendship Friday.

The national parks need our time by volunteering and our donations to help continue these great treasures. You can help by supporting one of more than 200 philanthropic organizations that partner with national parks nationwide.  In addition, many national parks have nonprofit associations linked to them. In addition, the National Park Foundation is the official charity of our national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service.

Take a moment to check out one of these friend organizations of the national parks today!

Happy National Park Week!

Throwback Thursday

National Park Week now brings us Throwback Thursday!

History and memories are made each day at the national parks.  Take a moment to reflect on one of your own favorite national park memories today!

Enjoy a photo of my own Throwback Thursday of the national parks of a pretty special day in my life:

Happy National Park Week!

Wild Wednesday

National Park Week brings us to Wild Wednesday today! Embrace the wild side of the parks!

To celebrate this day, go wild! You can go on a hike in the wilderness; check out some wildlife; enjoy some wildflowers; check out the night wild skies; or learn about the wild within the national parks.

Muir Woods

Embrace your wild side!

Happy National Park Week!

Transportation Tuesday

National Park Week continues with Transportation Tuesday!

National parks share the stories of transportation throughout the United States.  From the railroads promoting the visitation of national parks out West to the many scenic roads and parkways that exist today.

Today, the national parks work to reduce congestion with park buses to transport visitors around. People can bicycle many national parks as well.

Take a moment and think about transportation from the past, present, and future options within these national parks.

Enjoy your next bus or bicycle ride within the park next time!

Cheers to National Park Week!

Earth Day

To continue our National Park Week, today is Earth Day!

To celebrate this day, you can do a number of activities.  You can volunteer at a national park; learn about nature and science within a national park; visit a national park; learn about the history of the land; recycle; avoid plastic straws and utensils; and donate to the national parks.

Our national parks contain some amazing natural sights to check out! Take a moment today and enjoy them!

elk

Happy Earth Day!

 

Veteran/Military Appreciation Day

As part of the National Park Week, today is Veteran/Military Appreciation Day. Today, we recognize and honor the service and sacrifice of the U.S. military and also discover connections and opportunities within the parks.

The National Park Service preserves and shares the stories of the American military over the last three centuries. The relationship between the national parks and our military goes way back.  The U.S. Cavalry served as the first park rangers at our first national park, Yellowstone National Park. Hundreds of soldiers were stationed at Fort Yellowstone.

sign-2003

During World War II, many parks served as training and care locations for military personnel. Today, dozens of national parks commemorate military battles and achievements.

As you plan your next trip, discover the people who have protected our freedom here in America and learn about the places that shaped our military history and culture.

To honor today, take a minute and appreciate the the service and sacrifice of our military here.

Cheers to National Park Week!

National Junior Ranger Day

Happy National Park Week!  National Park Week is celebrated every April for a week.  National Park Week is a time to explore amazing places, discover stories of history and culture, volunteer, and find your park!

Each day this week has a theme and today is National Junior Ranger Day!  The junior ranger program allows people of all ages to “explore, learn, and protect” your national parks by doing some activities to earn their badge. Each park offers different activities or programs.

(And yes, they really mean all ages as I did the program at a national park as an adutl and even before having kids as I thought it was so cool!)

I highly recommend checking this program out the next time you visit a cool place within our national park system!

If you can’t make to a national park, you can become a webranger online! Click here for the web site!

Cheers to the start of National Park Week!

National Park Week

National Park Week starts tomorrow, April 20th, and goes through the 28th this year! And to start this awesome week, all national parks have free admission tomorrow!

Each day this blog will highlight different aspects of the parks to celebrate this fun week!

Go and enjoy our amazing national parks!