Kids ages 7 - 12 may earn either a patch or badge upon completion of the Fire Island National Seashore Junior Ranger program.

Junior Ranger Program

A new 16-page Junior Ranger Activity Booklet has been created for Fire Island National Seashore. You may pick up a copy of the booklet at any of the park visitor centers. This colorful booklet includes a visitor center treasure hunt. It is designed to be completed on site.

You may also download a copy of the old 24-page Junior Ranger Activity Booklet to work on before your arrival.

Download time may be lengthy.

Both booklets are available to help young people and their families learn more about Fire Island National Seashore.

National Park Service boat patrol rangers will distribute these entertaining and educational workbooks during their summer Safe Vessel Checks on the Great South Bay.

A  new addition to the Fire Island National Seashore suite of Junior Ranger activity booklets is "Bernie the Boater." Complete this fun and colorful workbook about boating safety and protecting marine resources. Then bring your booklet to one of the park's visitor centers to claim your vibrant pin!

You may pick up a copy of Fire Island National Seashore's Junior Ranger Activity Booklet at any of the park visitor centers, or you may download a copy to work on before your visit to the park.

One requirement of the on-line version of the Junior Ranger Activity Booklet Learning All About Fire Island National Seashore is to attend a guided program or watch the park's orientation video at a visitor center. There are 12 additional activities in the Junior Ranger Activity Booklet. You may find the answers to help complete the booklet by studying brochures available at the park, or by searching the park's web site.

Fire Island National Seashore offers a balance of recreational and educational programs for individuals, families, and groups. The list of activities for 2008 should be posted soon. Most programs are free, but program fees are charged by some of the park's partners or for special events.

During the summer, Fire Island National Seashore also conducts a weekly 1½-hour  Junior Ranger: Path to Discovery program. The activities are held at Sailors Haven, Watch Hill, and at the Wilderness Visitor Center. Each week, a different topic is covered. The ranger and volunteers conducting the programs also helped participants complete their booklets.

The Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society offers a six-week Junior Lighthouse Keeper Program on either Tuesday (for middle school children) or Wednesday (for 7- to 10-year-olds) from mid-July until late August. There is a program fee and pre-registration is required (631-661-4876).

Watch Hill and Sailors Haven are open from mid-May to mid-October. Hours vary by season. Both are accessible by ferry or private boat. The Wilderness Visitor Center is open weekends during the spring, then Wednesday through Sunday from late June through December 31. The William Floyd Estate is open Friday through Sunday, Memorial Day weekend through October. The Fire Island Lighthouse is open year-round.

Logistics on Fire Island can be quite complicated, so be sure to review ferry schedules in advance. Ferries run regularly to the island in the summer months but are limited in the off-season. A water taxi provides service between island communities and park locations. See "Directions" for park access information.

A National Park Service partner—the National Park Foundation—has provided support for Junior Ranger programs around the country.

During National Park Week 2008, the National Park Foundation also unveiled a new Kid Power Eco-Activity Book. Learn more at the NPF web site:  

www.nationalparks.org/get-involved/national-park-week/

RangerZONE: Be a Junior Ranger!