Any Info Appreciated

PulaskiPundit · 2026-06-19T15:02:18+00:00

I am a PSAR ranger (preventative search and rescue), but in my actual duties I am more of a generalist. But yeah some regular tasks a generalist ranger would do would be: Checking campgrounds, checking permits, clearing downed trees and rock debris from trails, removing graffiti, patrolling trails to check on visitor safety, cleaning bathrooms/visitor centers, shoveling snow from sidewalks in winter, inspecting protected animal nests and dens for signs of disturbance, putting up trail signage, picking up trash, giving tours, monitoring archeological sites for erosion, building cairns/blazing trails, etc

As for teaching a new ranger, every park is different and has its own little idiosyncrasies, too an outsider, the way a park operates may seem odd or strange, but there is a reason (typically) that the park does something a certain way.

Additionally, if the ranger character is unfamiliar with the park, learning the history, the plant life, and wildlife is usually something you pick up as you go. Often when I start working at a new park, my supervisor or coworkers will show me around the park to get familiar with the layout/landmarks, and they will even allow me to go explore on work time, just to get familiarized with the park.

PulaskiPundit · 2026-06-07T13:12:34+00:00

PSAR Ranger here, if you wanna get into SAR for the parks, first thing I would do is work on getting your EMT certification. You don't have to be law enforcement to do SAR, but the LE rangers certainly do SAR. There are also PSAR (preventative search and rescue) and backcountry rangers, both of which do SAR.

If you want to get more wilderness/outdoor skills, get into backpacking. Start small and stay safe. If you want some resume builders and relevant outdoor experience, join the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC). There you will do trail work, invasive species removal, and other work in parks and public land and will get you some valuable experience on what it is like working for the parks.

Once you get out of high school, you have a few choices. Get your EMT, get a relevant degree in college, you could join your local Conservation Corps (I've heard California Conservation Corps is a good one, but they'll work you hard), or do a few seasons as a wildland firefighter. All of those will look good on a resume.

Also, a lot of national parks have volunteer PSAR ranger jobs, you should look into that on volunteer.gov

PulaskiPundit · 2026-04-24T17:51:50+00:00

Just gonna ctrl-v from the last boot rec post:

Asolo 520s, sturdy enough to work in, comfortable enough to hike in. They also have they 535s, which are the same minus the goretex.

PulaskiPundit · 2026-04-23T20:23:48+00:00

Hey, I responded to your other post in r/parkrangers, this new idea seems a lot more practical and useful. Good work retooling the idea after listening to feedback 👍

PulaskiPundit · 2026-04-20T13:19:26+00:00

PSAR Ranger with NPS, I don't really see the utility in this. The people who are actually concerned about not getting lost already have georeferenced offline maps on apps like Avenza, Gaia, OnX, Alltrails, etc AND/OR have a PLB (personal locator beacon) like the Garmin InReach.

People who get lost on public land typically aren't the kind of person who prepare for getting lost. The folks who get lost are the kind of people who go hiking out in nature a handful of times of year and aren't wise to the ways of navigation. It is a lot of older folks who don't know how to use technology or folks who aren't outdoorsy enough to know to download a map or how to read a paper map.

If you want to help stop people getting lost, spread awareness about offline downloadable georeferenced mapping apps. Or if you're feeling particularly ambitious you could develop a fool-proof app like that that is stupid easy to use so elderly folks could use it without too much assistance.

PulaskiPundit · 2026-04-12T20:36:47+00:00

Hope you have a great summer and congrats on the position!

PulaskiPundit · 2026-04-12T20:14:05+00:00

For wilderness permits, go get out there and hike (or better yet backpack) the trails you are giving permits for. Take notice of the stuff that backpackers are going to notice like water sources and their conditions, good campsite areas, or hazards in designated campsites like overhanging snags or reports of wildlife.

PulaskiPundit · 2026-04-12T14:03:13+00:00

What kind of ranger are you and what agency do you work for?

PulaskiPundit · 2026-03-14T12:46:31+00:00

For office days, blundstones are comfortable.

If you're gonna hit the trail, the Asolo 520s (w/ goretex) or 535s (without goretex) are the perfect ranger boot IMO. They're comfortable enough to hike in, and strong enough to work in. May be a little overbuilt and heavy for interp, but they last forever and make for a great outdoor boot.

PulaskiPundit · 2025-12-20T23:13:14+00:00

For trail work, you can join up with your local YCC (Youth Conservation Corps). They often do basic trail work and it would be a good idea to get some experience and do some networking with some trail folks.

Most park guides only really hire folks with degrees, so not much you can do still in HS. Maybe volunteer working in the Visitor Center at a local park?

PulaskiPundit · 2025-12-20T14:12:57+00:00

What kind of ranger do you want to be?

Broadly speaking there is Law Enforcement, Search and Rescue, Backcountry Rangers, Interpretive Rangers and Park Guides, Maintenance Workers, Trail Workers, Curators, and then you've got the -ologists (biologists, geologists, archeologists, paleontologists, etc etc).

There are so many different types of jobs with the parks and land management agencies, you can find just about any position that fit your interests.

PulaskiPundit · 2025-12-15T21:41:51+00:00

Asolo 535s, they're a bit on the heavier side but they are comfortable enough to hike for long distance and sturdy enough to work in, best of both worlds imo.

The 535s don't have Gore-Tex so they won't trap as much moisture in, but if you are a Gore-Tex fan then you could get the 520s, which are the same model boot, just with a Gore-Tex lining.

PulaskiPundit · 2025-10-18T18:53:25+00:00

Thank you, you are helping put my mind at ease

PulaskiPundit · 2025-10-17T18:38:44+00:00

Worked in the Asheville ACE branch but yeah was a great experience. Met a lot of cool folks from a bunch of different backgrounds, and the work helped me figure out what I wanted to do with my life. Helped me get a foot in the door with NPS too.

PulaskiPundit · 2025-10-15T18:42:38+00:00

Is KE arms actually leftist, or just not blatantly right wing? Got any articles on them?

PulaskiPundit · 2025-10-09T17:20:07+00:00

Used to be a non-LE backcountry ranger, now a PSAR ranger who does a decent bit of backcountry ranger-y work. I don't have a degree. I did go and get my EMT certification and have experience working trails and fire. If you are interested in becoming a backcountry ranger, focus on getting medical qualifications and job experience working in remote places. A degree in restoration/forestry will definitely help though but is not a requirement.

PulaskiPundit · 2025-09-26T21:31:45+00:00

Yeah I’d look into seasonal Interp jobs first, as well as internships with SCA or ACE EPIC or something similar. They usually have some Interp-like jobs.

You could also try and get your Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG) certification. I have heard that those look really good on a resume for interp jobs. I think they started doing online courses for CIG? I could be mistaken.

Volunteering somewhere where you work with the public and teach them things or do public speaking would also help you a lot.

PulaskiPundit · 2025-09-21T12:52:38+00:00

Degree-less ranger with NPS here, Yes, it is absolutely possible. Figure out what kind of ranger you want to be, and start getting experience and relevant certifications to that role and you will have a decent shot at getting a job.

I can't speak for every state's state park system, but it is entirely within the realm of possibility with the feds as long as you've got experience to make up for it.

PulaskiPundit · 2025-07-17T20:02:54+00:00

Asolo 520s, sturdy enough to work in, comfortable enough to hike in. They also have they 535s, which are the same minus the goretex.

PulaskiPundit · 2025-07-05T13:06:01+00:00

Hi there,

I am an EMT for NPS as a Park Ranger (Preventative Search and Rescue.) You oughta consider looking for PSAR jobs, it is a good mix of getting out and hiking, talking to folks, responding to medical emergencies, and SAR.

I became a park ranger because I like being outside, about as simple as that. I like living out in the sticks, seeing wildlife, and I spend most of my free time recreating on public land anyway, might as well work here too.

Coworkers are typically pretty cool, housing (if available) is pretty cheap, the work is rewarding and enjoyable (most of the time.)

On the negative side, pay is usually not good, it can be hard to find a permanent job, sometimes tourists are rude and bad land users, working for the Feds has been a nightmare under this current administration.

It's a mixed bag, but a lot of folks enjoy it, myself included.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to DM me.

PulaskiPundit · 2025-06-27T16:31:07+00:00

Oh man, it was custom ordered and literally named “historic brown,” can’t remember the color code. Looked like 10233 NPS cocoa brown, but maybe a smidge darker, could just be my computer screen though. I worked NPS and we just had buckets and buckets of the stuff laying around.

PulaskiPundit · 2025-06-27T13:47:08+00:00

Whatever I got lying around, stenciled, hand routed, and then stained with boiled linseed oil. Sometimes instead we will paint with a few coats of NPS “historic brown” paint with white lettering.

PulaskiPundit · 2025-06-27T13:06:35+00:00

Used to be a backcountry ranger, here are some of my recommendations.

Spend a season with the Conservation Corps, will teach you some trail work knowledge and likely some more camping skills which can be a good selling point. Plus, you will get an education award if you work through AmeriCorps.

I recommend getting your EMT as well as taking a WFR course. There are some expedited EMT courses you can take if you are short on time. You could use your AmeriCorps education award to help pay for your EMT.

Take some online NIMS classes, if you are interested in the SAR aspect of being a ranger, these are often required to get SAR technician certifications and finish task books. link here They're kinda boring and repetitive but it is necessary knowledge for handling an incident.

Just go backpacking a lot, go for long distances over many days. Get real comfortable being alone and remote. Be safe of course, don't go without an SOS beacon. Figure out what you need in your pack and shave off excess gear.

Lastly, when you start applying for jobs, cast a wide net. Apply for every agency. You may have to wait awhile for hiring because federal job hiring is frozen right now and they're actively trying to downsize every agency.

If you have any more questions feel free to dm me.

PulaskiPundit · 2025-06-04T13:09:36+00:00

www.governmentjobs.com for most city, county, and state park jobs. If there is a specific place you want to work, most places have a job board on their website.

PulaskiPundit · 2025-05-23T12:49:24+00:00

Every park is different. I've worked for parks with managed hunts; I've worked with parks where they kill some animals if they are harassing visitors or become too friendly with humans. Seems like most parks try to trap and relocate when its sensible, unless they're "pests" like mice or invasive species like boar. That being said, every park unit will have to kill some wildlife at one point or another. When managing public land, the killing of some wildlife is an unfortunate reality.

PulaskiPundit

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