Junior Ranger

Three children accept badges from ranger
Complete your booklet. Earn your badge!

NPS/Jacob W. Frank

What Is a Junior Ranger?

Junior Rangers help protect and preserve national parks throughout the country. They have fun exploring national parks, learning about nature and history, and sharing their adventures with friends, families, and schoolmates. Junior Rangers continue to protect nature and history wherever they go.

How Can You Become a Junior Ranger?

The Glacier Junior Ranger Program was designed to be completed during a visit to the park and includes place-based requirements and activities. You can become a Junior Ranger in Glacier National Park by completing the steps and activities in the self-guided Glacier Junior Ranger Activity Booklet during your stay. Reader and pre-reader versions of the Glacier Junior Ranger Activity Booklet are available at visitor centers and ranger stations throughout the park. Once you complete the required steps and activities, share your completed booklet with a park ranger at any visitor center or ranger station during operating hours to become a new Glacier Junior Ranger and receive your Junior Ranger Badge.

If you are unable to visit Glacier National Park, there are a number of online Junior Ranger activity books on a variety of topics related to national parks across the country. Whatever your interests, check out the online Junior Ranger programs that can be completed at home or in your local area.

 
ranger waving

What does a park ranger do?

Read about a Day in the Life (pdf) of a park ranger or entries in the ranger blogs "Greetings from Glacier" and "Backcountry Blog".

 

Additional Learning Opportunities

Most people think that Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park is an important place to protect because of the glaciers in the park. While this is true, the glaciers are just part of the story!

This area was made a national park because of its unique geology (including the glaciers), importance to American Indians, its diversity of species (like bears) wilderness character, and the cultural history of how westward movement changed the people and the landscape. In 1932, Glacier was designated as the world's first International Peace Park which has led other countries around the world to work together to protect shared park resources.

Watch our Science & Learning videos to learn more about specific resources or find instructions to hands-on activities you can do at home or school.

 

Find even more activities on the Park Fun page.

 
An illustrated cartoon poster of a squirrel and a bird on a rock with flowers around them. Large text says, "Junior Ranger Day 2024" above the illustration.

Celebrate National Junior Ranger Day!

Apgar Visitor Center, Glacier National Park, Saturday, April 20, 10 am–2 pm

Medicine Spring Library, Blackfeet Community College, Browning, MT, Saturday, April 27, 11 am–3 pm

Families and children of all ages are invited to participate in Glacier National Park’s Junior Ranger Days during National Park Week. The events will include indoor and outdoor fun for the whole family. Participants can interact with rangers, compete in Animal Olympics, dress as a park ranger, learn how to talk on park radios, and much more. All children who participate in activities can earn a Junior Ranger related prize. The celebrations are free and open to the public.

Junior Ranger Day is made possible in part with support from the Glacier National Park Conservancy. The non-profit park partner will offer a discount on merchandise in the Apgar Visitor Center bookstore on Saturday, April 20.

Last updated: April 15, 2024

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

PO Box 128
West Glacier, MT 59936

Phone:

406-888-7800

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