Explore by Activity

Hunting and Gathering

Hunting and Gathering is an official activity category in the National Park Service directory. Parks tag their programs, trails, and experiences with this label so visitors can find relevant opportunities. The NPS directory lists hunting and gathering at 60 parks and sites nationwide. Compare destinations below, filter to national parks only, and open any park page for trails, alerts, campgrounds…

60 parks and sites (NPS)

Featured parks for hunting and gathering

Upcoming events

Upcoming programs and events at parks in this collection (from the NPS Events API).

Browse all events
Workshops
May 31
Cape Hatteras National Seashore

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse: Reflect on the Past, Preserve for the Future

 

Discuss the details and history of this beautiful sentinel and learn about current restoration efforts.

11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Meet at Hatteras Island Visitor Center Pavilion
Guided Tours
May 31
Cumberland Island National Seashore

Plum Orchard Mansion Tour

 

Take a guided tour through a turn-of-the-century mansion home owned by members of the Carnegie Family on Cumberland Island.

11:00 AM - 11:45 AM
Plum Orchard Mansion is located 7 miles north of Sea Camp ferry dock.
Ranger Programs
May 31
Denali National Park & Preserve

Sled Dog Demonstration

 

Denali's most popular ranger program, featuring Alaskan huskies! Visit the historic Sled Dog Kennels to meet and learn about Denali's canine rangers. Some seating is available for the demonstration, and there is plenty of standing room. No parking is available at the kennels, so please plan on using the Sled Dog Demonstration Shuttle or walking the two miles from the Denali Visitor Center to the kennels via the Roadside Hiking Trail.

02:00 PM - 02:30 PM
Denali National Park & Preserve
Workshops
May 31
Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Life on a Barrier Island

 

Wars, hurricanes, winds, and ocean currents have all had impacts on the shores of Cape Hatteras. Join us to learn about the forces of change and the captivating world of life on an island .

02:30 PM - 03:00 PM
Meet at Hatteras Island Visitor Center Pavilion
Ranger Programs
May 31
Denali National Park & Preserve

Sled Dog Demonstration

 

Denali's most popular ranger program, featuring Alaskan huskies! Visit the historic Sled Dog Kennels to meet and learn about Denali's canine rangers. Some seating is available for the demonstration, and there is plenty of standing room. No parking is available at the kennels, so please plan on using the Sled Dog Demonstration Shuttle or walking the two miles from the Denali Visitor Center to the kennels via the Roadside Hiking Trail.

10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Denali National Park & Preserve
Guided Tours
May 31
Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Bodie Island Lighthouse Climb

 

Available for purchase on recreation.gov. Lighthouse climbing ticket sales are available starting the day of the climb at 7:00am, with climbs available every 20 minutes 9:00am – 5:00pm.

09:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Workshops
Jun 1
Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Life on a Barrier Island (Ocracoke)

 

Wars, hurricanes, winds, and ocean currents have all had impacts on the shores of Cape Hatteras. Join us to learn about the forces of change and the captivating world of life on an island .

02:00 PM - 02:30 PM
Meet outside of the Ocracoke Discovery Center.
Workshops
Jun 1
Cape Hatteras National Seashore

The Ocracoke Lighthouse: Celebrating Over 200 Years of Service

 

Discuss the details and history of this beautiful sentinel and the keepers that kept the light burning .

11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Meet on the boardwalk of the Ocracoke Lighthouse.
Workshops
Jun 1
Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Banker Ponies

 

Come meet the ponies who once roamed as a wild herd and learn about their living history on Ocracoke Island.

08:30 AM - 09:00 AM
Meet outside of the Pony Pens - 8 miles from the Discovery Center.
Guided Tours
Jun 2
Denali National Park & Preserve

Morning Bird Walk

 

Witness the return of Denali’s summer resident birds alongside an Alaska Geographic educator during this morning bird walk. Walks take place on a gravel and compact dirt trail. Bird enthusiasts of all ages and experience levels welcome. Meet at the Mountain Vista Parking Lot. Parking is limited; riding the Savage River Shuttle is encouraged. The shuttle departs the Denali Visitor Center at 8:00 am and arrives at Mountain Vista by 8:30 am.

08:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Meet at the Mountain Vista Parking Lot.
Volunteer
Jun 6
Buffalo National River

Whittling Demonstration

 

Join us this Saturday as we demonstrate the craft of whittling inside Tyler Bend Visitor Center at Buffalo National River! Volunteer Ricky Hoyt will be showcasing and creating art shaped with steady, determined hands. Gain a better understanding on local folk art through understanding his technique, advice and thought process!

01:00 PM - 02:00 PM
Buffalo National River
Ranger Programs
Dec 25
Big Cypress National Preserve

Visitor Centers Closed Christmas Day

 

Though the Visitor Centers and business offices will be closed, access into the Preserve is still available. There are no ranger-led activities available on this day.

Time TBD
Oasis Visitor Center and Big Cypress Welcome Center

All parks (60)

Alagnak Wild River
Wild River

Alagnak Wild River

AK

The headwaters of Alagnak Wild River lie within the rugged Aleutian Range of neighboring Katmai National Park and Preserve. Meandering west towards Bristol Bay and the Bering Sea, the Alagnak traverses the beautiful Alaska Peninsula, providing an unparalleled opportunity to experience the unique wilderness, wildlife, and cultural heritage of southwest Alaska.

Amistad National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area

Amistad National Recreation Area

TX

An oasis in the desert, Amistad National Recreation Area consists of the US portion of the International Amistad Reservoir. Amistad, a Spanish word meaning "friendship," is known for excellent water-based recreation, camping, hiking, and rich cultural history dating back nearly 5,000 years. Amistad is also home to a wide variety of plant and animal life both above and below the water.

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
National Lakeshore

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

WI

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, located at the northern tip of Wisconsin's Bayfield Peninsula, features 21 stunning islands, a scenic 12-mile shoreline along Lake Superior, and is located within the ancestral homeland of the Ojibwe people. Established in 1970, the park showcases picturesque sea caves, sandy beaches, and the largest collection of lighthouses in the National Park system.

Assateague Island National Seashore
National Seashore

Assateague Island National Seashore

MD,VA

Want to live on the edge? Visit a place recreated each day by ocean wind and waves. Life on Assateague Island has adapted to an existence on the move. Explore sandy beaches, salt marshes, maritime forests and coastal bays. Rest, relax, recreate and enjoy some time on the edge of the continent.

Bering Land Bridge National Preserve
National Preserve

Bering Land Bridge National Preserve

AK

Bering Land Bridge National Preserve lies at the continental crossroad that greatly influenced the distribution of life in the Western Hemisphere during the Pleistocene Epoch. It is a vital landscape for Indigenous communities who depend on the land just as their ancestors did for many generations. It is a wild and ecologically healthy landscape unlike any other.

Big Cypress National Preserve
National Preserve

Big Cypress National Preserve

FL

The freshwaters of the Big Cypress Swamp, essential to the health of the neighboring Everglades, support the rich marine estuaries along Florida's southwest coast. Conserving over 729,000 acres of this vast swamp, Big Cypress National Preserve contains a mixture of tropical and temperate plant communities that are home to diverse wildlife, including the Endangered Florida panther.

Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area
National River & Recreation Area

Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area

KY,TN

Encompassing 125,000 acres of the Cumberland Plateau, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area protects the free-flowing Big South Fork of the Cumberland River and its tributaries. The area boasts miles of scenic gorges and sandstone bluffs, is rich with natural and historic features and has been developed to provide visitors with a wide range of outdoor recreational activities.

Big Thicket National Preserve
National Preserve

Big Thicket National Preserve

TX

Life of all types abounds in the Big Thicket. This national preserve protects the incredible diversity of life found where multiple habitats meet in southeast Texas. Hiking trails and waterways meander through nine different ecosystems, from longleaf pine forests to cypress-lined bayous. It is a place of discovery, a place to wander and explore, a place to marvel at the richness of nature.

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

MT,WY

The vast, wild landscape of Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area offers visitors unparalleled opportunities to immerse themselves in the natural world, and experience the wonders of this extraordinary place. With over 120,000 acres, one can find an astounding diversity in ecosystems, wildlife, and more than 10,000 years of human history to explore.

Bluestone National Scenic River
National Scenic River

Bluestone National Scenic River

WV

The Bluestone River and the rugged and ancient gorge it has carved is a richly diverse and scenic area of the southern Appalachians. Bluestone National Scenic River is preserved as a living landscape that provides an unspoiled experience for visitors and a haven for a variety of plants and animals. The park protects a 10.5-mile section of the Bluestone River in southern West Virginia.

Buffalo National River
National River

Buffalo National River

AR

Established in 1972, Buffalo National River flows freely for 135 miles and is one of the few remaining undammed rivers in the lower 48 states. Once you arrive, prepare to journey from running rapids to quiet pools while surrounded by massive bluffs as you cruise through the Ozark Mountains down to the White River.

Cape Cod National Seashore
National Seashore

Cape Cod National Seashore

MA

The great Outer Beach described by Thoreau in the 1800s is protected within the national seashore. Forty miles of pristine sandy beach, marshes, ponds, and uplands support diverse species. Lighthouses, cultural landscapes, and wild cranberry bogs offer a glimpse of Cape Cod's past and continuing ways of life. Swimming beaches and walking and biking trails beckon today's visitors.

Showing 112 of 60 parks

BETA