What is a Junior Ranger?

Junior Rangers can be thought of as potential Park Rangers in training. This nationwide program is designed to not only familiarize children with the duties and responsibilities of a park ranger, but also to spark an interest in the whole family for the resources and stories each National Park Service area preserves. In order to become a Junior Ranger at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument kids of any age must successfully complete our Junior Ranger Guide.

Upon completing the Junior Ranger Guide, Junior Ranger candidates must return to the Kris Eggle Visitor Center where their Guide will be reviewed by a ranger. Once the review is completed they will be sworn in as official Junior Rangers. They will also receive a free badge and signed Junior Ranger Certificate.

Becoming a Junior Ranger is a mark of distinction. These special badges issued cannot be purchased or otherwise obtained except through the dedication of the child and the support of his or her parents or guardians. Parents wishing their children to become Junior Rangers should plan several hours at Organ Pipe toward the completion of this program.

Web Rangers
The National Park Service has also created a web based program to allows interested and motivated children to explore hundreds of National Park sites throughout the United States from the comfort of their own home. That program is called Web Rangers and it can be accessed by clicking on the link below. 

www.nps.gov/webrangers.

Not Just For Juniors! Coming Soon the Desert Ranger.

At Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument we encourage kids of all ages to participate in our Junior Ranger program. All that is required is a love of the Sonoran Desert and willingness to put in the time necessary to complete all of the activities. Soon a Desert Ranger Guide will be available for those in the not-so-junior ranger category. The PDF version of the Desert Ranger Guide is now available.