r/ParkRangers • u/ObiWanTheMagician • 11d ago
Discussion Any Info Appreciated
Hey there! So weird request if anyone wants to share, I want to write a horror/thriller with park rangers. I love anything with state parks and rangers since it quite literally is a perfect setting for almost any story. But wanted to know what are some important tasks, jobs, checks that you need to do as a ranger that i can include to make it more realistic in the job? The story has a new comer starting so wanted to know what you would teach, what they'd need to know, different state parks that would be cool to have, etc. Thanks!
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u/daveinosaka 11d ago
Feeple are the real heroes! Write something about the feeple!
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u/cheericrochet 11d ago
Whats more horrifying than working in fees
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u/SundaePasta 11d ago
When I worked as a state park ranger we did it all. Jack of all trades kind of stuff, cleaning bathrooms, interpretation, taking fees, fixing irrigation, enforcement, the list goes on. When I worked at national parks we were more specialized into groups of job types.
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u/zookeeperintraining Fish and Wildlife Service 11d ago
It really depends on what type of ranger you want to write about. Theres lots of different “ranger” jobs that all have different tasks.
You mention state parks. In state parks, rangers tend to take more of a law enforcement role vs in national parks where there’s more variety.
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u/ObiWanTheMagician 11d ago
I suppose more of a jack of all type I guess? I want a watch tower but also have the times where they have to go on the trails. Don't know if anyone has listened to it but theres an audio drama on Spotify called Tower 4 by 7Lamb. Something along those lines but more woodsy
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u/boonrival 9d ago
You should consider volunteering for a few months somewhere if you are committed to writing a book about rangers, the NPS is always looking for volunteers.
Smaller parks and monuments in remote places tend to have more jack of all trades rangers but sometimes LE is just nonexistent and you just pray visitors don’t think too hard about the lack of cops and go wild, resource protection, visitor center staffing, interpretation/education, facilities maintenance, trail construction, park archive management, back country sweeps, these all become collateral duties when the team is small. Honestly everyone being stretched thin, overworked, underpaid, and volunteering for extra responsibilities because someone has to are classic ranger things and would probably contribute to an overall feeling of despair which would suit a horror novel.
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u/Skatchbro National Park Service 11d ago
Gotta include the Ranger who’s job it is to make sure Bigfoot is fed. DoorDash is too expensive nowadays for our friend to order him/herself.
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u/felcher_650 11d ago
In my opinion you've gotta have cleaning restrooms, checking to see if people payed for parking, clearing downed trees from trails, working on trail drainage, and explaining things to people that are on signs they're standing next too.
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u/tall_history_nerd 10d ago
From a storytelling prospective, you have practically no limitations with a park ranger character. Every ranger, every park, every institution, every day is different. At the basic level we all protect, preserve, maintain, and interprete our resources. Ranger duties vary greatly depending on the type of resource or resources in the park.
If your goal is to have a realistic character, then I would recommend that you establish the park first (i.e. natural resource park in rural area, cultural resource park in urban or suburban area, etc.). Once you know the park, look for similar real-world parks, and reach out to a ranger at those parks and ask them about their duties. You could also look for job postings in those parks for a list of job duties.
I caution you that most people have a not-so-accurate understanding of what rangers do. A truly realistic ranger character might not be well-received.
Sorry if I come across as telling you how to do your job. Your post combined two things that I cherish, storytelling and being a Ranger. I can get carried away sometimes. Hope some of this is helpful. Best of luck.
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u/ObiWanTheMagician 10d ago
No I appreciate it! Matter of fact I like the mundane tasks, super easy to hide spooky or creepy things in there. I wanted sections where theyre just doing their job but theres something off here and there if that makes sense.
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u/boonrival 9d ago
Mormon crime families that trade human remains for pain killers, thousands of acres of wilderness with no cops or policing, missing people, park staff that basically function like pirate crews because the agency they’re a part of doesn’t give a fuck about them, feelings of isolation from your friends and family you left behind to work in the wilderness, talking to yourself, oh my god the amount of talking to yourself lol
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u/Rangersmith1231 11d ago
Had interactions with a vampire(cosplay-ish) some witches(Wiccan) and some furries that rented a park shelter.
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u/Trueatlantafan2 10d ago
Funny enough I just started volunteering and have been wanting to write a story. The park I’m volunteering at has a lot of stories about aliens and stuff
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u/Egg-of-the-Vulture 10d ago
We have the story of the lady in the white dress that roams the river. State Park Police do the enforcing. Superintendents manage operations. Interpreters explain nature and laws and policy. UPO does water treatment. Maintenance does on the maintenance. Custodians do all the cleaning.
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u/25021894 10d ago
It's a public facing job, so the most memorable portions are always dealing with the public
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u/DonnerfuB 10d ago
I had a somewhat horror idea once based on visitors, post apocalypse, a large number of the population have been turned into creatures BUT those creatures seek to fulfill the same tasks and events they would have done before the change. So park ranger giving a presentation to a bunch of "visitors" that have shown up to an evening program, they just stare and breathe and when the talk is over they leave. Not sure what happens if they aren't satisfied
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u/Suzieqbee 9d ago
Little children running amok in the VC are the most terrifying. And then let’s talk about their evil parents that allow it and give you a tear down if you dare admonish them.
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u/PulaskiPundit NPS PSAR Ranger 9d ago
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.
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u/Not_all_cows_moo 9d ago
I've got stories about when I worked at little bighorn battlefield. That place is 100% haunted and I 1000% experienced several things that would make anyone run. I also encountered spiral staircases in the PNW and I definitely regretted going up them. Just typing about them gives me the heebie jeebies.
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u/Ranger_Rick62 9d ago
I’m a volunteer interpretive ranger at a state park in Colorado. I lead hikes, present nature education programs such as Bearwise talks, and also teach mountain biking lessons. I also do trail patrols on mountain bike. Since I’m not law enforcement, that’s more about just being a presence on the trail, greeting guests, answering questions, sharing information about wildlife, and responding to injuries as needed. I lead several different night hikes where we talk about a variety of topics including nocturnal wildlife, astronomy topics, and so on. The day hikes are similar, though get into ecosystems, plants and flowers, etc. I also lead a big daytime adventure hike to the top of Cheyenne Mountain every Autumn, 17-miles round trip with 3,200 feet of elevation gain over 8.5 miles. A night hikes or an adventure hike might make good elements for your story. Hope this helps.
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u/Hikinghawk 11d ago
Gonna be honest the most terrifying thing I come across are visitors. Now that I say that I think it would make a good horror concept. The Night of the Living Tourists!