The United States has 61 protected areas known as national parks that are operated by the National Park Service, an agency of the Department of the Interior. An act of the United States Congress must establish national parks. A bill creating the first national park, Yellowstone, was signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1872, followed by Mackinac National Park in 1875, and then Rock Creek Park, Sequoia and Yosemite in 1890.
PLAY, LEARN AND HAVE FUN!
61 U.S. National Parks
88 U.S. National Monuments
19 U.S. National Preserves
51 U.S. National Historic Parks
78 U.S. National Historic Sites
1 U.S. International Historic Site
4 U.S. National Battlefield Parks
9 U.S. National Military Parks
11 U.S. National Battlefields
1 National Battlefield Site
29 National Memorials
18 National Recreation Areas
10 National Seashores
3 National Lakeshores
15 National Rivers
2 National Reserves
4 National Parkways
3 National Trails
11 other sites including the National Mall and National Capital Parks
For a Total of 417 U.S. National Parks, Sites and Monuments
Download the National Park Service Index, a complete administrative listing of the National Park System’s areas and related areas. It has been revised to reflect congressional actions. The entries, grouped by state, include administrative addresses and phone numbers, dates of authorization and establishment, boundary change dates, acreages, website addresses, and brief statements explaining the areas’ national significance. This book is not intended as a guide for park visitors. There is no information regarding campgrounds, trails, visitor services, hours, etc. Those needing such information should go to each park’s website, accessible through the National Park Service home page: www.nps.gov
Next, download the trip planning guide and checklist. Make your fun adventure a safe one too! No one plans to get hurt while out exploring in a National Park. However, nature is unpredictable, structures are historical, and your equipment can unexpectedly fail. Planning can be the key to a fun and safe adventure. Remember, safety starts with you!
Leave No Trace Activity Playbook
Leave No Trace - Short Answer Questions Glacier National Park Activity
A National Park Service Index 2012-2016
Trip Planning Guide National Park Service
National Park Finder App
iPhone, iPad, or iPod
Android Devices
"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.
Read More:
National Park Service
Video: Every Kid in a Park
A Youth Educator’s Guide to Leave No Trace Activities, Games, and Experiential Curriculum
Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics
The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics protects the outdoors by teaching and inspiring people to enjoy it responsibly. The Center accomplishes this mission by delivering cutting-edge education and research to millions of people every year.
Read More: LNT.org
Cook Fun Things
Kids love to be involved cooking their own food that can be cooked at the end of a stick. Introduce your kids to the camping tradition of roasting marshmallows and cooking hot dogs over a fire. Cooking in Camp for more tips, tricks and recipes for meals.
Camping Trip Safety Series
- Know Your Limits
- Plan Your Trip
- Park Requirements and Regulations
- In Case of Emergency
- Prepare – Gear Up!
Keep Your Pet Safe Too
If camping with your pet, be sure to follow these guidelines:
- Always keep your pet restrained.
- Check your pet for ticks.
- Do not leave your pet in a closed vehicle.
- If you are camping in bear country, camping with dogs can be more dangerous than elsewhere. Dogs can attract curious bears, and the interaction often leads to conflict, which can put your pet and you in danger.
Read More: Camping with Pets
Respect Wildlife
Follow these basic guidelines to ensure the safety of you and animals in the park with respect to wildlife:
- Do NOT feed wildlife under any circumstances. Feeding wildlife creates an expectation that they can receive food from you (and other campers) in the future. This can make them persistent and sometimes violent, and may attract wildlife to your site.
- Avoid contact with wildlife. While it is certainly tempting to approach wildlife, this can be very dangerous.
- Keep safe viewing distances. When watching wildlife, make sure to keep a safe distance. Your park may or may not have recommended viewing distances regarding certain wildlife.
Avoid attracting wildlife to your campsite with the following methods:
- Keep food secured in airtight containers. Not only will it be fresher, it will attract less unwanted attention from wildlife.
- Keep your food out of reach of wildlife. Generally, food can be stored in your car, but certain campgrounds may require the use of food storage lockers or other means of keeping food out of reach of wildlife.
- Keep your campsite clean. Collect any food packaging and food scraps in a waste bag and dispose of the waste in the campground's receptacle before you leave the camp or turn in for the night.
- Do not feed wildlife. Not only will they become more aggressive toward you, they will be more likely to be a nuisance for campers who use the site after you.
- Do not take food inside your tent. While it's tempting to have that midnight snack on hand, it will attract wildlife.
Outdoor Participation
Running, including jogging and trail running, was the most popular activity among Americans when measured by both number of participants and by number of total annual outings.
Walking for fitness was the most popular crossover activity. 45.8% of all outdoor participants also walked.
Adults who were introduced to the outdoors as children were more likely to participate in outdoor activities during adulthood than those who were not exposed to the outdoors as children. 38% of adults who were introduced to the outdoors during childhood grew up to enjoy outdoor activities as adults. Only 17% of adults who do not currently participate in any outdoor activities had outdoor experiences as children.
Adventure Activity Resources
All downloads in this category include Junior Ranger activity books available in each state park. Explore additional subcategories with activities to download for special exhibits, events and National Park Service programs. Be sure to check out other articles in this section for links to resources, information and videos.
Public Downloads
All items are free to view, share, and download.
Public Downloads - Español (Spanish)
When available, we provide all our content with a Spanish version in our public download section. You can find additional material from sources listed in all our articles.
Download Fishing Activities and Identification
Fish Identification for Common Fish Species PowerPoint
Fish Identification for Common Fish Species
Let's Go Fishing National Park Service Junior Ranger Activity Book
15 Awesome Alaska Fish Coloring Book
Alaska Sport Fishing Guide
Freshwater Fish Consumption Video
Guide to Salmon Identification and Fishing
Mercury Fish Consumption Video
Salmon Lifecycle Coloring Book
Saltwater Fish Consumption Video
Shellfish Consumption Video
Tropical Fish Consumption Video
Fishing ABC Coloring Book
Download Yellowstone Junior Ranger Activities
Yellowstone Junior Ranger National Park Activity Book 5-7
Yellowstone Junior Ranger National Park Activity Book 8-12
Yellowstone National Park 1938 Poster
Yellowstone National Park Lodges
Map of Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park Bison Baby's First Steps Video
Yellowstone National Park Safety
Download Hiking and Camping Activities, Information, and Resources
Hiking and Camping Picture Checklist Emergency Preparedness Kit
Hiking and Camping Picture Checklist Emergency Preparedness Kit Image
Smokey Bear Printable Campfire Checklist - Spanish
Smokey Bear Printable Campfire Checklist
California State Parks Activities Guide
Camping Equipment Checklist
Educate Kids to find Directions using a Compass Activity Challenges
Hiking Environmental Awareness Kids Worksheets
Hiking Merit Badge Workbook
Hiking Scavenger Hunt Activity Sheet
How to Maintain Personal Hygiene While Camping
Kids Camping and Recreation Activity Book
New York Camping and Recreation Guide
Sleepover & Camping Kids Activity Worksheets
Summer Camp Checklist
Hiking 10 Essentials
Download Glacier National Park Activities
Answer Key Glacier National Park Activities
Disappearing Glaciers - Connect the Dots Glacier National Park Activity
Four Nations - Matching Game Glacier National Park Activity
Glacier Bay Bears Sea Lions Gulls and Jays Coloring Sheet 2
Glacier Bay Mountains Streams Eagles and Salmon Coloring Sheet 3
Glacier Bay Outdoor Fun on the Water Coloring Sheet 1
Glacier Plants and Animals from A to Z Glacier National Park
Glacier Wildlife Coloring Book Glacier National Park
Habitats are Homes - Matching Activity Glacier National Park Activity
Leave No Trace - Short Answer Questions Glacier National Park Activity
Living Lightly - Crossword Puzzle Glacier National Park Activity
Making Peace - Short Answer Glacier National Park Activity
Montana Junior Ranger Glacier National Park Activity Book
Moving Through Glacier's History - Fill in the Blanks Glacier National Park Activity
Native Names - Cryptogram Glacier National Park Activity
Native Names - Word Search Glacier National Park Activity
Plants and Animals From the Alphabet Coloring Book Glacier National Park
See America First - Maze Glacier National Park Activity
Tree Coloring Book Glacier National Park
Tree Key 13 Different Conifers in Glacier National Park
Web Rangers National Park Service Wrangell-St Elias Activity Book
Wildflower and Shrub Coloring Book Glacier National Park
Wise About Wildlife - Fill in the Blank Glacier National Park Activity
Glacier National Park East Tunnel Video
Glacier National Park Oberlin Bend Video
GlacierRaw - Bighorn Sheep Video
GlacierRaw - Bull Moose Video
GlacierRaw - Mountain Goat Kids Video
Download Web Ranger Activity Books
A Guide to Web Rangers Activities for Educators
All About Bats National Park Service Junior Ranger Activity Book
Archeologist National Park Service Junior Ranger Ages 6-12 Activity Book
Be a Citizen Scientist National Park Service Public Lands Junior Ranger Activity Book
Cave Scientist National Park Service Junior Ranger Activity Book
Centennial National Park Service Junior Ranger Activity Book
Eclipse Explorer National Park Service Junior Ranger Activity Book
Let's Go Fishing National Park Service Junior Ranger Activity Book
National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 Turns 50 Activity Book Toolkit and Answer Key
National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 Turns 50 Activity Book
Night Explorer National Park Service Junior Ranger Activity Book
Paleontologist National Park Service Junior Ranger Ages 5-12 Activity Book
Underground Railroad Network to Freedom National Park Service Junior Ranger Activity Book
Underwater Explorer National Park Service Junior Ranger Activity Book - Spanish
Underwater Explorer National Park Service Junior Ranger Activity Book
Virginia Web Ranger Petersburg National Battlefield Activity Booklet
Wilderness Explorers National Park Service Junior Ranger Activity Book
U.S. Forest Service Junior Forest Ranger Activity Book
U.S. Forest Service Junior Forest Ranger Adventure Guide - Spanish
U.S. Forest Service Junior Forest Ranger Adventure Guide
U.S. Forest Service Junior Snow Ranger Activity Book
MWAC Junior Ranger Archeology Program
SEAC Junior Ranger Archeologist Program Book
Download Yellowstone Junior Ranger Activities
Yellowstone Junior Ranger National Park Activity Book 5-7
Yellowstone Junior Ranger National Park Activity Book 8-12
Yellowstone National Park 1938 Poster
Yellowstone National Park Lodges
Map of Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park Bison Baby's First Steps Video
Yellowstone National Park Safety
Download Junior Ranger and State Park Program Activities, Information, and Resources
Download Files: Multi-State Parks
Download Files: Songs for Junior Rangers
Download Files: State Parks
A List of Links to Find Junior Ranger Pages for Specific Parks
A List of National Trail Junior Ranger Programs
Address and Contact Junior Ranger Badges and Patches
Find Junior Ranger Pages for Specific Parks
Independent State of Samoa Junior Ranger National Park of American Samoa Activity Book Samoan Version
Independent State of Samoa Junior Ranger National Park of American Samoa English Activity Book
Junior Ranger Book Morse Code
Junior Ranger Certificate Printing Guide
NASA Spaceflight Explorer Junior Ranger Activity Book
United States Territory of Guam Junior Ranger War In The Pacific National Historical Park Activity Book
Where to Request Badges and Patches
Download National Park Information and Resources
All National Registry of Natural Landmarks Listing by State and County
Every Kid in a Park Logo
Frederick Douglass Hat National Park Service Teaching with Museum Collections Lesson Plan
Introduction to World Heritage
Map of Recreational Visitors at each National Park
National Park Service Definitions for Fire and Wildfire
National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes
The Roland W Robbins Excavations 1948-1953 Massachusetts Archaeology Saugus Iron Works eBook
Trip Planning Guide National Park Service
Washington DC National Mall Map
Map Learning Park Symbols
Map of Yellowstone National Park
Do Not Feed Wildlife Poster
The First Lady Celebrates the National Park Service Find Your Park
Ask a Ranger Getting Lost - Find Your Park
Ask a Ranger Wild Animals - Find Your Park
Ask a Ranger 10 Essentials - Find Your Park
Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site Youth Summer Leadership Institute Flyer
Download Environmental and Educational Activity Guides, Information, and Resources
A National Park Service Index 2012-2016 HOT
All Seasons Safety Activity Book
An Overview of Nature eBook
Book of Stuff To Do
Environmental Games and Activities
Spend Time in Nature Parent Guide
History of the National Park Service from Wikipedia
History of Women In the National Park Service
Leave No Trace Activity Playbook
Do Not Feed Wildlife Poster
Finding My Forest Tools to Re-connect with Nature Education Activity Guide
