NPS - National Park Service

04/17/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/17/2024 15:43

April 27th is BARK Ranger Day at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

News Release Date:
April 17, 2024

Contact:Andrew Regiec, 620-273-8494 ext 270

Strong City, KS - On Saturday, April 27th at 10 a.m., Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is hosting a B.A.R.K. Ranger Day. Bring your four-legged dog on a leash for a hike with a ranger along the Southwind Nature Trail after a brief orientation and presentation about the meaning behind B.A.R.K. Ranger. This ranger-guided hike is designed to encourage responsible ethics when exploring the preserve with your pet and affords the opportunity to earn a B.A.R.K. Ranger pendant, while supplies last.

The B.A.R.K. Ranger Program can be found at various National Park Service sites across the United States. Each B.A.R.K. Ranger program is unique to each site, but they all follow the meaning of B.A.R.K. - B-Bag your waste, A-Always leash, R-Respect Wildlife, and K-Know where you can go. Pets are welcome on three of the preserve's trails year-round, and another seasonally. A trail map is available at the visitor center or can be downloaded from the website that show our 10 miles of dog-friendly trails.

This program is being offered as part of National Park Week, a nine-day celebration of everything "parks," not just about more than 400 national parks nationwide of different shapes, sizes, and types. Also discover what the National Park Service does through our programs and partners to preserve natural and cultural heritage and provide recreational opportunities in places across the country-and even the world!

National Park Week is happening April 20 to April 28 this year. National Park Service parks, programs, and partners will host events and activities all week! Follow National Park Week on social media and join the fun all week using #NationalParkWeek.

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is located two miles north of Strong City on Kansas State Highway 177 (the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway) and is a unique public/private partnership between the National Park Service and The Nature Conservancy. For more information, visit the preserve's Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/NPS.TallgrassPrairie , website at www.nps.gov/tapr, email e-mail us, or call the preserve at (620) 273-8494 ext 270. To learn more about The Nature Conservancy in Kansas, visit the Conservancy's website at www.nature.org/Kansas or Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TNCKansas .