The Ranger Desk
Protect parks. Protect park rangers.
Recent Essays
To build a wall in parks--that was the threat the first time Donald Trump was president. Now he is threatening the parks themselves.
There are countless Native American cultural sites for visitors to explore in the Pacific Northwest. Here are some of the best.
Discover national parks that celebrate American Latino heritage, a community whose stories and culture are woven into the fabric of America.
"What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" The line is not a call to action, but a call to inaction. A call to be free.
Play: it's not just for kids--it's for adults, too. Research shows that play combats depression. Discover ways to add play to your life.
When nature calls: National parks are being overwhelmed with human waste. Here are the reasons why and how not to be a part of the problem.
"You can't climb on her!" a child called out. The forest giants of Bernheim Forest are so realistic they entrance the child in all of us.
Five reasons to be hopeful about climate change--the global outlook for climate action is no longer doom and gloom and here's why.
How to talk to climate change deniers about climate change, including reasons to hope and when to give up and move on.
Featured Essay
Ever wonder what the differences are between seasonal and permanent rangers? In this month’s featured essay, former Ranger Stephanie explains the differences and how they impacted her ranger career.
I quit the national park service for the same reason I became a ranger in the first place: to find and do what makes me happy.
Banff National Park was the first national park established in Canada and the third national park created in North America.
Natural Bridge State Park is a popular natural wonder. Visitors can hike down a stairway with over 130 steps to walk under the arch itself.
Everglades National Park is the third largest national park in the contiguous US and protects a fragile wetland ecosystem.
Established in 1910, Sitka National Historical Park honors Tlingit, Haida, Russian, and Alaskan cultures and history.
Today the Göreme Valley brings in visitors who want to see its rock formations as well as those interested in its architecture and history.
At over 1,300 acres, Forest Park in St. Louis is one of the largest city parks in the United States, larger than Central Park in New York.
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Popular Essays
Interested in US national parks? What about living a wild life? Get started with these popular essays.
Want more? Peruse an archive of All Essays.
Being a park ranger is not as dangerous as people think, but it can be. My most dangerous ranger job was climbing the side of a cruise ship.
Learn what an interpretive theme is and what it isn't. A theme is not a topic. A theme is the glue that binds the topics together.
An interpretive park ranger conveys a park's story. Every park has a story, a reason that it was protected and staffed with park rangers.
Learn the twelve must-haves for your wilderness first aid kit, including items not found in a traditional first aid kit.
As a former ranger, I'm often asked how to become a national park ranger. These are my tips for prospective park rangers.
In the early days of US national parks, rangers did it all–built trails, fought fires, caught poachers. What do park rangers do today?
Stephanie McCullough
A former US national park ranger with a master’s degree in environmental education, I created The Ranger Desk to share my passion for national parks and the natural world.