5 Kids Fun Activities That Can Do in National Parks

Sure, you can take your kids hiking, fishing or camping in a national park, but if you really want to wow them, take them on a helicopter ride into the Grand Canyon or go sledding with them down sand dunes at White Sands National Monument in New Mexico. Take a look at 5 of the coolest ways kids can explore our national parks this summer.

1. Become a Junior Ranger.

Nearly every national park has a junior ranger program, enabling kids to earn badges or patches for completing various activities. But some parks have additional youth programs, such as the Junior Paleontologist program, which teaches kids about fossils at Badlands National Park in South Dakota and many others. Yellowstone National Park helps kids become Young Scientists by using toolkits to investigate the area around Old Faithful.



2. Take a Helicopter Ride.

For a new perspective, try a scenic helicopter ride with your kids, such as the North Canyon Tour with Papillon Helicopters. This 30-minute aerial tour of the Grand Canyon beats elbowing your way in for a good view at Mather Point on the South Rim any day of the week. There’s also Gateway Helicopter Tours, which offers 3-minute rides around the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.

3. Take a Scenic Train Ride.

See your favorite parks by taking a train ride, such as the one offered at Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio. Use the Bike Aboard program, which lets you bike the Towpath Trail in 1 direction and then hop on the train for the return trip. Another option is the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad near Yosemite National Park in California. Enjoy a barbecue dinner before taking a steam train to Lewis Creek Canyon for a sing-along around a campfire.

4. Go Horseback Riding.

Try a horseback ride to experience wilderness trails in an area such as Glacier National Park in Montana. Kids can explore Lake Sherburne and the old mining town of Altyn on a 2-hour Cracker Flats ride, which can be booked through Swan Mountain Outfitters. SK Horses at Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park offers 1- and 2-hour rides that start in Estes Park, and children as young as 4 can ride.

5. Try a Night Sky Program.

Several national parks, including Lassen Volcanic National Park in California, offer stargazing programs. Kids will love using high-powered telescopes to see planets and constellations. Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah is another great park for stargazing, enabling visitors to see as many as 7,500 stars. Some parks also have dark-sky festivals during the summer, with hikes and hands-on activities.