Junior Ranger Day Kicks Off A Week’s Worth Of Activities For National Park Week At Rocky Mountain National Park

Date: April 13, 2016
Contact: Kyle Patterson, [phone]

Come celebrate National Junior Ranger Day and National Park Week at Rocky Mountain National Park. A special National Junior Ranger Day event will be held to kick off the week, Saturday, April 16, at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Junior Ranger Day celebrates getting youth involved in learning and taking care of our national parks. There will be an arts & crafts station to create fun artwork, and family friendly activities to get kids moving. On this day only, Junior Rangers can also earn a special wooden Centennial badge! Join in the Junior Ranger Day fun at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center, and help the youth in your life discover how to become stewards of our national parks.

April 16 through April 24 is National Park Week.  Admission to the park will be free the whole week in celebration of the National Park Service 100th Anniversary.  A special Instagram photography exhibit celebrating Rocky Mountain National Park will be on display at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center during the week.  In addition, there will be a ranger-led Springing to Life activity table every day from 10 to 10:30 a.m. 

On Thursday, April 21, at 9 a.m. join the Spring Bird Walk at the Cub Lake Trailhead.  Bring binoculars and a field guide.  Parking is limited. 

A special Centennial Earth Day Event will be held at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 23. There will be special family activities, arts and crafts, and park greenhouse tours, and park staff and scientists will be on hand to share information on a variety of Earth Day topics: 

10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Discovery Day Kids Activities

10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Park Greenhouse Tours 

10:30 - 11:00 a.m. Springing To Life Activity Table

10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Volunteer Trash Pick-up 

(Meet at the Visitor Center, dress for weather, equipment is provided)

1:00 p.m. Nature Walk 

National Park Rx Day is on Sunday, April 24. It is a day celebrated across the United States to promote the growing movement of physicians prescribing parks and nature to improve the health and well-being of their patients.  Additionally, National Park Rx Day encourages everyone to start seeing visits to parks and public lands as important to their overall health. Rocky Mountain National Park is partnering with the Rural Estes Alliance for Community Health (REACH), Estes Valley Recreation and Park District and the Town of Estes Park to host activities on April 22 through April 24, that encourage individuals and families to get moving and take in the healing aspects of nature! The list of these events both inside and outside of Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) follows.  Please note some require advance registration. 

Friday, April 22 

11 a.m. Hike with a Doc –Aaron Florence, DO (meet at Gem Lake Trailhead, RMNP*) 

Noon -12:30 p.m. Stroll Along the Riverwalk (meet at the Estes Park Visitor Center) 

2 p.m.Walk with a Doc –Amanda Luchsinger, MD (meet at Lily Lake Trailhead*) 

Saturday, April 23 

9 a.m.Walk with a Doc –Frank D. Dumont, MD (meet at the Estes Park Visitor Center) 

Sunday, April 24 

8 a.m. Hike with a Doc –Bridget Dunn, MD (meet at Lumpy Ridge Trailhead*) 2 - 4 p.m. 

Lake Estes Rec Trek (meet at the Lake Estes Marina) 

*The physician-led hikes and walks within Rocky Mountain National Park require an RSVP and are limited to 20 individuals (register at: epmedcenter.com/events-and-classes.php)  Parking is limited.  If possible, carpooling is recommended. 

For more information about Rocky Mountain National Park, please call the park's Information Office at [phone] or visit www.nps.gov/romo