Junior Ranger Program
Become a Junior Ranger!
There are several ways to become a Santa Clara County Parks Junior Ranger. Park staff offer activities online and in the parks throughout the year. Click on the tabs below to learn more about the different Junior Ranger opportunities.
VIRTUAL JUNIOR RANGERS
Thank you to all of our Fall 2023 Virtual Junior Ranger participants!
We will host another series of sessions in Spring 2024. Details will be available closer to the start date of the series.
All Santa Clara County youth ages 7-12 are invited to join park staff after school via Zoom for Virtual Junior Rangers. A series of 40-minute Junior Ranger sessions take place weekdays.
Participants can join individually from their own homes or as a group through after-school programs and clubs. All that’s needed is access to a screen and reliable internet connection. All sessions take place in real time with special guest speakers dispatching from a different park location each session. The virtual programs are highly interactive with plenty of opportunities for Q & A with park rangers.
For group leaders interested in signing up multiple youth, please reach out directly to [email protected] for more information.
Participants who complete 3 or more sessions will earn the Junior Ranger badge and are invited to gather together in person for a fun Junior Ranger Family Day celebration. The event features a variety of hands-on activities, and a chance to meet many of the park staff they saw on Zoom. The event concludes with a special ceremony in which Junior Rangers will receive their badges and certificates.
Junior Rangers unable to attend the in-person Family Day event will receive their badges in the mail.
FALL 2023 SESSION DATES
- Tuesday, November 7th (3-3:40pm)
-Topic: Tarantulas - Tuesday, November 7th (4-4:40pm)
-Topic: Animal Clues - Thursday, November 9th (3-3:40pm)
-Topic: Native People (focus on Amah Mutsun tribal band in area of Chitactac-Adams Heritage County Park) - Thursday, November 9th (4-4:40pm)
-Topic: Wildlife & Microtrash - Tuesday, November 14th (3-3:40pm)
-Topic: Insect Jobs - Tuesday, November 14th (4-4:40pm)
-Topic: Wild Pigs - Thursday, November 16th (3-3:40pm)
-Topic: Forest Fires - Thursday, November 16th (4-4:40pm)
-Topic: Camo Critters
For more information, email [email protected].
IN-PARKS JUNIOR RANGER ACTIVITES AND LOG BOOK
Youth ages 7-12 are invited to explore the parks with their families in a self-paced series of activities by exploring 3 or more park locations on their own time and sharing what they’ve learned in a Junior Ranger Log Book that can be printed at home.
To earn the Junior Ranger badge, participants must attend at least 1 staff-guided interpretive program in a park, and the other 2 activities can be self-guided hikes or a digital mission in a park through the Agents of Discovery app.
- For a complete list of upcoming interpretive programs, visit our events page.
- For more information on Agents of Discovery, click here.
- Following completion of 3 different park adventures, Junior Rangers can send a picture of their completed logbook to [email protected], and park staff will follow up to send out a badge and certificate.
JUNIOR OHV PROGRAM AT METCALF MOTORCYCLE PARK
Congratulations to our Fall 2023 Junior OHV program participants!
Registration will reopen in a few months for the Spring 2024 program.
Is your child curious about nature? Do they have a motorcycle and want to learn how to ride safely while also keeping our parks healthy? In our Junior Ranger OHV program at Metcalf Motorcycle Park, certified Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) coaches will teach you basic riding skills and discuss safety equipment, rider etiquette and trail conservation. Participants must be ages 9-12, own a motorcycle, and sign a liability waiver.
Upon completion of the five free sessions, each Junior OHV Ranger will receive a badge, jersey, and certificate.
Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, and participants must complete a registration form and liability waiver before participating in the five-session program.
The Junior OHV Ranger Program provides an opportunity to teach young riders about environmental stewardship by using the park as an outdoor classroom through fun riding adventures.
Required gear for all sessions (except for first session on October 14):
1. DOT-Approved Helmet
2. Eye Protection
3. Gloves
4. Over the Ankle Boots
5. Long-Sleeved Shirt and Long Pants
6. ***All bikes need to be in working order and have fuel***
Fall Session 2023 Details:
- Session 1: Saturday, October 14th (9-11am) (No motorcycle/gear needed on day 1)
Hats of a Ranger, Safety Orientation, Wildlife Detectives - Session 2: Sunday, October 22nd (9am-2pm)
Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) Certification - Session 3: Saturday, October 28th (9-11am)
Trail ride practicing new skills, reinforcing T-Clock, Stewardship - Session 4: Saturday, November 4th (9-11am)
Trail ride practicing new skills, Rider Etiquette, Situation Awareness, Practice Safety Scenarios - Session 5: Saturday, November 11th (9-11am)
Trail ride practicing new skills on Riddle Ride
All Junior Ranger activities are free, but parking fees may apply. To ensure safety, a parent or guardian must participate with anyone under 18 years old.
What are people saying about this program?
“In the junior ranger program, I felt like I was with everyone else, and not alone. I was happy being with new friends and with nature. My life changed through the course of the program. It made me feel like I was more involved. When I wasn’t doing anything I felt lazy, tired and bored. And now I feel energetic and amazing. The program helped me so much.” – 2017 Junior Ranger
“I wanted you to know what a life changing experience Jr Rangers has been for my son and how he is carrying those experiences forward with him. Ranger Mike and the Jr Ranger program has made such a positive impact in my son’s and our family’s life, enriching it beyond expectations.” – 2017 Junior Ranger Parent