Rangers of the Lost Park

The Moab to Monument Valley Film Commission (located in Moab, Utah), the longest-running film commission, started in 1949 to help facilitate John Ford movies that were going there. Since then, over 200 films have been shot in the area on - you guessed it - public lands!

Bega Metzner, the Film Commission Director for the Moab to Monument Valley Film Commission, makes sure everyone is doing it the right way, with permits and all the logistics. So much of it is public land, like National parks, the Bureau of Land Management, etc. There is a lot to juggle. Every...

What happens when you gather a group of nature enthusiasts in an old growth forest? This episode is truly unique and not something Liz has done on this podcast before.

Liz went out into the remote backcountry with a wonderful group of public land protectors and will be sharing four of their stories with you all today. You’ll get to hear some personal stories of deep love, resiliency and intrigue straight from the person who beholds it, including Daniel Gomez, Patty Hine, Misha Inomoto, and Chandra LeGue.

On May 31st of this year, Liz br...

This week's guest is Robert "Bob" Pahre: a professor in the Political Science Department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he is also currently Department Head.

Liz and Bob discuss the consequences of erasing history from our nation's National Parks will entail, especially in regards to future generations and their access to knowledge and historical facts. They also talk about bear encounters, a sneaky fox who steals boots, weird German words, hanging upside down in a tree while playing the saxophone, the book that Bob is currently writing, and more!

More about Bob:<...

Meg Carney, host of Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, and Liz Crandall, host of Rangers of the Lost Park Podcast, team up for an effortless collaboration where they talk about how they both find joy in a world of bad news. As Meg says: it can feel impossible to find joy when the headlines never seem to let up. From attacks on public lands and environmental protections to growing uncertainty for the people who steward these places, many of us are carrying a constant sense of urgency, grief, and overwhelm. But what if joy isn't a distraction from the work? What...

Gwyn & Ami are a dynamic duo who plan incredible itineraries for folks looking to venture into National Parks and public lands. They share their tips and tricks in planning, pride outside as a queer couple, a spooky trail story, a "grizzly" encounter, and more!

Follow Gwyn & Ami on Instagram: @gwynandami.
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"Green Girl" Leah Thomas coined the term Intersectional Environmentalist at the age 25, when she wrote and published her book titled The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet. Since 2020, Leah has spoken up in the name of eco-communication and brings forth the understanding that social justice and climate justice are one in the same.

Leah talks about her time as a park ranger at Nicodemus National Historic Site and the White House Visitor Center, why cats are a feminist icon, intersectional environmentalism at its core, and more!

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Chrisha Favors isn't afraid to be her authentic self and spread joy whenever she can! She spends her days tending to her garden and is proud to be a black woman landowner in the state of Oregon. Historically, people of color could not own land in the Pacific Northwest area we now call Oregon. In fact, it was punishable by physical force (and even death) and backed by racist colonizers. Chrisha serves her community with the Black Cultural Initiative, which aims to connect peoples of color with cultural food and traditions, as well as provide safety in the outdoors. <...

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) covers about 19.3 million acres in northeast Alaska and is the largest national refuge in the United States. And unfortunately, it is a huge target for oil and gas drilling despite its protections currently in place.

The Refuge includes diverse habitats that support an abundance of species including caribou, brown, black and polar bears, Dall sheep, moose, foxes, muskoxen, marine mammals including whales and seals, and thousands of different birds. The calving grounds of the Porcupine Caribou herd, which have sustained Gwich’in people for generations, are within the Coastal Plain of th...

Sam Forstag is an outdoorsy guy! He worked as a smokejumper and wildland firefighter for years with the US Forest Service-- until December of 2025, when he decided it was time to run for Congress. And the amazing part? He's only 31, he's from a working-class lifestyle, and he speaks up for rangers. Oh, and he really cares about public lands.

Visit Sam's website: samformontana.com.
Follow Sam on Instagram: @samforstag.

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This week’s episode takes a deep dive into the life of the American farmer– the culture surrounding it, why what we eat matters and how we farm matters, and a new documentary that is just now starting to show screenings: Fork in the Road. I found out about this exciting new documentary from renowned actor and woodworker Nick Offerman (Ron Swanson, for those who need a reminder) online, and I was instantly intrigued! He is one of the Executive Producers for Fork in the Road and makes appearances in the film as well.

Joining Rangers of the...

Aaron Murphy of American Hunters & Anglers (AHA) is truly a public lands patriot! Since he was young, Aaron has loved the outdoors unconditionally. He served as a Ranger at Yellowstone National Park in the late 90s, he has campaigned and was chief of staff for a Senator, and now he advocates for public lands with AHA on social media and in Washington DC.

Aaron and Liz talk about their shared love for the outdoors, funny stories from our time as rangers, an update on the US Forest Service reorganization (spoiler: it sucks), current public lands issues, and...

Jesse Hamner is an experienced and knowledgable wildland firefighter with a huge heart. After experiencing great loss in 2025, she embarked on a grand roadtrip around the United States in search of community and healing. Since then, Jesse created "Keep Flaming," a safe space for anyone who feels "othered" in wildland fire (especially queer folk) and seek a supportive community in order to thrive not only in their careers but in their personal lives as well.

Jesse shares raw aspects of her journey throughout her Fire career, who she is at her core and how she dedicates her...

Mattison "Matt" Shreero & Max Scott: two park rangers who are both incredible paleontologists and geologists! Matt and Max join Liz on this jurassic episode of Rangers of the Lost Park to talk about all sorts of cool things. They help debunk some of the big myths we are hearing in the news, they talk about fossils and how old the Earth is (hint: it's older than 6,000 years), and so much more! Come laugh along with us and sit back for an enjoyable episode about science communication, Jurassic Park wrongdoings, and tackling mis- and disinformation.

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Alligator Alcatraz: remember that? Well, it's still very much a thing. In fact, it is still operating despite the lawsuits and public outcry. And guess what? It's going to be on your radar again very soon.

Did you know that the location of Alligator Alcatraz, the very place that is currently causing ecological destruction, is the reason for the existence of the Clean Water Act, NEPA, and Earth Day? Do you want to know how? Let me tell you a story. You will get to learn all about its fascinating history, the environmental fight that came out...

Liz is joined by Danielle and Cassie of National Park After Dark Podcast! Together they read and react through Trail Tales (listener stories), all of which are park ranger-themed, and discuss a variety of topics regarding National Parks, public lands, and more.

Last year, 2025, Liz was featured on NPAD's March 3rd episode A Love Worth Fighting For: Speaking Up For Our Public Lands alongside two other rangers who were illegally fired as well.

Cassie and Danielle catch up with Liz on what has happened regarding our Parks, Forests, and more-- plus what we need to...

My guest today is someone I am so beyond stoked to talk to. She is a powerful woman who specializes in wilderness skills, traditional lifeways, and ancestral skills. She is an author, a mother, a teacher, a woman of bushcraft, and a lover of nature. Oh, and did I mention she is the first female winner of the History Channel’s show Alone? Yes, my friends, my guest today is Woniya Thibeault.

We talk about her time and experiences from both Season 6 of Alone and Season 1 of Alone: Frozen, of which she won after 50 days alone out in...

Liz chats with Vikram Baliga - known for his online presence as The Plant Prof and podcast Planthropology - about loving plants and the plant community, wild 5-minute plant hack videos, Big Bend National Park, and more! Vikram also shares that he wishes for folks to find the beauty in the outdoors whenever they can. Yay plants!

Follow Vikram on Instagram: @the.plant.prof.
Listen to his podcast: Planthropology.
Check out his book Plants to the Rescue! (Support your local bookshop!)

Follow ROTLP on Instagram: @rangersofthelostpark.
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He's back! It's N8ture AL (also known as Alex Troutman)!

Liz and AL catch up since they last spoke in September. AL has worked in conservation as a wildlife biologist for years until last February when he was caught in the crosshairs of the DOGE firings. Since then, he has made it his mission to provide representation for kids and black and brown communities. AL helps ease folks into loving the outdoors and has a warm, earnest personality and heart. Listen to AL's stories about a wolf pack encounter in Alaska, his perspective and expertise regarding...

Lance Garland is an author, climber, father, husband, former Navy SEAL trainee, and has become the first openly gay fireman in the Seattle Fire Department.  But who is he at his core? He is kind. He is funny. He is deeply thought-provoking. He is an incredible writer. And, perhaps most heartwarmingly, he is unapologetically himself.

In this episode, we talk about Lance's newest book called Out There: Dispatches from My Personal Wilderness, what it means to embrace queer joy, how nature is healing for all of us, and so much more. 

Music has been used as an act of resistance and protest for generations. You may have heard the saying: "you know times are bad when folk music is getting better." Well, we seem to be living that kind of time period right now. And musicians like Kirstie Lynn are making waves and utilizing music as an outlet for their strife. 

With soaring songbird melodies and a voice as clear as a bell, Kirstie Lynn is one to watch in the folk music scene. Drawing inspiration from nature and the human experience, her poetic lyricism and nostalgic songwriting h...

Joining Liz is author and journalist Emily Pennington! Not only is Emily super rad-- she is also the first guest who had previously submitted the Submit A Guest form! We talk about her favorite National Parks (of which she has vistited all 63!), vanlife, being a woman in the outdoors, a few bear stories, and more.

Emily was put on her first international flight at 3 weeks old and has been an avid adventurer ever since. To date, she’s hiked on all 7 continents (including Antarctica) and has completed the John Muir Trail, the Annapurna Circuit, the Laugavegur Trail, th...

Andrea Delgado is a fierce and kind leader who immigrated from Ecuador to the United States at a young age. This is someone who has spent nearly two decades operating at the intersection of power, policy, land, and people. She often worked behind the scenes and in rooms where the consequences of decisions ripple across generations. 

Andrea is a nationally recognized strategist who has advised the White House, Cabinet officials, unions, NGOs, Tribal Nations, and community leaders. She’s helped pass bipartisan legislation on everything from immigration and farm labor to wildfire, toxic chemicals, and pay for fed...

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota is the most visited Wilderness area in the United States, garnering around 150,000 to 250,000 visitors per year. Its vast wilderness extends 150 miles along the U.S.-Canada border, covering approximately 1,098,000 acres with over 1,100 lakes and 1,200 miles of canoe routes, attracting more than 150,000 visitors annually. Now, that is under threat of being changed forever.

A congressional plan to force a Chilean-owned copper mine into the headwaters of the nation’s most visited and beloved Wilderness is moving forward, with Representative Stauber introducing Joint Resolution 140 on Jan 12, 2026. The bill went to the fl...

Concessionaires have been around even before the Park Service in what we now know as National Parks. Today, there are nearly 500 concessionaires within our Parks, which mean there are tons of folks who work for them. Liz's dear friend Kayla Babb, whom she worked with for a concessionaire company in Yellowstone National Park in 2015, joins the podcast to talk about her experiences within the Parks and how it differentiates from Park Rangers. They have a lot of laughs and share fun memories together- including a menacing raven named Gunter, whistle pigs terrorizing trash bags, bison run-ins, bear stories, and...

In this week's episode, Liz is joined by her sister (and our first returner guest) Sarah. They talk about how the constant circulation of bad news is exhausting and wearing people thin, but that we need to remember to find joy wherever we can. They talk about coping mechanisms and how they, themselves, get through it all. They share belly laughs and cover humorous questions and topics. Sarah shares a harrowing lightning story for Ranger Tea. They try a bizarre Japanese candy and share their reactions. And last but not least, they dive into Coalpail.com, a strange website...

Alex Haraus is an outdoor and public lands advocate, experienced traveler and an incredible digital creator. We talk about his journey outdoors, his love for the environment and the thought behind Colorado Creator Collective. He gives us the three things that makes content impactful and successful. Alex also shares a mountain lion story and we talk about cool hikes in Iceland - and more! We hope you enjoy this informative and joyful episode!

Follow Alex on Instagram: @alex.haraus.
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Subscribe to Alex on YouTube: Alex Haraus - YouTube.

2025: you were one hell of a year. Going into 2026, Liz & Mikayla are embracing the Year of the Horse with determination and even more amazing things! A completely revamped Patreon, exciting new guests, Ranger Lore episodes, and more! Thank you to all of our listeners for supporting us. We are so happy to have you and will continue encouraging you to Ranger On!

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For our last episode of 2025, we bring to our listeners some much needed information on a public lands topic. What would coal mining look like from a National Park? Why is this being proposed? Let's take a deep dive with the Legal Director & Attorney Steve Bloch of Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA)!

Steve talks about how SUWA is working to stop coal mining from being implemented in the 48,000 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land that would directly affect visitors' experiences in Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Capitol Reef National Parks and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in...

Today’s very special guest is one that many of you may recognize: Charles F. Sams III, who goes by Chuck Sams, is well-renowned in the park ranger community. Chuck is Cayuse, Walla Walla and is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Northeast Oregon, where he grew up. Famously known as the first Indigenous Director of the National Park Service, Chuck served in this important role from 2021 to 2025.

We speak with Chuck about Land Back, the Rights of Nature, what it means to be a good leader, National Parks and pa...

Ranger Emily is a park ranger within the wild landscapes of Alaska. She shares her experiences and perspectives with us as an individual who works as an archaeologist in some of the most beautiful National Parks. From glaciers to bear attacks and tribal relationships -- Emily has some incredible stories from her time in the outdoors. She even answers the ever-popular question of: what can I do, as an individual, to help support our rangers right now? And, of course, we talk about Indiana Jones. We hope you enjoy!

Follow Emily on Instagram: @ecaselman89.

Book...

Joining us for this incredibly special episode is Ken Burns - one of the greatest documentary filmmakers of his time. Ken Burns is known for his epic and historically focused films such as: The Civil War, Baseball, Jazz, The Vietnam War, The Roosevelts, Prohibition, and, our personal favorite, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. Most recently, he meticulously created the 9-years-in-the-making documentary film series titled The American Revolution: An Intimate History, which is now available for streaming on PBS.

We speak about National Parks and the importance of maintaining democracy within the United States and for ou...

What does it mean to be a "responsible influencer"? How can someone with a prominent social media platform advocate responsibly for the places that they love to showcase online? Ashley Petefish, @ashley.goes.hiking on Instagram and @hiking_adventures on TikTok, has worked tirelessly on her social media platforms in digital advocacy for our public lands. Not only is she a regular volunteer within the bustling public lands of Sedona, Arizona, but she is also the Vice Chair of Oak Creek Watershed Council. Ashley shares with us what it it's like to constantly "go viral," as well as solid...

Whether we like them or not, wolves are our neighbors and have an ecological impact. We sat down with Monica Stallman, who goes by their pen name Leokadia George, to talk about wolf conservation and her newest book called Trumpet the Miracle Wolf Pup: Trumpet Becomes a Mom. Leokadia volunteers her time at the Wolf Conservation Center in New York, where she was inspired by one Mexican Gray Wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) named Trumpet - so much that she decided to write a children's book series about her. We also have some fun with "Ranger Rankings" and Leokadia tells...

What's it like to work along the borderlands of the US-Mexico border as a public lands steward? Ranger Red joins us to talk about his experiences as a GIS specialist and physical scientist and has worked for the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management. From car chases to jaguars, Red's got some interesting stories to share! We also discuss Senator Mike Lee's newest act against public lands called the "Borderlands Conservation Act" and why it is just another unnecessary attack on Wilderness and fragile ecosystems.

Read about Senator Mike Lee's proposal: Borderlands Conservation Act
...

This bonus episode is inspired by Sandra Ramos, our guest and known fondly as the National Park Patch Lady. Sandra is the wizard behind the curtain with "Adopt-a-Ranger" mutual aid initiative, which aims to support rangers who need some joy in these hard times. We also get to know Sandra and hear about her undying love for National Parks and the rangers who care for them.

If you are a ranger (former, current, furloughed, excepted, etc.), whether you're from the US Forest Service, National Park Service, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, or other relevant...

This week we talked with New Mexico Wild's Conservation Director, Bjorn Fredrickson about the importance of wilderness protections and some of the legislation that aims to strip these protections. Specifically, the Border Lands Conservation Act introduced by Senator Mike Lee of Utah poses a lot of concerns for conservationists, and people who enjoy and use public lands.

*Disclaimer: The sound is a bit wonky at points in this episode. Apologies for this and hope you still enjoy!

Interested in learning more about New Mexico Wild? You can find their website at nmwild.org and on...

The magic of foraging for mushrooms, berries, medicinal plants and so much more is not just a hobby for Gabrielle Cerberville, but a lifestyle. In this episode we discuss the rights of nature, protecting public lands, foraging ideologies, and a fun round of Ranger Ranking questions.

Gabrielle, also known as "Chaotic Forager" on social media, just wrote and published her first book Gathered: On Foraging, Feasting and the Seasonal Life, which she describes as a "guide to fielding" as opposed to a field guide. She wants to help people become comfortable with foraging and to learn more...

Bats, caves & rescues, oh my! Ranger Hannah Croxton immerses us in some spooky stories from their time as a US Forest Service Lead Ranger at the Newberry National Volcanic Monument in Oregon.

Alongside all the other amazing federal workers who protect our public lands, Hannah has experienced the tumultuous uncertainty that plagues the federal workforce this year. She shares what she is doing now, what she's been through as a federal worker in 2025, and how much she loves being a ranger.

Please support our federal workers by sharing this episode and Hannah's story with others...

Author and former Wildland Firefighter River Selby (they/them) wrote and published their memoire Hotshot: A Life on Fire on August 12, 2025. In this episode, River talks about what it was like being a hotshot and wildland firefighter from both a personal and scientific perspective. In Hotshot, readers are taken on a journey through sweltering wildfire action, awareness regarding fire ecology and culture, and River's personal experiences -- which will have you on the edge of your seat!

You can find Hotshot: A Life on Fire anywhere you can buy books. River and ROTLP recommend supporting independent bookstores...

SJ Joslin (they/them), a bat biologist from Yosemite National Park, was unjustly fired from their dream job by the federal government for flying the trans flag in the park. They were off-duty, left no trace (aka zero damage) and did this purely with good intentions. This was not a demonstration, despite what the Department of Interior stated, but an act of inclusion depicting that trans people belong outdoors, too.

We speak with SJ about what happened on May 20 when they flew the flag and what happened in August when they were consequentially fired for it. SJ...