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.
Sign Up for the Junior Ranger Newsletter
Become a Junior Ranger
Get the Guide at any State Park
or Download and Print at Home
Cache Acorns
By completing activities in the guide you will earn, or "cache", acorn points. Mix and match the activities in the guide however you'd like to cache your acorn points!
If you cache 20 acorn points, you will earn the Junior Ranger patch of the park you're visiting. You should be able to complete 20 points in a day trip to a park.
If you have more time and want a bigger challenge, you can try to cache 40 points. By earning at least 40 points you will earn the expert patch to pair with your park Junior Ranger patch. This will likely take multiple days to complete.
Expert Patches
If you have more than one day and want to really get to know the park, try to cache at least 40 acorn points to receive a second Expert patch to pair with your park Junior Ranger patch!
Puzzle Patch
For Junior Rangers who have earned multiple Junior Ranger park patches, there is the option to earn even more patches! For every 10 parks you have visited and earned a Junior Ranger park patch, you can earn a piece of the puzzle patch.
- 10 parks = Learn
- 20 parks = Explore
- 30 parks = Protect
- 40+ parks = Heart
To receive your patch(es), email Brittany Bartholomew with one photo of all the patches you've earned and include your mailing address.
Pocket Activities
Pocket Activities are additional activities that you can complete to cache even more acorns. Pocket activities are named because you can find them in the pocket at the back of an activity guide that you receive from a park. A new pocket activity is released each year for the annual theme. In addition, some parks may offer an activity specific to their park, or a partnership may inspire a new pocket activity. You can print them off at home from the links below.
2025 is the Year of the North Carolina at N.C. State Parks! This year focuses on many of our amazing state symbols.
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.
2024 was 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:
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.
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
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.
Expand your experience on the NC Science Trail with this STEM-centered worksheet.
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!
