From the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources – July 14, 2023

On July 14, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources launched the Junior Ranger program, which offers a new activity booklet for kids at Minnesota state parks. To begin the adventure, kids can pick up a free Junior Ranger booklet, available during open office hours at state parks. In Roseau, you can visit  Hayes Lake State Park. 

In the Junior Ranger program, kids will investigate the ways that plant and animal adaptations are like superpowers through a mix of on-the-page and on-the-trail activities. They might discover state park habitats, move like an animal, focus on their senses, learn how to protect wildlife, avoid poison ivy, outsmart ticks, and more. When kids complete the activities, they earn a free Junior Ranger patch, which they can obtain at a state park ranger station or visitor center.

The booklet activities were created by state park naturalists to encourage learning and exploration for ages 6-10, or anyone young at heart. Get more details on the program, including where to find the booklets and patches, by visiting the Minnesota DNR’s Junior Ranger webpage (.gov/junior-ranger).

The Junior Ranger program is funded through the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment. Legacy funds support Minnesota DNR programs and projects that go beyond the results achieved by other state funds, to build a long-term conservation legacy for Minnesotans.

Visiting State Park is a great family activity. It gets kids outdoors and creates a natural curiosity to explore nature.  Hayes Lake offers trails leading into bogs where you can see flowers and critters who live in these environments. It has trails taking you around the lake and by water damns. You might even find a patch of wild berries to enjoy. Bring a picnic basket and have lunch under the tall pines.  

Exploring the parks might earn your kids a badge but it’s also a wonderful escape for all ages.