Locomotive Ranger Programs are given throughout the summer starting May 1st and ending in late September. The locomotives undergo periodic maintenance during the summer, please refer to our boiler wash schedule to see if one of the locomotives will not be available to the public. 10:00 AM Arrival of the CPRR Jupiter 10:30 AM Arrival of the UPRR No. 119 1:00 PM Demonstration run with both locomotiv…
21 parks and sites (NPS)
Locomotive Ranger Programs
Locomotive Ranger Programs are given throughout the summer starting May 1st and ending in late September. The locomotives undergo periodic maintenance during the summer, please refer to our boiler wash schedule to see if one of the locomotives will not be available to the public. 10:00 AM Arrival of the CPRR Jupiter 10:30 AM Arrival of the UPRR No. 119 1:00 PM Demonstration run with both locomotives 3:50 PM Departure of the UPRR No. 119 4:30 PM Departure of the CPRR Jupiter Summer 2021 Locomotive Boiler Wash Schedu…
Parked at Home · Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
Explore America's national parks from the comfort of home. Register now (Zoom) Every park has a story. During this virtual series, we'll connect with people from across the country to talk about special places and complex stories at National Park Service sites. Join us to learn more about a place that might be close to home or in a destination you dream of visiting. Each hour-long program includes a presentation and time for questions and answers. All visitors can attend these free Parked at Home programs, hosted o…
Hike the Big Fill Loop Trail · Golden Spike National Historical Park
The Big Fill Loop Trail is a one mile and a half round-trip walking trail. Visitors walk on original Central Pacific grade and return on the Union Pacific grade. The trail showcases the Central Pacific's Big Fill and the abutments that once supported the Union Pacific's Big Trestle. Walk through cuts, over fills, and see drill marks where workers blasted rock away. Keep in mind, all of this was accomplished by simple tools, sweat, and an amazing amount of endurance. Things you should know before you go... The Big F…
Explore the Museum under the Gateway Arch · Gateway Arch National Park
Connect with the past, present and future while exploring six interactive story galleries in the museum. Experience over 200 years of historic events, multi-cultural influences and the inspiration behind the Gateway Arch. Challenge yourself to consider different perspectives and discover previously untold stories. Rethink and reimagine the city of St. Louis and westward expansion with each story you encounter in the museum. You can experience the galleries chronologically or just wander as you spot something that c…
Locomotive Ranger Programs
Locomotive Ranger Programs are given throughout the summer starting May 1st and ending in late September. The locomotives undergo periodic maintenance during the summer, please refer to our boiler wash schedule to see if one of the locomotives will not be available to the public. 10:00 AM Arrival of the CPRR Jupiter 10…
Parked at Home
Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
Explore America's national parks from the comfort of home. Register now (Zoom) Every park has a story. During this virtual series, we'll connect with people from across the country to talk about special places and complex stories at National Park Service sites. Join us to learn more about a place that might be close to…
Hike the Big Fill Loop Trail
Golden Spike National Historical Park
The Big Fill Loop Trail is a one mile and a half round-trip walking trail. Visitors walk on original Central Pacific grade and return on the Union Pacific grade. The trail showcases the Central Pacific's Big Fill and the abutments that once supported the Union Pacific's Big Trestle. Walk through cuts, over fills, and s…
Explore the Museum under the Gateway Arch
Gateway Arch National Park
Connect with the past, present and future while exploring six interactive story galleries in the museum. Experience over 200 years of historic events, multi-cultural influences and the inspiration behind the Gateway Arch. Challenge yourself to consider different perspectives and discover previously untold stories. Reth…
Upcoming programs and events at parks in this collection (from the NPS Events API).
Join National Park Service rangers for free campfire talks at Presidio Tunnel Tops' Campfire Circle near the Presidio Visitor Center everyday at 3 pm - 3:30pm through Labor Day. Park rangers will present histories of the diverse people who have passed through the Presidio through time – this includes indigenous history, military stories including the Buffalo Soldiers' stories, Japanese Americans interned during WWII, and more.
Forest Stewards tend to young trees in the Presidio’s reforestation areas. Learn about urban forestry and arboriculture, while assisting with forest maintenance through planting, weeding, mulching, and other stewardship activities!
Nike Missile Site Open House is the first Saturday of every month . Rangers and volunteers - including veterans of the Nike program - come to the site to share their stories with visitors. Guided tours are offered at 12:15PM, 1:15PM, and 2:15PM. The SF-88 Nike Missile Site is the most fully restored Nike missile site in the country. During the tense years of the Cold War, from 1953 to 1979, the United States Army built and operated close to 300 Nike missile sites in the United States. These sites were designed to be the last line of defense against H-Bomb carrying Soviet bombers that had eluded the Air Force’s interceptor jet aircrafts. SF-88 in the Marin Headlands was one such site. Today, Golden Gate National Recreation Area works together with a dedicated group of volunteers to preserve the site as it was during operations to remind visitors of the physical and psychological effects of the Cold War on the American landscape. The only restrooms available at Nike are Port-a-Johns. However, about a mile before the Nike Missile Site on Field Road is a larger rest-stop / parking lot with larger restooms and running water. It is recommended to stop and use these if needed, prior to arriving to Nike. For more information, please email GOGA_MarinHeadlands_Info@nps.gov
Habitat Stewards help restore and preserve the natural areas of the Presidio of San Francisco. Habitat Restoration is a proactive, hands-on way to revitalize damaged ecosystems and promote environmental health! Learn about the plants and animals found in our local creeks, dunes, grasslands, woodlands, and other natural landscapes. Activities often include planting, watering, weeding, or spreading mulch!
Open the first Sunday of every month (12pm - 4pm) Tours are given periodically throughout these open house hours Battery Townsley, at Fort Cronkhite, was San Francisco's most extensive—and most secret—World War II military fortification. From 1940 to 1948, it mounted two massive battleship guns and housed more than 100 soldiers in an extensive network of underground tunnels; during the Cold War, it was used as an underground research facility. Long closed to public access, Battery Townsley has been refurbished thanks to volunteer labor and community contributions and is now ready for tours. The public is invited to visit and explore this labyrinthine fortification! In fall 2012, the park brought to this site a 16-inch gun, from the USS Missouri . The gun, identical to the one that was once mounted at Battery Townsley, helps tell the story of the coastal defense system that later gave rise to these parklands. Learn more about this new addition . Battery Townsley is reached via a moderately strenuous hike up the Coastal Trail, approximately one-half-mile north of the Rodeo Beach parking lot. For more information, and further assistance to the site, please email GOGA_MarinHeadlands_Info@nps.gov
Presidio Tunnel Tops Stewards help care for the landscaped areas at the Presidio Tunnel Tops, while learning about the unique mixture of native and non-native plants growing on the site. Activities will include pruning, weeding, spreading mulch, and other general landscaping and gardening activities.
Walk the Tunnel Tops and the historic Main Post of the Presidio with an expert NPS guide, and see the many layers of nature and history that have evolved since the Ohlone People were colonized, up until an Army base became a National Park for all people. Walk is ½ mile and flat but wear good shoes and layered clothing for the cold season.
Point Bonita Lighthouse has been a guiding light welcoming people and ships to the San Francisco Bay since 1855. The last 170 years have left the lighthouse with many fascinating stories to tell - about its lighthouse keepers, how it came to be in its current location, and more! Rangers offer a "light chat" 15-minute program at 12:15PM before opening the Point Bonita lighthouse trail from 12:30-3:30, allowing visitors to get out to the viewing platform and see the lighthouse. Additional light chats may take place during the open hours. Please note: the suspension bridge at the end of the trail is currently closed for maintenance. The lighthouse itself will be inaccessible during open hours due to this closure.
Presidio Tunnel Tops Stewards help maintain the landscaped areas of Presidio Tunnel Tops while learning about the unique mix of native and non-native plants at the site. Activities include pruning, weeding, spreading mulch, and other general landscaping and gardening tasks. Registration is required on the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy volunteer website . The specific meeting location will be provided in the registration confirmation email. All ages are welcome at this volunteer program! Volunteers under the age of 18 must have the parental consent section of the registration form signed by a parent/legal guardian or they will not be allowed to participate. Volunteers under the age of 15 must be accompanied by a parent or adult chaperone. Review our Youth Policy Guidelines (PDF) for youth under the age of 15.
Walk the Tunnel Tops and the historic Main Post of the Presidio with an expert NPS guide, and see the many layers of nature and history that have evolved since the Ohlone People were colonized, up until an Army base became a National Park for all people. Walk is ½ mile and flat but wear good shoes and layered clothing for the cold season.
Amache, also known as the Granada Relocation Center, near Granada, Colorado was one of ten incarceration sites established by the War Relocation Authority during World War II to unjustly incarcerate Japanese Americans. Over 10,000 people, most American citizens, were incarcerated at Amache from 1942 to 1945.
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.
Located at the confluence of two rivers, Arkansas Post has served as a gathering place for many cultures throughout human history - it represents cultural cooperation, conflict, synthesis, and diversity.
Yes, we can! Widely recognized as the most important Latino leader in the United States during the twentieth century, Cesar Chavez led farm workers and supporters in the establishment of the country's first permanent agricultural union. His leadership brought sustained international attention to the plight of U.S. farm workers, and secured for them higher wages and safer working conditions.
In this below-sea-level basin, steady drought and record summer heat make Death Valley a land of extremes. Yet, each extreme has a striking contrast. Towering peaks are frosted with winter snow. Rare rainstorms bring vast fields of wildflowers. Lush oases harbor tiny fish and refuge for wildlife and humans. Despite its morbid name, a great diversity of life thrives in Death Valley.
This stunning landscape on the Salish Sea, with its rich farmland and promising seaport, lured the earliest American pioneers north of the Columbia River to Ebey’s Landing. Today Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve preserves the historical, agricultural and cultural traditions of both Native and Euro-American – while offering spectacular opportunities for recreation.
Located on the north bank of the Columbia River, in sight of snowy mountain peaks and a vibrant urban landscape, this park has a rich cultural past. From a frontier fur trading post, to a powerful military legacy, the magic of flight, and the origin of the American Pacific Northwest, history is shared at four unique sites. Discover stories of transition, settlement, conflict, and community.
Experience a park so rich it supports 19 distinct ecosystems with over 2,000 plant and animal species. Go for a hike, enjoy a vista, have a picnic or learn about the centuries of overlapping history from California’s indigenous cultures, Spanish colonialism, the Mexican Republic, US military expansion and the growth of San Francisco. All of this and more awaits you, so get out and find your park.
One of the greatest technological achievements of the 19th century is the completion of the first transcontinental railroad across the United States. Visitors to the park can see the location of the Last Spike Site, 1869 railroad construction features, walk or drive on the original railroad grade, and get an up close view of Victorian era replica locomotives.
The tallest dunes in North America are the centerpiece in a diverse landscape of grasslands, wetlands, forests, alpine lakes, and tundra. Stay on a moonless night to experience countless stars in this International Dark Sky Park! Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week year-round. There are no timed entries or reservations to visit.
In 2026, Honouliuli National Historic Site is commemorating the 80th year since Honouliuli Internment Camp closed with community events that will take place throughout the year. Stay tuned on our website or social media to learn more and get involved.
When Hansen's disease (leprosy) was introduced to the Hawaiian Islands, King Kamehameha V banished all afflicted to the isolated Kalaupapa Peninsula on the north shore of Molokai. Since 1866, more than 8,000 people, mostly Hawaiians, have died at Kalaupapa. Once a prison, Kalaupapa is now a refuge for the few remaining residents who are cured but were forced to live their lives in isolation.
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