Junior Ranger Program
Learn. Protect. Explore
Becoming a Junior Ranger gives kids the opportunity to learn about and explore North Carolina's beautiful state parks with their families or scout, school, and homeschool groups through self-led educational activities and programs. Junior Rangers may also have the opportunity to help park staff protect the health of the park through short community service projects.
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Become a Junior Ranger
Get the Guide
or Download and Print Home
Cache Acorns
Using the activity guide, you will earn or "cache" acorn points.
If you are visiting the park for a day, you can cache 20 acorn points to earn the park patch.
Cache acorn points by
- Completing activities from the activity guide
- Attending park-led programs
- Completing small community service projects given to you by park staff
- Participating in the Eco Explore program
- Hiking in the park
Mix and match these options however you'd like to cache your acorn points!
Expert Patches
Pocket Activities
2024 is the Year of the Bear at North Carolina state parks!
We have a pocket activity for the Junior Ranger Activity Guide for this year's theme.
This worksheet can be used at any state park.
Look up at the sky for inspiration to draw an image from the stars and tell a story about what you see.
This worksheet can be used at any state park.
2023 is the Year of the Trail at North Carolina state parks!
We have a pocket activity for the Junior Ranger Activity Guide for this year's theme: "Find Your Path!"
This worksheet can be used at any state park.
2022 is Year of the Tree at North Carolina state parks!
We have two pocket activities for the Junior Ranger Activity Guide for this year's theme: "Take Root and Grow" and "Trees to Meet You."
Both worksheets can be used at any state park.
2021 is the Year of the Beetle at North Carolina state parks!
We have a pocket activity for the Junior Ranger Activity Guide for this year's theme: "Meet the Beetles."
This worksheet can be used at any state park.
Every year, state parks across the country celebrate Girl Scouts Love State Parks weekend in September. Girl Scouts, along with their troops, friends, and families, visit state parks and celebrate the outdoors.
During this weekend, Girl Scouts can complete special worksheets that will earn them Girl Scout badges and cache acorn points towards the park's Junior Ranger badge. There are two worksheets for each Girl Scouts level from K to 5. These worksheets can be used at any state park.
For Daisies
Daisies — Girl Scouts Grades K to 1 — can complete the "Outdoor Art Maker" worksheet and the "Eco-Learner" worksheet for the corresponding Girl Scout badges, as well as cache acorn points for a Junior Ranger badge.
For Brownies
Brownies — Girl Scouts Grades 2 to 3 — can complete the "Outdoor Art Creator" worksheet and the "Eco-Friend" worksheet for the corresponding Girl Scout badges, as well as cache acorn points for a Junior Ranger badge.
For Juniors
Juniors — Girl Scouts Grades 4 to 5 — can complete the "Outdoor Art Explorer" worksheet and the "Eco-Camper" worksheet for the corresponding Girl Scout badges, as well as cache acorn points for a Junior Ranger badge.
For North Carolina state parks events for Girl Scouts Love State Parks weekend, please visit our Events page:
2020 is the Year of Fire at North Carolina state parks!
We have a pocket activity for the Junior Ranger Activity Guide for this year's theme: "Life of a Fire Lover."
This worksheet can be used at the following parks:
- Carolina Beach State Park
- Carvers Creek State Park
- Cliffs of the Neuse State Park
- Fort Macon State Park
- Goose Creek State Park
- Hammocks Beach State Park
- Jones Lake State Park
- Jordan Lake State Recreation Area
- Jockey's Ridge State Park
- Kerr Lake State Recreation Area
- Lake Waccamaw State Park
- Lumber River State Park
- Merchants Millpond State Park
- Morrow Mountain State Park
- Raven Rock State Park
- Singletary Lake State Park
- Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve
Earn acorn points while helping clean the park as we embark on a litter scavenger hunt!
This worksheet can be used at any state park.
The following parks currently have an extra pocket activity for the Junior Ranger Activity Guide that can be completed only at that park.
Carvers Creek State Park
Hike the Rockefeller Loop Trail and embark on a scavenger hunt!
Dismal Swamp State Park
Learn about the history of the Maroons.
Haw River State Park
Haw River currently has two pocket activities specifically for the park: "Are You Me?," a quick dive into metamorphosis, and "Be a Box Turtle," about the fascinating reptile.
Lake Norman State Park
Learn and answer questions about the park's ecology and history.
Final Step
Once you have cached enough acorn points, take your activity guide to a park ranger or park office and recite the Junior Ranger Pledge with our staff. They will sign the certificate in the back of the activity guide and give you your patch(es)!
That's it! You're now a Junior Ranger!
