How To: Visit or Help Out at a National Park

Don't spend your summer sleeping in late or watching reruns of your fav television show all day. Get out and enjoy the fresh air by visiting or volunteering a National Park. 

1. Go to the National Park Service or National Parks of Canada sites to locate a park near you.
2. Whether you are visiting or volunteering, it’s a great idea to try and learn something about the park. Some questions you may be interested in finding answers for:
   • How big is it?
   • How many different species of animals and plants live there?
   • What kind of conservation efforts do they have going on?
   • What special features or attractions does the park have?
   • Is the park threatened at all (by not having enough funding, for example)?
3. Contact them to see when can you visit. If you want to help out, ask if they have volunteer opportunities, internships, or summer programs that you can be involved in. See if they have a website for you to learn more about it. 
4. Try to go when the weather is great and spend the day exploring. Go for a hike, have a picnic and bring a camera! Snap some photos of the great outdoors. Just make sure you obey the wildlife code. 
5. If you can volunteer, set up a schedule with them and see what jobs they have for you. Learn about the species that are found in the park and the park's history. (You’ll be able to impress friends and family with all your knowledge!)

Check out more ways you can make a difference. GO