A former National Park Service employee, Melissa Dalley, has ignited controversy by visiting national parks to distribute unofficial materials and conduct "Junior Resistance Ranger" programs. Dalley, who departed her role at the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site in April, has been observed at parks including Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Glacier as part of an activist initiative.
At the Grand Teton National Park's Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center, Dalley reportedly approached tourists to highlight the past location of a display addressing a massacre of Native Americans. Her actions have drawn criticism online, with some accusing her of introducing political activism into national parks.
Dalley co-founded America433+, a group that has joined forces with Resistance Rangers, a collective composed of current and former park employees. The group's initial "teach-in" occurred at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park following the removal of educational materials and photographs related to slavery from exhibits.
Dalley has expressed disapproval of Secretarial Order 3431, issued in May 2025, which mandated federal agencies to remove content that "inappropriately disparage[s] Americans past or living" and to instead focus on national achievements and natural beauty. A federal appeals court in July permitted the administration's review process to continue after overturning a lower court ruling that had required the government to reinstate the removed materials.
Dalley stated that "millions of people who are coming to these sites today who are not getting the full story" and described this as an "irreparable loss." She also claimed that some park employees are delaying the creation of new exhibits, anticipating a change in administration. "They're waiting for this administration to go away so that they can continue the work," Dalley said. "The chilling effect is real."
She acknowledged that while distributing flyers is generally permitted, national parks have varying regulations for organized events and larger demonstrations. "I always tell everybody, ‘Tell everyone you know,'" she said. "‘You met this crazy lady on your vacation, and this is important.'"
Dalley's campaign has drawn accusations of spreading propaganda and disrupting park visitors. One social media post alleged that an "Ex ranger from Teton national Park harassed tourist and destroys tree to pass out flyers."