(Bryce Canyon, UT) - Children who are 5 years and older can become Junior Rangers at Bryce Canyon National Park. Junior Rangers can be thought of as potential Park Rangers in training. This nationwide program is designed to not only familiarize children with the duties and responsibilities of a park ranger, but also to spark an interest in the whole family for the resources and stories each National Park Service area preserves. At Bryce Canyon National Park, Junior Rangers must successfully complete three tasks:

1.Attend a presentation or hike given by a Park Ranger.

2.Work through an activity booklet completing an age appropriate number of activities.

3.Pick up some litter in an overlook parking lot or while hiking a trail.

Upon completing these requirements, Junior Ranger candidates must return to the Visitor Center where they will be inducted as Junior Rangers and receive a free badge. Upon receiving the badge, a unique patch can be purchased from Becoming a Junior Ranger is a mark of distinction. These special patches and badges issued cannot be purchased or otherwise obtained except through the dedication of the child and the support of his or her parents or guardians. Parents wishing their children to become Junior Rangers should plan to allocate 3-6 hours of their Bryce Canyon visit toward the completion of this program.

Bryce Canyon was named after Mormon Pioneer Ebenezer Bryce and became a national park in 1928. Bryce is famous for its worldly unique geology, consisting of a series of horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters carved from the eastern edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau in southern Utah. The erosional force of frost-wedging and the dissolving power of rainwater have shaped the colorful limestone rock of the Claron Formation into bizarre shapes including slot canyons, windows, fins, and spires called "hoodoos." Tinted with colors too numerous and subtle to name, these whimsically arranged rocks create a wondrous landscape of mazes, offering some of the most exciting and memorable walks and hikes imaginable. Ponderosa pines, high elevation meadows, and fir-spruce forests border the rim of the plateau and abound with wildlife. This area boasts some of the world's best air quality, offering panoramic views of three states and approaching 200 miles of visibility. This, coupled with the lack of nearby large light sources, creates unparalleled opportunities for stargazing. the bookstore for one dollar. For more information regarding Bryce Canyon call 435-834-5322.