Be a Junior Ranger

What is a Junior Ranger?

Junior Rangers help to preserve and protect national parks. They learn about nature and history, have fun exploring the parks, and tell their friends, families, and schoolmates about their adventures. Junior Rangers continue to protect the environment at home and at school.

How can you become a Junior Ranger?

If you are not able to visit Grand Canyon National Park, there are a number of Junior Ranger activity books available online on a variety of topics related to national parks across the country. Whatever your interests, check out these cool Junior Ranger programs that you can do at home or in your local area.

Here are the available online activity books >

Junior Night Sky Explorer
Junior Cave Scientist
Junior Ranger Angler
Junior Paleontologist
Junior Archeologist
Junior Ranger Underwater Explorer
Junior Ranger Spaceflight Explorer
Junior Ranger Railroad Explorer
Junior Ranger Sounds Explorer
Increase your World Heritage IQ - Become a World Heritage Junior Ranger

The Grand Canyon Junior Ranger books are designed with place-based activities to be completed on a visit to the park.

When you visit Grand Canyon, come to one of the park's visitor centers, or to one of the bookstores operated by the Grand Canyon Conservancy, to pick up a Grand Canyon Junior Ranger Activity book. Read below for descriptions of the books available in the park.

South Rim Junior Rangers (Ages 4 and up)

To become a Junior Ranger at the South Rim, pick up the South Rim Junior Ranger Activity Book at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, Verkamp's Visitor Center Park Headquarters, or Tusayan Museum near Desert View. Complete the requirements listed in the booklet for your age group. Requirements include attending a ranger-led program, writing your observations, drawing pictures, and creating poems.

South Rim Village Ranger Programs
South Rim Desert View Ranger Programs

North Rim Junior Rangers (Ages 5 and up)

Between May 15, and October 15, to become a Junior Ranger at the North Rim pick up a North Rim Junior Ranger Activity Book at the North Rim Visitor Center. Complete the requirements listed in the book for your age group, including attending a ranger-led program and activity pages in the booklet.

Ask at the North Rim Visitor Center about a special activity sheet for younger children.

Phantom Rattler Junior Ranger (Ages 4 and up)

When you hike or ride a mule to Phantom Ranch, pick up the Phantom Ranch Junior Ranger Booklet from the canteen, campground, or Ranger Station. When you have completed the activities in the booklet, bring it to the Phantom Ranch Ranger Station to earn your badge, certificate, and free patch.

Did you know that the Grand Canyon Pink Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus abyssus) is found only in the Grand Canyon? The Phantom Rattler Junior Ranger patch, with a pink rattlesnake, is a special patch that can only be earned by Junior Rangers who hike or ride the mules to Phantom Ranch, at the bottom of Grand Canyon.

The Phantom Rattler program is available throughout the year.

What to do when you finish your activities:

Bring your completed booklet to a Visitor Center for review by a ranger. You will take a pledge and receive an official Grand Canyon Junior Ranger badge.

If you bring your certificate to one of our park's non-profit book stores, you can purchase a custom sew-on patch to go with the award you received.