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  Become a Natchez Trace Junior Ranger

  Natchez Trace Parkway

  Explore, Learn, Protect Do you care about exploring, learning about, and protecting the Natchez Trace? If yes, become a Junior Ranger! There are many ways to be a Junior Ranger badge at Natchez Trace Parkway, and this fun activity book is a great place to start. This booklet includes activities like mazes, coloring, drawings, and more to help you learn about the Natchez Trace. Discover all the park has to offer, from ecosystems to wildlife to American Indian culture to the southeast United States. Become a Junior Ranger Download both parts of the book or see below for other ways to get your book. Download Natchez Trace Parkway Junior Ranger Booklet Part 1 Download Natchez Trace Parkway Junior Ranger Booklet Part 2 We have Junior Ranger activity books waiting for you at our four visitors centers on the Natchez Trace Parkway. You can also receive a digital copy by contacting the park ahead of time via email or by calling 1-800-305-7417. To earn a badge with a Junior Ranger book, complete the fun-filled activities and return your completed book to a ranger at a visitor center desk, take the Junior Ranger pledge, and earn your badge! Don't have enough time to finish the book while you are in the park? No problem! Send your book back to the park when you complete it. A ranger will check your work and mail the book back to you with a badge and signed certificate. Mailing Address: Natchez Trace Parkway Attn: Junior Ranger Program 2680 Natchez Trace Parkway Tupelo, MS 38804

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  The Clough House at Old North Church & Historic Site

  Boston National Historical Park

  The 1715 Clough House remains one of the oldest surviving brick residences in Boston. Now located on Old North's campus, the Clough House serves as the home to the exhibit Unearthing Childhood: 300 Years of North End Kids and Ye Olde Pepper Candy Pantry. Unearthing Childhood Archaeology Exhibit Unearthing Childhood: 300 Years of North End Kids explores the lives of seven real children of diverse backgrounds who lived in Boston’s North End in the 1700s, 1800s, and early 1900s. This multimedia exhibit includes archaeological artifacts on loan from the City of Boston, videos, and activities for families with children. The exhibit is completely free and can be enjoyed by visitors of all ages. The exhibit is presented in partnership with the City of Boston Archaeology Department and was made possible by a grant from Mass Humanities, which provided funding through the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), a grant from the Cabot Family Charitable Trust, and an anonymous donor. A Community Partnership Grant from the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority helps keep this exhibit free for all visitors. Ye Olde Pepper Candy Pantry Founded in Salem, MA, in 1806, Ye Olde Pepper Candy Companie is the oldest candy company in America. The company’s signature candies, the Salem Gibralter and the Black Jack, are recognized as the first candies ever sold commercially in the United States. Both are still made by hand using their original recipes. Ye Olde Pepper Candy Companie has opened a pop-up shop and history experience here at the Clough House. The pop-up shop carries a full range of Ye Olde Pepper Candy Companie’s candies, chocolates, and sweets. Beyond the treats, the space offers a deep dive into American candy history. Visitors will encounter original manufacturing equipment from the late 1800s, historical photographs, artifacts, and a 1913 book written by the uncle of Thomas Spencer, son of company founder Mary Spencer. History cards tracing the stories of the Gibralter and Black Jack accompany purchases, and a QR code gives visitors a live look at candy being made in the company’s Salem kitchen. The Ye Olde Pepper Candy Pantry pop-up shop will run through October 31. For more information, please visit Old North Church & Historic Site's website .

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  Ranger Walkabouts

  Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park

  Join a Park Ranger and explore the Blackstone River Valley. During the months of June, July, and August, park staff offer specialty tours at varying locations across the Blackstone River Watershed. These programs begin at 6:30 PM and are 60-minutes long. Please wear comfortable footwear and bring water. Most tours are outside and often include walking on uneven surfaces on varying types of terrain with no access to bathroom facilities. Bug spray and sunscreen are also highly suggested. Please Note: There will be no Walkabout on July 2. June 4: From Forge to Fortune in Northbridge Location: 50 Douglas Rd, Whitinsville, MA How did the Revolutionary generation in Northridge set the stage for the future of American industry? Learn how a small forge along the Mumford River gave rise to a textile giant and a blueprint for American innovation. Tour will begin near the historic forge building, located within the Open Sky complex. June 11: Seeds of Success in Slatersville Location: 101 Green St, North Smithfield, RI Why was this location, along the Branch River, chosen for a mill village? How did financiers, workers, ministers, and farmers make this a thriving industrial community? This walk will take us through the well-preserved core of the country’s first planned mill village. Tour begins at Heritage Hall—parking is available in a small adjacent lot and by the Town Hall. June 18: "Owning Our History" with Peter Laarman Location: One Benevolent Street, Providence, RI Gather at the First Unitarian Church to explore the historic church and neighborhood and learn how slavery built dynastic wealth in Rhode Island. This tour will begin at the First Unitarian Church (corner of Benevolent and Benefit streets). June 25: Stepping Out to Skull Rock Lock Location: 300 Quaker Hwy, Uxbridge, MA Discover the history of Skull Rock Lock and take a walk with a ranger from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). Meet in the parking lot of Uxbridge High School in Uxbridge, MA. Meet the rangers at Uxbridge High School. July 9: The Transportation Revolution in the Valley Location: Plummer's Landing Parking Area, Northbridge, MA Explore Plummer’s Landing and learn about the enterprising people of the Blackstone Valley who built the infrastructure for a transportation revolution. Meet at the Plummer’s Landing parking area (bit.ly/plummerslanding). Expect to wal…

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  Hiking the Highland Rim Section of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail

  Natchez Trace Parkway

  This twenty mile section is a popular hiking and equestrian corridor for visitors south of Nashville in Tennessee. Bicycles are prohibited on this trail. You can view a basic map of the Highland Rim section of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail here. Camping is not permitted along this section of trail. All camping must take place in designated campgrounds. For more information about camping check Camping Along the Natchez Trace Parkway. See Alerts & Conditions and Road and Site Status for additional information. Areas on the Highland Rim Section of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail Northern Terminus Trailhead at Garrison Creek (Milepost 427.6) : The Garrison Creek Trailhead is popular for both horseback riders and hikers alike. There is a designated parking area for horse trailers on the North end of the parking lot. Picnic tables and hitching posts are found near the Creek. Visitors will find drinking water near the restrooms. Hikers can start their walk from the trailhead near the restrooms, or at the trailhead near the picnic tables. As the northern terminus for the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail, it is a great location to start a hike or trail ride. War of 1812 Memorial (Milepost 426.3) : The War of 1812 Memorial, Milepost 426.3, honors the service and sacrifice of all brave volunteers who marched on the Natchez Trace during the War of 1812 especially those that are buried in unmarked graves up and down the Old Natchez Trace. You can hike a roughly 1.3 mile section of the Old Natchez Trace here. This section is relatively flat through the shaded forest until you start to descend to the Garrison Creek trailhead. Burns Branch (Milepost 425.4): This trailhead has parking for vehicles but not trailer parking and is not a staging area for horses. The site offers a hitching post and a picnic table to take a break if you would like. Tennessee Valley Divide (Milepost 423.9): This trailhead parking is open to hikers only. As the scenic trail passes the parking lot, riders and hikers are rewarded with views of the Parkway, including vibrant blooms in the spring, and spectacular colors in the fall. Carter Lane Picnic Area (Milepost 422.9): This picnic area is not accessible from the Natchez Trace Parkway. A hitching post and picnic table is available at this area. The large grassy area can become very muddy after rainfall. Fly Trailhead on Highway…

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  Hike the Big Fill Loop Trail

  Golden Spike National Historical Park

  *See-Audio Tour in the "Self-Guided Tours" green tile on the main page* 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 Fill Trail follows the old railroad paths where tracks once ran. You’ll start on the Central Pacific route and return on the Union Pacific route. The trail is a 1.5-mile loop and usually takes 1–1.5 hours to walk. Bring plenty of water. Summer temperatures often reach the 90s and can go over 100°F. There is no shade, so wear sunscreen and weather-appropriate clothing. Watch your footing because the trail can be uneven. Stay on the marked trail to protect plants, wildlife, and historic areas. Do not disturb wildlife. If bad weather approaches, return to your vehicle or find shelter right away. Do not remove anything from the park. Leave artifacts and interesting items where they are, and report damage or important finds to a ranger. An Epic Story The Big Fill Trail shows the incredible hard work and engineering skills of the railroad workers who built it. The land here was extremely rough, making this one of the hardest sections both the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads had to construct. As you walk the trail, remember that everything was built completely by hand. The 1–1.5 hour walk you take today took workers about three months to build. The trail is only a small part of the larger story of the transcontinental railroad, which stretched 1,776 miles from Omaha, Nebraska, to Sacramento, California. It remains one of the greatest engineering achievements in American history. (The numbers below correspond with points of interest markers along the trail. Companion booklets are available for purchase in the park store, located in our Visitor Center.) 1. Steep Grade and the Orange Special Legend Directly across from where you step onto the railroad grade is a plaque referencing the so-called “Orange Special” wreck. While no direct historical evidence confirms that this wrec…

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