All of our interpretive ranger programs take place at the Day Use Area of the Hyatt Lake Campground. Our programs are FREE and open to the public!
Come and check out our evening programs every Friday and Saturday night at 8pm until Labor Day, at Hyatt Lake Campground!
Cascade Connections with Ranger Paige. Explore the unique combinations of habitats and humans that meet here in the monument.
Whooo Comes Out at Night: Superheroes with Ranger Anna. Learn about the diversity of owls that call the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument home, and take a closer look at what makes owls so special.
Why So Many Butterflies? with Ranger Ellie. Learn about some of the special butterflies that can be found on the monument, and what brings them here.
Jr. Explorer Programs are presented on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 10am-12pm. Participate in some fun activities and learn about the monument from an interpretive ranger and receive your Jr. Explorer badge!
MEET OUR RANGER INTERNS
Interpretive Ranger interns Page Engelbrektsson, Anna Kennedy and Ellie Thompson at Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. 2018 Photo by C Beekman
Our interpretive ranger interns at Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument are Paige Engelbrektsson, Anna Kennedy, Ellie Thompson. They are graduate students in Environmental Education at Southern Oregon University.
They are inspired by the monument’s biodiversity and wilderness and looking forward to share this special place with people of all ages--to care about nature and our public lands.
Paige Engelbrektsson, a Virginia native who grew up finding the wonder in the wild places around her suburban neighborhood and childhood barn. After graduating with a B.S. in Biology from the College of William and Mary, she was elbow-deep in assisting museum researchers when she discovered two things. One, teaching visitors about the new and intriguing natural history facts she uncovered offered its own kind of wonder. Two, there was an entire country full of awe-inspiring, truly wild spaces she could live and teach in. So began a cross-country trip that has lasted four years and counting. From guiding backcountry pack trips in Yellowstone National Park to teaching outdoor afterschool programs as an AmeriCorps member in North Carolina, Paige’s pursuit of sharing the wonder of the natural world has led her through a checklist of mountain ranges and ultimately to Southern Oregon.
Anna Kennedy grew up in a small town in Northern California, surrounded by redwoods, the Russian River, and a wild backyard full of endless possibilities. Whether hiking along the coast, camping in the redwoods, or building tree-forts, she found tranquility, inspiration, and a fascination for life in the great outdoors. This early love and curiosity led her Anna to pursue a degree from UC Davis in Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology. Over the summers, Anna worked as a Trips Guide at Skylake Yosemite Camp, leading kids on day and multiday backpacking adventures in the Sierras. Her longing to be outside and learn everything about the natural world evolved into a desire to help educate and engage children outdoors. After graduation, Anna continued to work with youth as a Montessori Assistant Teacher and as a summer Camp Director.
Ellie Thompson developed her love for nature and the outdoors at a very young age. As soon as she could walk, she began exploring the family farm in Eugene, Oregon and the ponds behind her house—collecting flowers, insects, and minnows to observe and marvel at. Her family vacations consisted of camping and hiking all over Oregon, spending days kayaking the remote Owyhee River, and visiting many natural history museums; learning about the land and its native flora and fauna. Her inquisitive mind and passion for learning about the world around her drove her to pursue a degree in biology at Portland State University. While she loved her major, she wasn’t sure what career to pursue after college. It wasn’t until she stood on the banks of the Kinabatangan River, in Malaysian Borneo, that she realized what she wanted to do. Witnessing the devastation of one of the oldest tropical rainforests in the world was a powerful experience that ignited passion for conservation and education in her.
Come by and say hello!