National Park Service
Park Visitor Information - 2009
(New Jersey to Ohio)
Introduction | News
Release | Full Events
List PDF | Travel
Tips | Commercial Services
Event Lists by State (select from the state list or from the drop list below)
AL | AK | AS | AZ | AR | CA | CO | CT | DE | DC | FL | GA | GU | HI | ID | IL | IN | IA | KS
KY | LA | ME | MD | MA | MI | MN | MS | MO | MT | NE | NV | NH | NJ | NM | NY | NC
ND | OH | OK | OR | PA | PR | RI | SC | SD | TN | TX | UT | VT | VI | VA | WA | WV | WI
Drop List of Events
New Jersey
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Pennsylvania/New Jersey
See Pennsylvania listing.
New Mexico
Aztec Ruins National Monument
Interpretive Programs: Rangers offer interpretive talks throughout the summer at scheduled times. Other activities include scholarly lectures and demonstrations of traditional American Indian crafts. The times and locations of these events are posted in mid-spring. For more information about the interpretive programs, contact the park at (505) 334-6174x30 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/azru/.
Bandelier National Monument
Interpretive Programs: are presented on a wide variety of topics that include wildlife, people, geology, and astronomy. For more information about park programs and activities, contact the park at (505) 672-3861 x517 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/band/.
Bandelier Bookstore: Founded in 1938, Western National Parks Association is a nonprofit cooperating association for the National Park Service authorized by Congress. Western National Parks Association provides educational materials to park visitors to help them better understand the natural and cultural significance of the parks. Furthermore, all proceeds from the sales of these educational materials are returned to the National Park Service to fund educational, interpretive and scientific activities that are not supported by taxes. Western National Parks Association is proud to be affiliated with Bandelier National Monument and to help educate visitors to the diverse history of this unique place.
COMMERCIAL SERVICES
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Ranger Guided Tours: Numerous guided tours of various parts of the cave are offered every day. Tours vary in difficulty from walking on a paved or dirt trails to crawling through tight passages. For a list of tours, please visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/cave or make reservations at www.recreation.gov.
Ranger Programs: Scheduled interpretive programs are offered year-round to help you discover more about your park. Join a park ranger for a free talk on the natural and cultural history of Carlsbad Caverns. Programs times vary, so check at the visitor center information desk for times and topics. For more information about these programs, contact the park at (575) 785-2232 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/cave.
Special Events
The 51st Annual Bat Flight Breakfast will be held Saturday July 18, 2009 from 5:00am -7:30am. Watch bats as they dive into the cave entrance after a night outside feeding on insects. Park rangers present free programs about the return flight in the dim light of dawn, a sight that is very different from the out-flight in the evening. Breakfast available on site. Special tours May be offered. For specific information, please contact the park at 575-785-2232.
Night Sky programs: Join park rangers after the evening bat flight program for a closer look at the night sky on June 20, July 25, August 22, and September 19, 2009. Perhaps you'll see planets, galaxies, and constellations. This event is FREE. Contact Kevin Mohr, 575-785-3138, with questions specific to this event. (Afterward, a telescope will be available to view planets, clusters and galaxies. All activities will end at 10:45 p.m.)
Junior Ranger Program: For only $1, you can buy a Junior Ranger booklet full of fun and educational activities, such as a scavenger hunt and Tic-Bat-Toe. Children bring their completed booklets to the park employee at the visitor center information desk to receive a patch and be “sworn in” as an official Carlsbad Caverns Junior Ranger!
Bookstore: The Carlsbad Caverns Guadalupe Mountains Association operates a bookstore the visitor center in Carlsbad Caverns National Park, as well as at the visitor center in Guadalupe Mountain National Park and the parks’ administrative office at 3225 National Parks Highway, Carlsbad. An online bookstore is also available. Call (575) 785-2486 for more information. You can even “Adopt a Bat” and support research and education programs about bats. Proceeds from book sales directly benefit park goals and support interpretive programs and materials.
Restaurant, kennel, and gift shop: Hungry or thirsty? Pick up a quick sandwich, muffin, burrito, or ice cold drink from the park’s concessioner, the Carlsbad Caverns Trading Company. Traveling with a pet? Drop it off at the kennel until you’re done with your cave tour! Carlsbad Caverns Trading Company operates a restaurant, kennel, and gift shop at the visitor center at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. For more information, call (575) 785-2281.
Chaco Culture National Historical Park
Guided tours of Pueblo Bonito are offered daily at 10am and 2pm throughout the summer. The park provides Night Sky programs on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday nights at dusk. Other tours and campground evening programs may be offered during the summer so check the bulletin boards at the Visitor Center and Campground for dates and times. Contact the park for information about these programs at (505) 786-7014 ext. 221 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/chcu/.
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
The park Visitor Center is the first stop for many visiting the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument and/or the Gila Wilderness. Summer hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Information on the Cliff Dwellings is available as well as information on day hikes, backpacking, camping, horse trials, hot springs and other Wilderness activities. For more information about summer programs and activities, contact the park at (575) 536-9461 or visit the park website at http://www.nps.gov/gicl/
Interpretive Tours: Throughout the summer season, Memorial Day through Labor Day, two interpretive tours of the Gila Cliff Dwellings are offered daily at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.; tours are approximately one hour. Visitors need not join a formal tour, but can wander through the Cliff Dwellings at their own pace during all hours of operation (8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. during the summer). Staff is available on site to answer visitors’ questions.
Junior Ranger and Senior Ranger Programs: Visitors 12 and younger can earn a Junior Ranger certificate and badge by completing selected activities in a self-paced booklet available at the Visitor Center or at the Cliff Dwellings Contact Station. Older visitors can earn a Senior Ranger certificate and patch by completing selected activities in a self-paced booklet available at the same locations.
Bookstore: The Western National Parks Association Bookstore is in the Visitor Center and offers books and other materials on area cultural and natural history, and geology. Postcards, tee-shirts, hats and other sundries also are available. No food is sold in the bookstore. Refillable water bottles are sold and water is available to fill them.
Campgrounds: Camping is available nearby in the surrounding Gila National Forest and on New Mexico Department of Game and Fish land. Gila National Forest, Wilderness Ranger District Office: (575) 536-9461. New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Southwest Area Office: (575) 532-2100.
Upper Scorpion Campground (U.S. Forest Service land), located about 1.9 miles from the Visitor Center on the road to the Cliff Dwellings, has water, vault toilets, and 10 sites with picnic tables, raised grills and fire rings. All vehicles must remain in the paved parking lot.
Lower Scorpion Campground (U.S. Forest Service land), located 1.5 miles from the Visitor Center on the road to the Cliff Dwellings has water, vault toilets, and 7 sites with picnic tables, raised grills and fire rings.
All vehicles must remain in the paved parking lot. Archeological sites can be accessed along the Trail to the Past.
Forks Campground (U.S. Forest Service land), located 4.4 miles south of the Visitor Center on Hwy. 15, has vault toilets and undeveloped, primitive sites both at road level and near the river. The steep, unpaved road into the lower portion of this campground is not recommended for trailers or vehicles over 20 feet in length. Vehicles are not allowed in the river or within 50 feet of the water’s edge.
Grapevine Campground (U.S. Forest Service land), once home to the largest example of its living namesake, is located 4.8 miles south of the Visitor Center on Hwy. 15. Grapevine has vault toilets and undeveloped, primitive sites near the river. The steep, unpaved entrance road is not recommended for trailers or vehicles over 20 feet. Vehicles are not allowed in the river or within 50 feet of the water’s edge. The trailhead for the Gila River Trail #724 is located at the northwest end of the campground near the bridge.
Camping is allowed at both TJ Corral (U.S. Forest Service land) and Woody’s Corral (New Mexico Department of Game and Fish land), located 1 mile from the Visitor Center on the road to the Cliff Dwellings. Water, vault toilets and corrals are available.
Pecos National Historical Park
Join the park for programs that explore the unique and fascinating cultural and natural history of Pecos National Historical Park through walks, talks, van tours and special events. For more information about ranger programs, contact the park at (505)757-7241 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/peco.
Ranger-led Interpretive Tours: From Memorial Day through Labor Day, the park offers free 90-minute guided tours of Pecos pueblo and Spanish mission, daily at 10am. Other interpretive walks and tours are offered daily at 2pm; topics include Santa Fe Trail ruts, Lost Church, Arrowhead Ruins van tour and Square Ruin.
Summer Weekend Cultural Demonstrations: The rich and colorful history of northern New Mexico comes alive each weekend with local craftspeople demonstrating their arts and crafts. Each weekend celebrates a different type of art including: pottery making, creation of santos and retablos, tin work, drum making and flute making.
Civil War Battle of Glorieta Pass Ranger-led van tour: Join a ranger on a 2-hour van tour of the civil war Battle of Glorieta Pass, often referred to as the “Gettysburg of the West.” Relive the drama of this little known yet decisive battle in the far west. Offered weekly throughout the year; $2/person tour fee.
Forked Lightning Ranch House Ranger-led tour: Discover the bold beauty of the summer home of the late actress Greer Garson and husband, Texas rancher and oil man, Col. E.E. “Buddy” Fogelson. Offered weekly throughout the year; $2/person tour fee.
Special Events: June 13-14, 2009: Living History Encampment: Over 40 civil war demonstrators will interpret life during the 1862 civil war Battle of Glorieta Pass. There will be black powder demonstrations, talks and Military Order of World War veterans Flag Day Ceremony.
August 2, 2009: Feast Day Mass: Held at the mission church in the park. The annual mass celebrates the historical connections between the Village of Pecos and the Pueblo of Jemez.
New York
Fire Island National Seashore
Park rangers and volunteers conduct a variety of recreational and educational programs to help you learn more about Fire Island National Seashore.
If you'd like to explore Fire Island's natural and cultural resources, a guided program may be just the way to get you started. During the summer, Fire Island National Seashore offers a balance of recreational and educational programs for individuals, families, and groups. Some programs are limited in attendance or require advance reservations. Most programs are free, but program fees are charged by some of the park's partners or for special events. For more information about summer programs, contact the park at (631) 687-4750 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/fiis/.
Bookstore: Eastern National operates a small book store at the Sailors Haven, Watch Hill and Wilderness visitor centers, and at the William Floyd Estate, and the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society operates a sales area at the Fire Island Lighthouse. Each shop provides in-depth information about the park and its special resources.
A purchase not only helps you learn more about the park, but the profit from these sales helps support the park interpretive and education efforts. Both Eastern National and the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society are official National Park Service cooperating associations, authorized to operate within Fire Island National Seashore.
Fort Stanwix National Monument
During the summer months visitors are invited to join a ranger led program and gain a greater understanding of the struggles and events that happened at Fort Stanwix. Check with the ranger on duty in the Willett Center for times and locations of all programs offered that day. Activities in the fort include living history programs. These programs are real hands-on activities for visitors. All visitors are welcome to come to our special events and experience 18th century military life.For more information about these programs and events, contact the park at (315) 338-7730 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/fost/.
Summer Events:
Public Readings of the Declaration of Independence: July 4, 2009 - Join the Park as we commemorate public readings of the Declaration of Independence to the Continental Army. In the morning an in the afternoon public readings will take place in the fort’s Parade Ground. This will be followed by cannon salutes and cheers for the new independent United States of America. Children may join this event by serving as honor guards. Please call the park for further information at (315) 338-7730.
The Siege Begins: August 3, 2009 - From August 3 to the 23, 1777, British forces under command of Barry St. Leger laid siege to Fort Stanwix. Events this day honor the beginning of the siege and its importance to national and world history. A flag raising and cannon salute will mark this important occasion.
Willett's Sortie: August 6, 2009 - On August 6, 1777, Lt.Col. Willett and 250 men triumphantly left the fort, raided, and destroyed the camps left empty by the same loyalists and British Native allies participating in the nearby Battle of Oriskany.
This afternoon gather in the Parade Grounds of the recreated fort and listen and watch as living historians interpret the tactics used to hold Fort Schuyler that day. Sortie program begins at afternoon tour times. Please call park for more information at (315) 338-7730.
The Siege Ends: August 23, 2009 - On this date, in 1777, British forces under command of Gen. Barry St.Leger abandoned the area as Continental troops under command of Maj.Gen. Benedict Arnold arrived to aid the weary 3rd NY troops. A cannon salute and flag raising ceremony will accompany this fine occasion during the morning hours.
Founder’s Day: August 25, 2009 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at Fort Stanwix National Monument. Help us celebrate the birth o the National Park Service.
Saratoga National Historical Park
The park will offer a variety of special programs throughout the summer. For more information about these programs, contact the park at (518) 664-9821 ext. 224 or visit the park website at http://www.nps.gov/sara/.
Guided Bicycle Tours: Wednesdays, June 17, July 15, August 19, 2009 from 6 to 8 pm
On the battlefield - Enjoy scenic views in American and British fortified areas of the park with volunteer park guides. Helmets required, bring your own bicycle. Water bottles and insect repellant recommended.
Children's Programs: Thursdays, July 2, 9, 16, 23, 2009, from 1 to 3 pm at the
Schuyler House - Just for children, ages 5-12. Come play games, dress in Colonial clothes, cook, make candles, or enjoy afternoon tea! Sponsored by Friends of Saratoga Battlefield.
Fourth of July: Saturday, July 4, 2009 at the Visitor Center (Battlefield) - Morning citizenship ceremony, followed by Park Ranger Joe Craig portraying a 1776 town crier with news of American Independence. Join with fellow citizens in toasting the 13 "new" states. Naturalization Ceremony at 10 am; Readings of the Declaration of Independence at 1 and 3 pm.
Ranger Guided Ecology Walk: Tuesdays, July 7 and 14, 2009 on the battlefield
from 6:30 to 7:30pm - Come explore the wilder side of Saratoga! Meet a park ranger in the Visitor Center parking lot then caravan to the battlefield to discover some of nature's secrets through hands-on experiments.
18th Century Day: Sunday, August 9, 2009 at the Schuyler House from 12 noon to 5pm - Step back in time at the historic Schuyler House! The grounds abound with later 18th century activities, including puppet shows, music, oxen cart rides, blacksmithing, basket weaving, chair caning, candle making, tinsmithing and more. Hosted by Old Saratoga Historical Association.
232nd Anniversary of the Battles of Saratoga: Saturday and Sunday, September 19 and 20, 2009 on the battlefield - Revolutionary-era American, British and German soldiers and camp followers set the 1777 scene with tents, campfires, musket and cannon firings. Discuss strategy with officers, judge a court-martial, browse colonial wares, go on a "reconnaissance" party, learn about sewing and open-fire cooking techniques, see a dramatic performance of British Colonel Ban Tarleton, or take part in a mock musket drill. Camps open Saturday from 10am to 4pm, Sunday from 10am to 3pm
Guided bicycle tour on Saturday at 1pm. "The Bubble Reputation," a dramatic portrayal of British Colonel Bannistre Tarleton by actor Howard Burnham, Saturday at 6:30pm and Sunday at 2pm.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
Teddy Bear Picnic: Tuesday, June 30, 2009, 4:00 – 6:00 pm, $5 per person
For children ages 3 through 10. Reservations are required, (716) 884-0095
In 1902, the first teddy bear was made, taking its name from the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. The Teddy Bear Picnic has become a favorite annual event sponsored by the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site. Once again, the picnic will be held at the Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens. Special entertainment by the Hill Brothers, a visit from Buffalo Clown Alley, grilled hotdogs, stories, games and other surprises are all part of the fun. Everyone should bring a blanket to sit on and a favorite teddy bear. Another bonus - a wonderful outdoor concert after the picnic! The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra will perform patriotic selections in this beautiful park setting from 7:00 until 8:15 pm.
Summer Camp 2009 - Niagara Frontier Adventure Week, August 10 – 14, 2009,
$125 for the week. For children ages 7 through 12. Reservations are required, (716) 884-0095
Niagara's Native Americans
In a joint educational program with the Niagara County Historical Society, children will explore the heritage of the Niagara region’s oldest inhabitants. They will learn about Tuscarora culture, try out a Native American craft, take a trip to the local reservation and visit an area farm.
Exploring 1901 America
In celebration of the TR Site’s grand re-opening, children will explore life at the time TR was President. They will play living Monopoly, learn about conservation and find out all the fun the Roosevelt children had in the White house.
North Carolina
Blue Ridge Parkway (North Carolina and Virginia)
Summer along the Blue Ridge Parkway provides stunning, long range vistas and close-up looks at the natural and cultural history of the southern Appalachian mountains. The Parkway is designed as a drive-awhile and stop-awhile experience, so please don't be in a hurry. The driving here is slow paced and relaxing, rewarding the traveler with an intimate look at our southern Appalachian Mountains. The Parkway meanders for 469 miles between Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks, providing numerous opportunities for enjoying overlooks, picnic and camping facilities, trails, historic sites and the natural wonders of our region.
Ranger Activities
At the nine Parkway campgrounds and other historic sites such as Humpback Rocks and Mabry Mill in Virginia, or at the Moses Cone estate in North Carolina, visitors can expect a variety of cultural demonstrations, musical entertainment, or Junior Ranger programs that will offer an in depth view of the region. These programs are offered at all of the park’s developed areas on weekends throughout the summer. Traditional ranger talks at the campgrounds are generally offered each weekend evening. Traditional mountain music and flatfoot dancing takes place at Mabry Mill (MP 176) every Sunday afternoon and at Roanoke Mountain Campground (MP 120) every Sunday evening.
Special Events
“They Call Me Aunt Orlene,” (2:00 – 4:00 PM, June 28, July 19, August 30, and September 27). A one-woman show about the life of Southwest Virginia midwife, Orlene Puckett, at the site of her family’s cabin at Milepost 190. Living to over 100 years old, Puckett is known for delivering over 1,000 babies in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Bring your own chair and enjoy Phyllis Stump’s presentation.
“Brinegar Days Festival,” (10:00 AM – 4:00 PM, August 8). During this special program, workshops and demonstrations will focus on the lives and history of the Brinegars and their local community. Discover how to preserve your own family history by joining workshops on oral history interviews, journaling, scrapbooking, photo preservation, and shape note singing.
Food & Lodging
Four overnight lodging facilities and six restaurants provide a variety of accommodations for travelers along the Parkway.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Cape Hatteras National Seashore provides endless opportunities to explore, discover, and spend time with loved ones. You can discover the wonders of barrier islands and creatures that call them home, splash through the surf and search for shells, learn of our nation’s rich maritime history, and cast a line in the Atlantic to see what marine fish you can catch. This is your national park site and your place to treasure for years to come. We thank you for making our nation’s heritage part of your family tradition and look forward to seeing you out in the park! Check our park website to help plan your visit, www.nps.gov/caha.
Summer Programs: The National Park Service offers 136 programs per week from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Get a copy of the park newspaper, In The Park, at any National Park Service visitor center or Outer Banks Visitors Bureau Welcome Center for to see the program schedule. Or view the schedule online at http://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/events.htm.
Be a Junior Ranger!: Becoming a Junior Ranger is a fun way to learn more about the seashore and how you can help protect its cultural and natural resources – just like the park rangers that you meet! The Junior Ranger programs at Cape Hatteras National Seashore are for ages 5 to 13. To get started, just go to one of the visitor centers and helpful people will give you a Junior Ranger booklet. If you attend two ranger programs and complete the workbook, you will earn a Seashore Ranger patch and a Junior Ranger badge. If you complete only the booklet, you will earn a Junior Ranger badge. If you need someone to help you finish the booklet, ask one of your parents or one of our park rangers.
Swim Safely!!: The ocean is a wonderful place to swim – but you need to be careful. Strong wave energy, rough surf and rip currents are common place and can be dangerous. Get a copy of the park newspaper, In The Park, or visit the park website for more information, http://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/ocean-swimming-safety.htm.
What to Know: You can drive on the beach with your street-legal four-wheel drive vehicle, but there are restrictions. Before you drive on the beach, check the park newspaper, In The Park, or the park website, http://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/off-road-vehicle-use.htm. The seashore has four campgrounds for you to enjoy. You can bring your pet, but it MUST be on leash at all times!!!
Things to Do - Bodie Island
Bodie Island Lighthouse/Visitor Center/Bookstore
You can visit the grounds of the Bodie Island Lighthouse day or night. At night, you can witness the beauty and craftsmanship of the historic Fresnel lens, shipped from Paris in 1871. During your day visit, be sure to see the visitor center and Eastern National bookstore in the historic Double Keeper’s Quarters, open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during summer months.
Spend a Day at the Beach
The Coquina Beach Day Use area, located across from the entrance to the Bodie Island Lighthouse on NC-12, is the perfect place to spend a beach day with your family. This area offers showers, changing rooms, restrooms, parking, and a boardwalk for easy accessibility. Lifeguards are on duty during summer months.
Go Fishing
Surf fishing is a popular activity along the seashore, and most of the beach and sound is open to fishing. You will need a NC Coastal Recreational Fishing License, which can be purchase a license at one of the numerous local tackle shops while finding bait, equipment, and fishing tips.
Go Birding
Whether you are a beginner or an expert, the marches and ponds behind the Bodie Island Lighthouse offer a variety of species. There are boardwalks and observation decks overlooking the area.
Oregon Inlet Fishing Center
Tuna? Wahoo? Want to see what’s biting today? The park concession-operated charter fishing boats return to the marina between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. and display the catch of the day. Or take a trip to the Gulf Stream yourself for a day of off-shore fishing.
Things to Do - Hatteras Island
Hatteras Island Visitor Center/Bookstore
Located near the lighthouse, the visitor center and bookstore is your stop for orientation and educational sales items. The visitor center is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during summer months.
Museum of the Sea
The Museum of the Sea is located inside the Double Keeper’s Quarters next to the lighthouse. Learn about shipwrecks, U-boats, the U.S. Life-Saving Service and more. Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during summer months.
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
Climbing the tallest lighthouse in the country is a unique experience. The Cape Hatteras lighthouse is open for climbing April 17 to October 12, 2009. For more information go to http://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/climbing-the-cape-hatteras-lighthouse.htm.
Visit the Old Lighthouse Site
In 1999, the Cape Hatteras lighthouse was moved 2900 feet. Today the old site is marked with granite blocks engraved with the names of the former lighthouse keepers.
Spend a Day at the Beach
Located near the Old Lighthouse Site, the Buxton Swim Beach offers lifeguards during summer months. Seashore beaches are ideal for shell hunting. Please do not take shells with the animals still in them. Take only empty shells.
Fishing Piers
There are three concession-operated fishing piers in the seashore: the Hatteras Island Fishing Pier in Rodanthe, the Avon Pier in Avon, and Cape Hatteras Fishing Pier in Frisco. It’s a great way to spend a morning or afternoon with your family.
Go Birding
Whether you are a beginner or an expert, Hatteras Island is a great place to experience a variety of bird species. The ponds along the road entering the lighthouse area are a good place to start.
Buxton Woods Trail
Take a break from your normal beach day by exploring the Buxton Woods Trail, a ¾-mile loop, located near the entrance road to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse parking lot. Here, you will experience a maritime forest with its variety of birds, dragonflies, and other creatures. Enjoy the shade provided by the live oaks, red cedars, and loblolly pines. Picnic tables are available. Bring bug spray.
Explore the Sound
Explore the sound side of the islands on your own. Salvo Day Use Area and Haulover Day Use Area offer parking, restrooms and access to the water for swimming, kayaking, or watching kiteboarders.
Historic Hatteras Island U.S. Weather Bureau Station
Located in the heart of Hatteras Village, the U.S. Weather Bureau built the station in 1901. Staffed by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, it is open to the public daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Things to Do - Ocracoke Island
Ocracoke Visitor Center/Bookstore
Located in the village by the Cedar Island/Swan Quarter ferry docks, this small visitor center offers exhibits on key moments in Ocracoke history and an excellent selection of take-home items at the bookstore. Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during summer months.
Spend a Day at the Beach
The Ocracoke Day Use area, located less than one mile north of the village, is a great place to spend the day with your family. Voted “#1 Beach in America” in 2007, this area offers showers, changing rooms, restrooms, parking, and a boardwalk for easy accessibility. Lifeguards are on duty during summer months.
Ocracoke Lighthouse
See the oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina, built in 1823. You can visit the grounds of the lighthouse day or night, but parking is very limited, so try biking or walking to the site. This lighthouse is not open for climbing.
Go Birding
Whether you are a beginner or an expert, Ocracoke is a great place to enjoy the fastest growing outdoor activity in America, birding! Try South Point Road or the ponds on the north end of the island near the Hatteras ferry docks.
Ocracoke Ponies
The Banker ponies, believed to have been the victims of shipwrecks, are an important part of island history. The pony pens are located seven miles north of the village on NC-12. Picnic tables are available.
Hammock Hills Nature Trail
Hike this ¾-mile loop trail to see a different side of the island. From the forest to the salt marsh, trail signs will help you identify unique plants and animals. The trailhead is across from the NPS campground and has plenty of parking. Bring bug spray.
Fort Ocracoke Civil War Memorial
You can find the marker in the grassy area at the end of the NPS parking lot. One side of the marker commemorates Fort Ocracoke, the other remembers soldiers from Portsmouth and Ocracoke who served on both sides of the Civil War.
Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
Park Ranger programs are given throughout the summer months. For more information about programs that are available, contact the park at (828) 693-4178 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/carl/.
From June until mid-August, live performances of Sandburg's Rootabaga Stories and excerpts from the Broadway play, The World of Carl Sandburg, are presented at the park amphitheater: June 17 through August 15, 10:15 - 10:45 am.
Sandburg Summer Stage Performances: Apprentice Actors from the Flat Rock Playhouse School of the Drama perform 30 minute selections from Carl Sandburg's Rootabaga Stories and Lincoln Biography. These toe-tapping performances are fun for all ages. The Rootabaga Stories are performed Thursday and Saturday. Sandburg's Lincoln is performed Wednesday and Friday. There will be no performances the week of July 15.
Bookstore: The Park’s bookstore is operated by Eastern National, a cooperating association of the National Park Service. Eastern National offers books and other educational items relating to the interpretive themes of Carl Sandburg Home NHS. The store is located on the first floor of the historic Sandburg Home. A percentage of the proceeds from all sales are donated to the interpretive program of Carl Sandburg Home NHS. To contact the park bookstore, call (828) 698-5621.
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site provides many opportunities to explore and discover. At this park, you can share the excitement of colonists who risked everything to discover a new world. This is your national park site and your place to treasure for years to come. We thank you for making our nation’s heritage part of your family tradition and look forward to seeing you out in the park! Check our park website to help plan your visit, www.nps.gov/fora.
Summer Programs: The National Park Service offers 78 programs per week from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Get a copy of the park newspaper, In The Park, at any National Park Service visitor center or Outer Banks Visitors Bureau Welcome Center for to see the program schedule. Or view the schedule online at http://www.nps.gov/fora/planyourvisit/events.htm.
Be a Junior Ranger!: Becoming a Junior Ranger is a fun way to learn more about the seashore and how you can help protect its cultural and natural resources – just like the park rangers that you meet! The Junior Ranger programs designed are for ages 5 to 13. To get started, pick up a Junior Ranger booklet at the visitor center. You can earn a Junior Roanoke Ranger patch when you attend ranger programs and complete the booklet. If you need someone to help you finish the booklet, ask one of your parents or one of our park rangers.
Things To Do
Visitor Center - Your home base at the Fort!
At the Lindsay Warren Visitor Center, helpful and knowledgeable park rangers and volunteers will acquaint you with these stories of Fort Raleigh through exhibits, artifacts and a 17-minute park video.
The Earthen Fort - Reflect on 425 years of a changed America.
A silent witness of time, the small restored fortification is associated with England's first New World settlement that was sponsored by Sir Walter Raleigh. The trench of the earthen fort is a tangible trace of part of the infrastructure that was built during the 1585 to 1586 time period. Nearby, a spot has confirmed evidence of metallurgical activity from the 1585 exploration expedition.
The Thomas Hariot Nature Trail - Take a walk!
This 20-minute pocket wilderness experience of the island's natural setting offers a glimpse of what Thomas Hariot and the explorers witnessed during their time here. On the trail, wayside signs relate what English observed of the New World’s natural resources and the commodities that could be made from them.
Freedmen’s Colony Memorial Marker – An American evolution of Freedom for all.
Located at the corner plaza outside of the visitor center, wayside signs and a memorial marker describe Roanoke Island’s role in the Underground Railroad and discuss one of the first transformations of African Americans from Slavery to Freedom in a slaveholding state. Learn what happened after the Battle of Roanoke Island during the Civil War.
The Freedom Trail - Take a hike!
The Freedom Trail leads 1-¼ miles from the nearby Elizabethan Gardens through the park land to the island's western edge, offering a viewshed that the native Algonquians enjoyed from their island home. At the trail's west end, signs discuss the Civil War Battle of Roanoke Island.
Picnic tables - Bring something to eat!
The scenic park grounds are excellent for a family picnic! Several tables are near the visitor center, offering trash receptacles and shade from the summer sun. Whether having a mid-day snack or early evening meal, the facilities are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Lost Colony Outdoor Symphonic Drama – A Theatrical commemoration!
The Lost Colony drama plays at the park during summer months. Check The Lost Colony website for details, http://www.thelostcolony.org.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee/North Carolina
See Tennessee listing.
Wright Brothers National Memorial
Wright Brothers National Memorial provides many opportunities to explore and discover. At this park, you can feel the exhilaration of two brothers when their dream of the impossible became a reality. This is your national park site and your place to treasure for years to come. We thank you for making our nation’s heritage part of your family tradition and look forward to seeing you out in the park! Check our park website to help plan your visit, www.nps.gov/wrbr.
Summer Programs: The National Park Service offers 78 programs per week from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Get a copy of the park newspaper, In The Park, at any National Park Service visitor center or Outer Banks Visitors Bureau Welcome Center for to see the program schedule. Or view the schedule online at http://www.nps.gov/wrbr/planyourvisit/events.htm.
Be a Junior Ranger!: Becoming a Junior Ranger is a fun way to learn more about the seashore and how you can help protect its cultural and natural resources – just like the park rangers that you meet! The Junior Ranger programs designed are for ages 5 to 13. To get started, pick up a Junior Ranger booklet t the visitor center. You will earn a Flight Ranger patch when you complete your booklet and attend two ranger programs. If you need someone to help you finish the booklet, ask one of your parents or one of our park rangers.
Things to Do
Visitor Center – Park staff and volunteers welcome you to the park!
Learn about the Wright brothers, the 1903 Wright Flyer and one of the greatest scientific achievements of the 20th century, as told through exhibits and interpretive programs. On display are reproductions of the 1902 glider, 1903 Flyer, Wrights’ first wind tunnel and the original engine block from the 1903 flying machine. Don’t miss the original Flyer cloth that Neil Armstrong carried 40 years ago as he walked on the moon. Educational items and memorabilia are available in the bookstore.
Centennial Pavilion – Want to learn more?
The Centennial Pavilion houses exhibits dealing with the Outer Banks at the turn-of-the-century, the evolution of aviation, the challenges of flight and NASA-sponsored space exhibits. Visit the Centennial Pavilion and expand your knowledge of our nation’s aviation heritage.
Wright Brothers’ Camp – A sense of time and place.
Stroll down a walking path next to the visitor center leading to the first flight area. Stop at the reconstructions of the 1903 wooden living quarters and hangar where the Wright brothers conducted their experiments. The living quarters is furnished with items like those that the Wrights would have used and the hangar replicates the building where the Wrights stored their 1903 Flyer.
First Flight Site – The site of the historic first flight!
Stand on the same spot where the Wright brothers lifted off in the world’s first airplane, marked by the 6-ton First Flight Boulder. Journey along the flight path to the four numbered markers, which indicate where the world’s first airplane landed after each of its four flights of December 17, 1903.
Wright Monument and Big Kill Devil Hill – Our Nation acknowledges the Wrights.
The Big Kill Devil Hill offers a magnificent view of the Atlantic Ocean, Albemarle Sound, and surrounding country. It is on this old sand dune that the Wrights conducted over 1,000 glider flights. Climbing the paths to the top of the hill will afford you a visit to the 60 ft. Wright Monument which commemorates the Wrights and their achievements in aviation. Please walk on the paved walkways – there are lots of spiny cacti on the hill!
Airstrip and Pilot Facility – Flight today.
Love to watch airplanes take off and land? Then, visit the Pilot Facility adjacent to the 3,000 ft First Flight Airstrip. The facility features a computerized weather briefing system, route planning software, navigational charts, and restrooms. Picnic tables are available here.
December 17, 1903 Sculpture – The first flight replicated in life-sized art.
Recreating the first flight scene, a 10,000-pound bronze and stainless steel sculpture is located behind the Big Kill Devil Hill. It offers a new perspective on the famous photograph of the first flight. The sculpture is designed to be hands on, so feel free to explore and climb on the world’s first airplane. But, use caution as you climb aboard!
North Dakota
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Ranger and Park Programs: From the wide-open prairie to the lush river bottoms through canyons and to the tops of buttes in the rugged badlands, the park provides visitors with an opportunity to experience many unique habitats. During the summer season join a park ranger for a guided walk, short talk, or evening campfire program to learn more about the natural and cultural history of this incredible landscape. For more information about the summer programs, contact the park at (701) 623-4466 & (701) 842-2333 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/thro/.
Summer Activities:
Summer interpretive programs showcase the park's natural and cultural history. Included are short talks, evening campfire programs, walks, and longer hikes. Please check at the visitor centers or on park bulletin boards for weekly activity schedules.
Maltese Cross Cabin: Roosevelt's Maltese Cross Cabin is located behind the South Unit Visitor Center. Rangers give talks about the cabin every day during the summer.
Ranger Talks: Rangers present short talks on a variety of topics every day from mid-June to the beginning of September.
Ranger Walks: Take a walk with a ranger to view wildlife or learn about the cultural history of the park. Meeting places vary. Offered most every day from mid-June to the beginning of September.
Evening Campfire Programs: Join a ranger at the campground amphitheater in Cottonwood or Juniper Campground for a more in-depth view of things at Theodore Roosevelt National Park or in the National Park Service. Offered most every evening from mid-June to the beginning of September.
Ranger Hikes: Explore the badlands with a ranger and visit some of the more remote areas of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Check park bulletin boards for current offerings.
Bookstore: The Theodore Roosevelt Nature and History Association operate bookstores in the South Unit Visitor Center, Painted Canyon Visitor Center, and the North Unit Visitor Center, all located in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Web users can also visit the Theodore Roosevelt Nature and History Association's Online Bookstore at http://trnha.org/bookstorehome.htm.
TRNHA also manages bookstores in the Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site Visitor Center and at the visitor center at Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge.
You are invited to enjoy these facilities that house the Association's bookstores. All purchases will directly support these federal agencies. The Association takes great pride in their ability to provide assistance to these sites. Enjoy your adventure.
Oklahoma
Chickasaw National Recreation Area
The park is named to honor the Chickasaw Indian Nation, original occupants of this land. The partially forested hills of southcentral Oklahoma and its springs, streams, and lakes provide swimming, boating, fishing, picnicking, camping, hunting, and hiking. For more information, call the park at (405) 665-7234 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/chic.
DAILY PROGRAMS
Travertine Traverse — Get to know Chickasaw with a park ranger on a walk along Travertine Creek to Antelope and Buffalo Springs or Little Niagara. Meet at the Travertine Nature Center. 1-1 ½ miles roundtrip, 9:30 a.m. Friday through Sunday.
Beat The Heat — Join a park ranger to explore the natural resources and stories of Chickasaw National Recreation Area at the Travertine Nature Center. 3:00 p.m. daily.
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY EVENING PROGRAMS
Campground Amphitheater Programs/Ranger Talks — Enjoy an evening of relaxation and education. Join us at the Buckhorn, and Point campground amphitheaters. 9:00 pm Fridays and Saturdays.
Children’s Programs and Activities
Junior Ranger Program — The park offers a Junior Ranger Program for children of all ages. The program is a great way to introduce children to the natural wonders of Chickasaw National Recreation Area and provide opportunities for the whole family to get involved and learn about the park. Start your Junior Ranger experience at the Travertine Nature Center or the Junior Ranger Station. After completing the age appropriate requirements, participants are awarded an official Junior Ranger badge and certificate.
The Junior Ranger Station — Located at the entrance to the Cold Springs Campground, the Junior Ranger Station is open during summer weekends as a central location for children visiting the park to begin their Junior Ranger experience. Open Fridays; 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. and Saturdays; 10:00 p.m. – 12:00 noon and 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Friday Nights at Cold Springs — Families are invited to join park rangers for evening programs designed for children of all ages. Bring the kids to the Cold Springs campground amphitheater at 8:00 p.m. every Friday.
Sunday Mornings at Cold Springs — Wake up and join a park ranger for a children’s program at the Cold Springs campground amphitheater at 10:00 a.m. beginning in July.
Oklahoma City National Memorial
The bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995, killed 168 people, including 19 children, and injured more than 650. The memorial is a public/private partnership erected so that the American public can honor the memory of the victims, their families, the survivors, and their rescuers. For more information about the summer programs, contact the park at (405) 609-8855 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/okci/. Information about the immediately adjacent Memorial Museum can be obtained by calling (888) 542-HOPE or on the Internet at http://www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/
Extended Hours
From Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, Park Rangers will be available on the Memorial grounds from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. each Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Monday through Wednesday rangers are available from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Ranger-led programs
Park rangers lead programs on the Memorial grounds at 11:00 a.m. and at 2:00 p.m. daily. Thursday through Sunday, evening programs are conducted at 6:15 and 8:15 p.m.
Junior Ranger Program
A Junior Ranger Program booklet is available by contacting a park ranger on the Memorial grounds or by calling 405 609-8855.
Ohio
Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park
All activities presented at the Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center, located at 16 South Williams Street. For more information, call the park at (937) 225 -7705 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/daav.
It’s in the Details: Wil and Orv as Printers: June 19-20; July 10-11; August 7-8, 2009 – Printing demonstration 2:00 – 4:00pm - Wil and Orv were first printers and it took a keen eye and attention to detail to get this job done right. Watch a ranger demonstrate the tedious process of printing in 1890 in the room the Wright brothers used.
Junior Ranger Program: Wednesday through Saturday, June 24-27, 2009; Who am I?
– any time between 10:00am – 4:00pm - Participants will identify “Who” as they learn first-hand about the people that inspired the Wright brothers..
Let’s go Fly a Kite – Famous Kite Flyers through History: June 28, 2009; 2:00 – 3:00pm - Examine how kites have been used throughout history to advance the science of machine-powered flight. Learn how the Wrights experimented with flight using one of the oldest man-made flying devices: kites.
Art in the Park: Saturdays, July 11, 18 & 25, 2009 at 10:00am to noon - Children enrolled in K-6 will have the opportunity to use their imagination, creativity, and talent while having fun! Sponsored in part by The K-12 Gallery. Registration is required.
Not just another Cycle Shop Junior Ranger Program: Wednesday through Saturday, July 22-25, 2009, any time between 10:00am – 4:00pm - Participants will learn about the many aspects of The Wright Cycle Company building.
Puzzling out a Poem Junior Ranger Program: Wednesday through Saturday, August 12-15, 2009, any time between 10:00am – 4:00pm - Participants choose from a grab bag full of words to craft a poem as they complete a puzzle.
Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial
From mid-June through the end of August, Park Rangers offer interpretive talks about the Battle of Lake Erie, the War of 1812, construction of the monument, and other topics of interest. Talks normally occur on the plaza at the base of the Memorial and are usually offered on the hour from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Access to the island is by plane or 18 minute ferry boat ride. For more information about the summer programs, contact the park at (419) 285-2184 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/pevi/.
Living History Programs: On weekends, Rangers offer living history demonstrations. Dressed in War of 1812 military and civilian uniforms, Rangers present talks about the Battle and the war, concluded with a firing demonstration of reproduction flintlock muskets. On scheduled weekends there are firing demonstrations of a reproduction 32-pounder carronade.