Guided Tours

A ranger-led program is a guided, walking interpretive activity that shares the story of the Little Rock Nine, desegregation, education and civil rights. Ranger-led programs do not have access into Little Rock Central High School. 

NPS Photo

Information on Ranger-Led Interpretive Programs

• Ranger-led interpretive programs at Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site can be reserved from Tuesday to Saturday at 1:00 PM CST/CDT, subject to availability. These programs do not include access inside Little Rock Central High School. For planning purposes, dates when programs are fully booked or unavailable due to other events are listed below.

• Programs require a confirmed reservation, which must be made in advance. For the best availability, we recommend calling to reserve at least two months ahead. We typically cannot accommodate walk-ins for ranger-led programs.

• Each program has a participant limit of 50. For groups larger than 50, please contact the park in advance at [phone] to discuss possible accommodations.

• Programs begin at the Visitor Center, located at 2120 W Daisy L Gatson Bates Drive, which offers free parking for cars, buses, and RVs. The program involves crossing two streets to reach Little Rock Central High School, with accessible paved crosswalks and sidewalks connecting the visitor center to the school. Note that these programs involve outdoor walking, periods of time outdoors in various temperatures, and in the event of inclement weather, programs may be modified or shortened.

• These interpretive programs cover the story of the Little Rock Nine, desegregation, education, and this significant moment in the civil rights movement. The route may include stops at Little Rock Central High School grounds, the Magnolia Mobil Station, the Commemorative Garden, and the Elizabeth Eckford Bus Bench, all of which are accessible. However, the main entrance landing of Little Rock Central High School is not accessible.
  
• We strongly recommend bringing water or a refillable bottle. The visitor center has water fountains and sells reusable bottles but does not sell bottled water or other beverages. Other recommended items include sunscreen, an umbrella, and a sun hat; fall and winter afternoons can be chilly, so layered clothing is advised.

• Please note that these programs do not focus on Little Rock Central High School’s architecture, and we do not schedule tours at the Daisy and LC Bates House.

• If programs are full or unavailable, we offer a self-guided walking program with accompanying audio and transcripts. This content, researched and recorded by students in the Central High Memory Project, narrates eyewitness accounts of the unsuccessful first attempt by ten African American students (September 4, 1957) to attend classes during the historic desegregation crisis at Central High School. Maps, timelines, and full transcripts are available on theNational Park Service Mobile App (Google Play and iOS).

To reserve your space on a ranger-led interpretive program, follow all these steps:

1. Call 501-374-1957, the main phone number for the National Historic Site.

2. When reserving a program, please be prepared to provide the following information or be sure to leave this in your voicemail message:

• Date interested in a ranger-led interpretive program; if you leave a message, be sure to give a specific date, e.g., not "tomorrow" or "Friday" or "next Monday"
  • Currently, programs are offered Tuesday through Saturday when available; check below for dates when these programs are offered.

• Name for the individual or group - this will be our point of contact

• A phone number - preferably a cell phone you will have on the day of the program
  

• Number of people you want to attend the program
  

• An email address that you check - we will send a confirmation email to this address
  

• Any accessibility accomodations or special requests we can provide on this program
  

We will reserve and confirm the date, time, phone number and other relevant details with an emailed confirmation.

Note - This list of dates below will designate whether dates/space are available OR where reservations are already at capacity; we will update this and provide AVAILABLE updates for the current and following month in 2024.

• No Sunday and Monday interpretive programs in 2024 until further notice; the visitor center is open and programs are available to be reserved from Tuesday to Saturday, when available.
• Updated as of Wednesday, November 13, 2024, available dates are listed below for current and following months.

November 2024 - VACANCIES ON THESE AVAILABLE DATES - 1:00 P.M.

• Tuesday, November 19
• Friday, November 22

• Tuesday, November 26
• Wednesday, November 27
• Friday, November 29
• Saturday, November 30

December 2024 - VACANCIES ON THESE AVAILABLE DATES - 1:00 P.M.

• Wednesday, December 4
• Friday, December 6

• Thursday, December 12
• Friday, December 13
• Saturday, December 14

• Thursday, December 19
• Friday, December 20
• Saturday, December 21

• Thursday, December 26
• Friday, December 27
• Saturday, December 28

* Note - Additional dates without ranger-led interpretive programs will be added in 2024.