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Fire Island National Seashore is kicking off 2012 National Park Week with its annual National Junior Ranger Day extravaganza, to be held at the Fire Island Lighthouse on Saturday, April 21, 2012, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Best of all, each Junior Ranger activity is free!
Meet under the tent beside the Fire Island Lighthouse terrace for a variety of displays and hands-on activities that will be available throughout the day. Each activity is related to the historic, natural or recreational resources provided at Fire Island National Seashore. Try your hand at tying nautical knots. Play some Colonial games with staff from the park's William Floyd Estate.
Three special ranger-guided programs are also available. A 4-hour, 3-mile round-trip hike, "Discovering Fire Island," is a part of the Seashore's "Let's Move Outside" program. This activity is geared for children ages 10 and up, and advance registration is required (call 631-281-3010). Two shorter 1-hour programs are also offered. "Animal Tracking" starts at noon and "Orienteering" starts at 1:30 p.m.
A highlight of this year's program is the special Fire Island National Seashore Junior Ranger Day passport book. Children can get their books stamped as they complete each activity or program on this day.
The Fire Island Lighthouse is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and nominal fees are charged for Lighthouse Tower Tours from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Children must be at least 42 inches tall to climb the tower, and shoes are required. Please note that there is no food service at the Fire Island Lighthouse, so be sure to pack a lunch and drink. Parking is available at Robert Moses State Park Field #5, then follow the 3/4-mile boardwalk path to the Fire Island Lighthouse. Dress for the weather, and remember it can be a bit cooler along the ocean on Fire Island.
Fire Island National Seashore has an active Junior Ranger Program, with opportunities to complete a variety of general and special interest Junior Ranger activity booklets. Throughout the year, Junior Ranger Workshops are held at the Wilderness Visitor Center. During the summer, Junior Ranger activities are also offered at the Watch Hill and Sailors Haven visitor centers, and at the William Floyd Estate. The Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society also conducts a six-week "Junior Lighthouse Keepers" summer program, which starts on July 11, 2012.
For more information, contact the Office of Interpretation at 631-687-4780 or the Fire Island Lighthouse at 631-661-4876.
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Last updated: February 15, 2018