The Junior Ranger program will resume Wednesday at Mount Rainier National Park. The programs encourages children ages 6 to 11 to identify plants, seek out animal tracks and engage in other outdoor activities while earning a badge. The free activity booklet is available at park visitor centers from Wednesday through Sept. 1.

Another option for families are the daily ranger presentations of songs, stories, games and walks that add meaning to the park’s surroundings. Programs are held at Longmire, Sunrise and Paradise, as well as Cougar Rock, Ohanapecosh and White River campgrounds.

 • Total park visitation was down 3 percent through the first five months of the year. Through May, there have been 160,607 visits to the park, compared to 165,532 through May 2008.

But there is reason to expect the numbers to rebound. May’s recreational visits were up 5.36 percent from May 2008, and great summer weather attracted plenty of visitors to the park earlier this month.

Hurting visitation numbers early this winter was storm damage done to the Paradise Road on Glacier Hill. Uncertainty of the road’s status kept some winter visitors at home.

 • The shuttle bus schedule has finally been posted on the park Web site. Visitors can ride a bus from Longmire to Paradise, or park in Ashford and take a shuttle to Longmire. Look for the schedule under “Plan your Visit” and “Directions” or go straight to www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/shuttle.htm.

Jeffrey P. Mayor, The News Tribune