Fiery Gizzard State Park

Description: Junior Ranger Camp 2026

Location: Fiery Gizzard State Park

Join the staff here at Fiery Gizzard State Park and see if you have what it takes to become a Junior Ranger! The week will be JAM PACKED with all kinds of activities and every day will have its own special theme. At the end of the week our campers will graduate and become Official Fiery Gizzard State Park Junior Rangers! This camp is designed for children ages 7-12 and the deadline to register is May 22nd.

Each day of camp will have a different theme for us to learn about and most, but not all, days will take place at our visitor's center. The days that won't be at the visitor's center, parents will be responsible for dropping their children off at the location we’ll be hosting camp at for the day. If you don't know where these other areas are, we'll be sure to give you directions. Want a sneak peek at what we'll be doing? Here you go:

Monday is Park Safety Day! We will be learning

about how to enjoy the park in a safe way and what to do when

the unexpected happens! We will also learn about the different hats a Park

Ranger wears and what they do to try and keep their visitors safe. This day

will take place at the Visitor’s Center.

Tuesday is water day! Don't you just love spending a warm summer day cooling off in the water? We'll spend this day canoeing, fishing, and playing in the creek learning more about the critters who live in this aquatic environment. Kids should wear clothes they don't mind getting dirty and wet. We will also spend the last 30 minutes of the day swimming in the swim area. All kids will be required to wear life jackets while canoeing and are welcome and encouraged to bring their own. Parents will be responsible for dropping their children off and picking them up at the main Grundy Lakes Parking Lot in Tracy City.

Wednesday is History Day. We will be learning about several different eras of TN History. We will have several guest speakers there to teach us about the different aspects of history.

Thursday is our day at the Grundy Forest! We will be

learning how to rappell off a rock face. Don't worry though! We will have our

top Rock Climbing/Rappelling experts from our local agencies to assist! After

lunch, we will be hiking a part of the Fiery Gizzard to learn about the plants

and wildlife of the forest as well as some history! Parents will be responsible

for dropping their children off and picking them up at the Grundy Forest

parking lot in Tracy City. 

Friday is graduation day! We will be learning about the wildlife that calls our area home, and then doing a service project centered around our wildlife. Then we'll be celebrating our Junior Rangers successful completion of Fiery Gizzard State Park's Junior Ranger Camp! We'll be honoring our Junior Rangers with a cookout starting at 1:30 p.m. at the Pavilion next to our Visitor's Center (family is invited). After we've stuffed ourselves with lunch, we'll graduate our Junior Rangers and present them with their T-Shirts and certificates! 

The cost of this program is $50 dollars and covers programming materials as well as Jr. Ranger t-shirts and badges. We are asking parents to please send their child with a sack lunch, snacks, and water. Once registration closes, each parent will be emailed an information packet which must filled out emailed back to Ranger Jessie by June 1st (but we'll probably call sooner for T-shirt sizes). If a child can no longer attend camp, the parent must cancel no later than June 1st by 4:00 p.m. for a refund. Anymore questions can be directed to Ranger Jessie at the email address listed.

Hope to see you there!