The Ranger Desk
Protect parks. Protect park rangers.
Recent Essays
This land tells a story: Booker T. Washington National Monument. Stand in the spot where a family of slaves learned that they were free.
Discover where to stop on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. Ten scenic stops and hikes along the parkway's northern section.
Why I became a Wilderness First Responder: how a scary accident taught me that doing your best is always enough.
Learn the twelve must-haves for your wilderness first aid kit, including items not found in a traditional first aid kit.
My white privilege helped me become a park ranger. I feel safe in nature and in national parks when so many others don't.
Where to stop on the Blue Ridge Parkway: North Carolina, featuring ten must-see spots along the parkway's southern half.
I am often asked how I became a park ranger at US national parks. Here's how the greatest adventure of my life began.
Our fears have much to teach us. Instead of pushing them away, learn how to embrace your fear of hiking alone.
All-terrain wheelchairs have arrived in many parks in the US and beyond. But are hiking wheelchairs coming to a park near you?
Navajo National Monument has long been known as one of the most impressive and best-preserved cliff dwelling sites in the American Southwest.
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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.
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.