The Ranger Desk
Protect parks. Protect park rangers.
Recent Essays
The book that taught me to fly: though we lived very different lives, my grandmother introduced me to books that sparked my imagination.
Take time for your mental health. When we wake up and are not okay, we should all have the right to take a Karen Day.
"They are monsters": these words showed me one side of the Israeli people. A message of hope and a shared love of birds showed me another.
Discover 10 wild facts about Everglades National Park, including the best time to visit and how to breakfast with manatees.
Learn lessons from the dead: take a trip to Shiloh Battlefield, where an abandoned ancient village sits amid the relics of war.
Ever wonder how to stay safe in bear country? Here are seven safety tips and several bear stories from a former national park ranger.
Discover the best hidden gems on the Olympic Peninsula. Explore unique scenery and heritage in two (or more) can't miss stops.
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.
To embrace the inevitable chaos of travel, accept that something will always go wrong. And learn to roll with the changes.
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.
Kilimanjaro National Park is famed for protecting its namesake Mount Kilimanjaro, one of the highest mountains in the world.
A massive circular volcanic cone, Diamond Head is the most iconic natural landmark in the state of Hawaii.
Mammoth Cave is renowned as the longest cave system in the world, over twice the length of the second largest cave system.
Mount Olympus is one of the most famous mountains in the world, owing to its significance in Greek mythology as the home of its ancient gods.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park oversees a whopping ten percent of the world's total coral reef ecosystems and is the size of Japan.
Lincoln Park is Chicago's largest park, spanning over 1,200 acres and over seven miles along the shores of Lake Michigan.
Try our Park of the Week Newsletter!
Start living a wild life just by checking your inbox. Learn more.
No spam, just a new park treat for you each week. Sign up below for the free newsletter.
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.
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.