NPS/ZIMMERMAN Park rangers at Hanford lead programs in the Tri-Cities throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Learn about early settlers in the area, the science and people behind the massive top-secret Manhattan Project, the lasting legacies of the project, and so much more. Visit historic community places in the Tri-Cities and join rangers for a variety of fun and informative programs suitable for all ages. Learn more about the ranger programs offered in the Tri-Cities below. More specific details will be provided in the calendar as they become available. 
NPS/Zimmerman Hike Through TimeManhattan Project Rangers host a free guided, 3.6-mile (5.8 km) round-trip hike up Candy Mountain twice a year. This hike will take you through time starting with the Native peoples who have lived here since time immemorial. As we make our way up Candy Mountain, we will delve into the stories of early explorers and settlers. Approaching the peak, we will touch on the impact of the Manhattan Project on the area and its inhabitants. After reaching the peak, we will learn about the lasting legacies of these stories.As information is available, details will be posted to our event calendar.
NPS/Burghart Ride with a RangerManhattan Project National Historical Park partners with the REACH Museum and Bike Tri-Cities, to host Ride with a Ranger twice a year. This is an interpretive bike ride along the Sacagawea Heritage Trail to the the REACH Museum where participants have the opportunity to attend a ranger program about the Manhattan Project at Hanford, enjoy hands-on activities, walk the Energy Northwest Animal Trail, and explore indoor museum exhibits.
NPS Atomic ExplorationsGet ready to explore the history, science, and people of the Manhattan Project this summer! Participants will learn about the events that culminated in the development and deployment of the world’s first atomic bombs during World War II and share Hanford’s connection to this world-changing history. Program topics will vary throughout the week to provide opportunities to learn and discover many different aspects of the Manhattan Project.
Atomic Explorations Program List B Reactor Tours are on hiatus for now but that doesn't mean you can't experience and learn about the reactor and its role in ushering in the nuclear age. You will be expertly guided through the B Reactor using visuals from the park’s virtual tour and demonstration items that will help bring the history, science, and legacies of the world’s first full scale nuclear production reactor to life.
These programs are offered Monday through Thursday and on Saturdays. Visit the event calendar to find what program will be available on the day of your visit. The rush to build the world’s first atomic weapons during WWII required a massive effort that touched multiple continents, produced profound scientific achievements, and deployed the most powerful weapons known to humankind. Learn about the global effort required to produce the plutonium used in one of the atomic bombs dropped on Japan during the waning days of WWII.
These programs are offered Monday through Thursday and on Saturdays. Visit the event calendar to find what program will be available on the day of your visit. What was the Hanford Reach like before the arrival of the Manhattan Project in 1943? What was the impact of reactor operations on the river? What is the Hanford Reach like today? Join us to learn more about this fascinating part of the Columbia River through one person's exploration of the vast data and information available.
These programs are offered Monday through Thursday and on Saturdays. Visit the event calendar to find what program will be available on the day of your visit. The discovery of radiation and radioactivity quickly brought new tools to the medical world, novel ideas and products (not all beneficial) to the public, and injuries to some early researchers and practitioners. The Manhattan Project required large groups of workers to interact with radiation, but how successful was the use of the innovative technologies and practices developed to protect them? Learn more about these techniques as we discuss whether they actually provided safety for thousands of workers. Did “safe” in the 1945 Manhattan Project mean the same as “safe” now?
These programs are offered Monday through Thursday and on Saturdays. Visit the event calendar to find what program will be available on the day of your visit. Rain gear from head to toe? Getting dressed and doing laundry looked pretty different for radiation workers during the Manhattan Project. Learn about what Manhattan Project workers wore to protect themselves from radiation and how they cleaned their clothes once contaminated.
These programs are offered Monday through Thursday and on Saturdays. Visit the event calendar to find what program will be available on the day of your visit. Take a photographic journey starting in the mid-Columbia a century before the arrival of the Manhattan Project and ending over Nagasaki, Japan on August 9, 1945.
These programs are offered Monday through Thursday and on Saturdays. Visit the event calendar to find what program will be available on the day of your visit. Imagine living in a planned community where you can rent but not own a home. There is no unemployment, little to no crime, and Uncle Sam is your boss and your landlord. Welcome to WWII Richland, Washington—a secret city built to house Manhattan Project workers. Learn the ABC’s of those who lived in assigned housing in a secret city where "silence is security" and "blabatours are sabatours.” These programs are offered Monday through Thursday and on Saturdays. Visit the event calendar to find what program will be available on the day of your visit. 
Hanford Lights for Peace
Hanford hosts a Lights for Peace in the Tri-Cities, Washington on Aug. 9, the anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. 
Messages of Peace
Write messages of peace on luminarias to be displayed at the Lights for Peace event. Accessibility Sign language interpreters are available for ranger programs with two weeks advance notice. This procedure is required because we contract for this service.  Assistive listening headsets that amplify the ranger’s voice are available for up to five people per program.For more information and to request either of these services, please e-mail us. |
Last updated: June 5, 2025