National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Forest Service

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Bureau of Land Management

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Jr. Ranger Activities and Adventures for Ages 8 and up

Wilderness

 Explorer

50th

Anniversary

Edition
2

Welcome to Wilderness

This activity booklet is designed for exploring wilderness, either at a wilderness area you 

are visiting, one near your home, one you would like to visit, or one you just want to study. 

Activities are geared for ages 8 and up, so look for the bear paw and choose the activities 

that are right for you. 

Ages 8 and up Ages 12 and up

ASK A WILDERNESS RANGER! As you explore, you may find it helpful to ask a ranger or look 

for information in a visitor center. You and your adult can also look for information on the 

internet. Five great places to learn more about wilderness:

•	Wilderness	 www.Wilderness.net

•	Bureau of Land Management	 www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/blm_special_areas/NLCS/Wilderness.html

•	Forest Service	 www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/cda/wilderness.shtml

•	National Park Service	 wilderness.nps.gov

•	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service	 www.fws.gov/refuges/whm/wilderness.html

Answers to many of of the activities can be found on page 21.

START EXPLORING!

Special Places

Draw or describe a place that is SPECIAL to 

you in this space. Why is it special?

What does the word WILD make you think of? 

Draw or describe it here.

What might be SPECIAL about a place 

that is WILD? Draw or desribe it here.

Ages 16 and up
3

Ask 3 people what they think “Wilderness” is. Record their responses here.

1. Person interviewed: 

Wilderness is...

2. Person interviewed: 

Wilderness is...

People And Wilderness Ideas

3. Person interviewed (could be a wilderness volunteer or ranger): 

 _________________

Wilderness is...

Example: A. a home for wild animals

 B. a quiet place to think

 C. a place to be free

 D. your idea
“A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate 

the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of 

life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.”

4

Vocabulary: “Trammel” refers to a net, or a shackle for horses. 

Most generally, it means a barrier to free action; a restraint. 

2014 is the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act. In honor of the Wilderness Act’s 50th 

birthday, think about this: What does wilderness mean to you? Use the space below to capture 

your ideas with words and/or pictures.

What Is Wilderness?

WILDERNESS is an area that is ... wild.

You know what it means to be wild - when you are free to follow your own will. When you aren’t 

controlled by others.

Complete the following description of wilderness by using these words to fill in the blanks:

 will controlled free nature cut changed

In wilderness, nature follows its own _____________. The animals aren’t ______________. 

The trees are not _______________. The rivers run _______________, without dams. 

Visitors enjoy being in ______________ as it was before modern humans _____________ it. *

In 1964, Congress passed the Wilderness Act, recognizing that certain wild places are special and 

worthy of being protected forever. Here is the definition of wilderness from the Act:

Native American cultures believe that all land ought to be respected, and may not view wilderness 

as a separate idea.

 will, controlled, cut, free, nature, changed

* Hold booklet to a mirror to find the order of the missing words:
5

Wilderness Explorers need to know how to be safe when they’re exploring the wilderness. Being 

safe in wilderness begins before you start your trip. 

 • Always go with another person.

Check the weather and conditions for the area you 

are visiting.

Tell someone who is staying behind exactly where 

you are going and when you plan to return. 

Wilderness Safety

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

1. There are “10 essentials” you and your adult should have with you to 

 be safe and prepared for emergencies. A box is drawn around

 each essential item. Write the name of each item on the list.

2. What else would you like to bring? Circle the items below. Don’t 

 make your pack too heavy!

TEN ESSENTIALS
6

Where Is Wilderness?

Ask a wilderness ranger (or check the visitor 

center or the internet): 

How much wilderness is in this forest or 

park? 

Just for fun, color all the 

states you have visited.

Draw or name something you would find in 

wilderness in Alaska.

Draw or name something you would find in 

wilderness in Hawaii.

Using the map at the right, find the answers:

1. How many wilderness areas are in your 

home state? 

2. How many wilderness areas are in the 

state you are visiting? 

3. Which state has the greatest number of 

wilderness areas?

4. Six states have no wilderness areas. 

Name them here: 

There are over 758 wilderness areas containing nearly 110 million acres of wilderness. 

The Bureau of Land Management manages 221 wilderness areas (8% of the land area 

within the National Wilderness Preservation System [NWPS]). The Forest Service 

manages 439 units (33% of the land area within the NWPS). The 

National Park Service manages 62 units of wilderness (40% of the 

land area within the NWPS). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

manages 72 units (18% of the land area within the NWPS).
7

Are We There Yet?

Put an X on the Olympic Wilderness and the Saguaro Wilderness.

5. Using the ruler below (cut it out if needed), estimate the distance 

between the two wilderness areas: ___________miles.

6. Suppose that you and your family could drive from one to the other 

at 60 miles per hour (mph). How long would it take to get there? Hint: 

distance ____(miles) ÷ speed ______ (mph) = time ________(hours).

What might you find that is different between the two wilderness 

areas? 

Which wilderness area named below is closest to: 

New York City? _________________________

Denver? _________________________

San Francisco? _________________________

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200

The names are just a few of the wilderness areas in national forests and parks.
8

Who Was Here Before?

Ask a wilderness ranger (or check the visitor center or the 

internet):

1. What people lived here before the Europeans came?

2. Did these people live in villages or did they move their 

homes to follow and hunt animals? Draw a picture of 

where they might have lived below:

3. What things might these people have eaten (such as 

roots, berries, buffalo)? List or draw a picture below:

4. Do these people or their descendants still live here or 

near here?

Important: If you find any arrowheads, pieces of pottery, or other old objects be sure to leave 

them where you found them so that archaeologists can reconstruct history!

Answer the first four questions, plus:

5. Did these people have names for any of the natural features such as 

mountains, rivers, or valleys? Write down one of the names here:

6. Is this name different than the one on the area map?
9

BACKPACKING

CONTRAST

FREE

FUTURE 

HIKING

HORSEBACK

NATURAL

PHOTOGRAPHING

PRESERVE

PRIMITIVE

QUIET

RECREATION

RESEARCH

SCENERY

SOLITUDE

SPIRITUAL

UNCONFINED

UNDEVELOPED

UNIQUE

UNSPOILED

UNTRAMMELED

VIEWS

WATERSHED

WILD

Words may be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal - left to right

Find at least 8 words Find at least 12 words

Wilderness Word Search

Find at least 16 words
10

Leave No Trace

The Wilderness Act defines wilderness as a place where “man himself is a visitor who does not 

remain.” How can you be a responsible Wilderness Explorer? The Seven Principles of Leave No 

Trace are a good starting place:

1. Plan ahead and prepare

2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces

3. Dispose of waste properly

4. Leave what you find

5. Minimize campfire impacts

6. Respect wildlife

7. Be considerate of other visitors

Go through the maze on the next page and apply these principles.

Help Leave No Trace on your public lands!

Pick up three pieces of litter and put them in the trash.

To learn more about Leave No Trace visit www. LNT.org

Pick up a bag of litter and put it in the trash.

Pick up a bag of litter. Separate and recycle as many items 

as possible. Put the remainder in the trash.

RECYCLING is better for the Earth than putting things in a landfill, 

but it still takes a lot of energy to recycle. 

REUSE is even better for the Earth. Refill you water bottle and 

conserve the Earth’s resources.

Just for fun, decorate and color the 

water bottle in this book or your own water bottle.

Did you ever hear the phrase 

“Leave only footprints...take 

only photographs?”

Even a footprint can leave an 

impact. Please be thoughtful of 

where you step.
11

Leave No Trace Maze

These Wilderness Explorers are about to go on a trip through a Wilderness. Help them make the 

best choices about where to go and what to do along the way. Each stop has a numerical rating 

with it. Add up your score & find your impact level on page 21. 

points

A. 1

B. 2

C. 1

D. 3

E. 2

F. 1

G. 5

H. 1

I. 5

J. 1

K. 5

L. 1

M. 1

N. 3

O. 5

P. 1

Q. 1

R. 1

my 

total

____
12

Be a Scientist

Wilderness is a place where scientists can go to understand plants, animals, and landscapes that 

are in a natural state, unaffected by human activities.

As a scientist, you will ask a question, make a prediction (called a hypothesis), and test your 

hypothesis by observing the thing you asked a question about.

1. Go outside and find a plant or animal to observe. Describe it here with words and/or pictures:

2. Come up with a question about it. For example, what does this bird eat? Does this plant 

prefer to live in dry soil or wet?

3. Make a hypothesis. This is an “educated guess” about the answer to your question. For 

example, I think that the bird eats ...” or I think that the plant will grow in soil that is ....”

4. Think about and describe how you could test your hypothesis. If it is possible to test the 

hypothesis by making observations, then do so. If not, think about what kinds of observations 

you can make. For example, “I will observe the bird and see what it eats...”
13

Be A Scientist

5. Write down your observations here.

6. Do you think the animal or plant you observed was affected by people being nearby? 

If so, how?

Complete the six previous questions, plus

ASK A WILDERNESS RANGER (or check the visitor center or internet):

What kinds of research are going on in the wilderness you are visiting or studying?

Complete the seven previous questions, plus:

8. Develop a hypothesis that would best be tested both inside and outside of 

wilderness. Why would it be important to compare observations inside and outside of 

wilderness? 

Do you participate in your school’s science fair?

Consider a wilderness hypothesis for your fair project.
14

What can you do 

●In this picture, put an “X” through 

the things that you think DON’T 

belong in wilderness.

●Color the things that you think 

DO belong in wilderness.
15

in Wilderness Areas?

●Draw yourself doing something that 

YOU would like to do in Wilderness.
Feel

Smell

Hear

See

16

The best way to learn about wilderness is to get out and explore it! Find out where the 

wilderness areas are, and go explore with your family. If you are unable to go to a wilderness 

area, ask a ranger to help you find a place that is away from development (like roads and 

buildings). Make sure you complete the “Wilderness Safety” activity before you head out. 

Notice what makes wilderness different from places you spend most of your time in. Use ALL of 

your senses. Find a quiet place to sit for 5 minutes - describe in words or pictures what you:

Wilderness Adventure

Most importantly, have fun!
17

When you get back home, think about what you would tell a friend about your wilderness 

experience. Be creative! You can write a story or poem, draw a picture, or perhaps make up a song 

or play. Your notes from page 16 may help you get started. Use the space below to organize your 

ideas using words and/or pictures.

Wilderness Adventure
18

Wild Words

Wander through time and history to explore the idea of wilderness by reading the information in 

the timetable below.
19

Wild Words

(nearly 110 million

acres)

8

Wilderness Turns 50!

1. Wild Word Scramble: Find the one bold and underlined letter in each quote, 

and write them here:

Now unscramble the letters to form a special word in The Wilderness Act

(hint: see the quote from The Wilderness Act on page 4).

2. What significant event in the history of wilderness occurred in 1964?

3. Has more wilderness been created since then? 

4. How do you think society’s thoughts about wilderness have changed over 

time?

5. Pick a quote and explain why you agree or disagree with it.
20

Raiders of the Wild

Many plants and animals have been moved from one side of the world to another for food, farming, 

hunting, and sometimes by accident (like hitching a ride on a boat). Some times these plants and 

animals (called “invasive”) escape and have big effects on natural systems and change wild places. 

An example is buffelgrass, a South African plant that is invading the Saguaro Wilderness. 

Buffelgrass easily catches fire. It pushes out the native plants including saguaro cacti. An area of 

buffelgrass can double every year.

1. Use the table below to calculate how many years it would take 

for buffelgrass to push out saguaro cacti in this simplified 

model of the ecosystem. In year 1, buffelgrass occupies 

one square (B) and the rest are occupied by saguaros (S). 

In year two, put a B in two times as many squares, and put 

an S in remaining squares. Continue to double the amount of 

buffelgrass each year. In what year is there no more room for 

saguaro cacti? ____________

B=buffelgrass

S=saguaro cactus

2. Why does this matter? 

 

 

Ask a wilderness ranger (or check the visitor center or internet): 

What is the name of an invasive plant or animal that affects the 

wilderness you are visiting or a wild place near where you live? 

How does it affect the wilderness?
21

Answer key

For these activities, there is no “right” answer. Check the ones you have completed.

Page 2, Special Places

Page 3, People and Wilderness Ideas

Page 4, What is Wilderness?

Page 8, Who Was Here Before?

Page 10, Leave No Trace Litter Pick-up

Page 12-13, Be a Scientist

Page 16-17, Wilderness Adventure

Pages 22-23, Wild Windows

1. Ten Essentials

1. Map of the area

2. Compass

3. Flashlight

4. Extra food, such as energy 

bar

5. Extra clothing, including rain 

gear

6. Sunglasses and sunscreen

7. Matches, waterproof 

container, fire starter

8. Pocket knife

9. First aid kit

10. Water 

Page 5, Wilderness Safety Page 9, Wild Word Search

Page 6, Where is Wilderness?

1 and 2. It depends upon which state you pick.

3. California—149

4. CT, DE, IA, KS, MD, RI

Other questions—many answers

What was your score?

7—GREAT JOB! You are working towards leaving no trace.

8 to 12—Not bad, but please take care.

12 or more—Lighten up, you are leaving impacts.

If you got a 5 on any action—YIKES! You should not be doing this. 

Check your answer. Ask a ranger if you have any questions.

5. 1200 miles ÷60 mph = 20 hours 

6. Answers vary

7. New York City—Fire Island Wilderness

 Denver—Rawah Wilderness

 San Francisco—Yosemite Wilderness

Page 7, Are We There Yet? Page 11, Leave No Trace Maze

Pages 14-16, What Can You Do in Wilderness?

Everything in the picture belongs, except: road, store, jeep, all-terrain vehicle (ATV), cell tower, power line, jet ski and the 

mountain bike. To learn why, check the definition of Wilderness on page 4. If this is a mountain forest, the palm tree does not 

belong. The garden gnome? Now that’s just silly.

Pages 18-19, Wild Words

1. UNTRAMMELED

2. President Lyndon Johnson signed The Wilderness 

Act. 

3. Yes

Other question—many answers

Pages 20, Raiders of the Wild

1. The buffelgrass replaces all of the saguaro cacti in 

year 5.

2. Why does it matter? Loss of habitat, loss of 

saguaro ecosystem, fire danger increases.

Other question—many answers

CREDITS: Originally produced by the National Park Service Intermountain Region, adapted by the Bureau of Land Management, 

Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The USDA and DOI are an equal opportunity provider and employer.

2. What Else to Bring

Things you might 

want to leave at 

home: TV, hair dryer, 

toaster, boombox, 

high heeled shoes.

Note: It’s OK to 

bring a cell phone or 

a GPS, but do not rely 

on these devices for 

safety. There may 

not be coverage and/

or batteries may run 

down.
22

Wild Windows

Make a window frame by following the directions on the next page.

Now go outside.

1. Use the window to frame a view where you can see things made by people, such as a road or a 

building. Draw or describe the view in box # 1 below.

2. Use the window to frame a view where you can’t see anything made by people. Draw or 

describe the view in box # 2 below.

3. In which window do you think you would be more likely to see wildlife? 

4. What did you like in each window? What did you not like?

1

2
23

STAMP Having a Wild Time...

Cut or tear out this post card along the dotted lines.

• Use this page with the hole as a frame for the activity on page 22.

• Save the post card—draw a picture on the other side about your wilderness visit 

and mail it to a friend.

Wild Windows
Use this cut-out for the Wild Windows activity on pages 

22-23, and to make a postcard for a friend.

This booklet complements the educational materials presented in the Wilderness Investigations 

toolkit for teachers. This booklet is available for PDF download at www.educators.wilderness.net

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. May 2014