Description
About this puzzle
This is a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle built around Smokey Bear, the USDA Forest Service’s fire prevention mascot since 1944. The artwork is a collage: vintage posters, patch designs, and illustrations of Smokey in his ranger hat doing the work he has been doing for 80 years. If the phrase “Only YOU Can Prevent Wildfires” is in your memory from a TV ad, a campground sign, or a grade school poster, this puzzle is pulling from that same well.
The puzzle is produced by Impact Photographics of Petaluma, California, one of the largest national parks souvenir wholesalers in the country. Impact prints this one with soy ink on a cardboard backing and includes a full size reference poster in the box, which matters when you are sorting 1,000 pieces across multiple shades of forest green and Smokey Bear brown.
What’s in the box
- 1,000 interlocking puzzle pieces
- Full size reference poster (same image as the completed puzzle, useful for sorting)
- Printed box with the full artwork on the lid
Specifications
- Pieces: 1,000
- Finished size: 20″ x 28″
- Box size: 11″ x 8.5″ x 2.5″
- Weight: 20.5 oz
- Printing: Soy ink on cardboard backing, fully interlocking border
- Reference poster: Included
- Licensing: Officially licensed USDA Forest Service Smokey Bear art
- Manufacturer: Impact Photographics, Petaluma, CA
- Designed and distributed in: USA
Who is this for?
This is the puzzle for anyone who grew up on Smokey Bear and wants to spend a weekend looking at all the versions of him at once. The collage format means you can sit down for an hour and finish a section on your own, or work on it across a week with family. The finished image is dense enough to keep your attention and varied enough that you are not stuck staring at 200 identical pieces of sky.
It is also a gift that actually says something. If you know a Forest Service retiree, a career firefighter, a Smokey Bear collector, or a kid who just got their junior ranger badge, this lands. The finished 20″ x 28″ size fits in a standard 20″ x 30″ frame with a small mat, which is how a few BHPFA staff have theirs hanging.
Frequently asked questions
How hard is this puzzle?
Moderate. The collage format helps, because you can work one vignette of Smokey at a time rather than trying to sort the entire image at once. The reference poster is worth using. Most adults finish it in 6 to 10 hours across a few sessions.
Does buying this support the Forest Service?
The puzzle is officially licensed USDA Forest Service Smokey Bear art, and a portion of the manufacturer’s licensing royalties goes to the Forest Service. On the BHPFA side, proceeds from your purchase support the Black Hills National Forest and Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands, along with our other partner sites. So the answer is yes on both ends.
Does buying this support national parks?
BHPFA is the official nonprofit partner of Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Scotts Bluff National Monument, and Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, as well as the Black Hills National Forest and Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands. Proceeds from every purchase support education programs, conservation projects, and visitor services at these sites.
Is this the MasterPieces “Smokey Bear Patches” puzzle?
No. MasterPieces makes a separate Smokey Bear Patches 1,000 piece puzzle at roughly 20″ x 27″. This one is the Impact Photographics version at 20″ x 28″ with a different collage layout and a reference poster. The art is different, the dimensions are slightly different, and the manufacturer is different.
Can I frame the finished puzzle?
Yes. Finished size is 20″ x 28″. A 20″ x 30″ frame with a small mat is the cleanest fit. Glue the back with puzzle glue (sold separately, any craft store) and you can hang it without remounting.
What age is it appropriate for?
The box does not list an age in the published specs. 1,000 piece puzzles are generally recommended for ages 14 and up, since the pieces are small and the image is detailed. It is not appropriate for children under 3 (small parts).
Who is Smokey Bear and why has he been around so long?
Smokey Bear was created by the USDA Forest Service and the Ad Council in 1944 as part of a World War II era fire prevention campaign. He became the longest running public service campaign in US history. The real bear cub named “Smokey” was rescued from a 1950 fire in New Mexico and lived at the National Zoo until 1976. The illustrated character, the one on this puzzle, predates the real cub by six years.
Can I get it stamped at a BHPFA park?
The Passport to Your National Parks cancellation stamp program is NPS only. USDA Forest Service sites (the Black Hills NF and Nebraska NF&G) are not part of it. If you visit Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, Scotts Bluff, or Agate Fossil Beds, you can get those Passport stamps there, but the Smokey Bear puzzle itself is a USFS item and is not connected to the Passport program.
Where is it made?
Designed and distributed in the USA by Impact Photographics of Petaluma, California. Country of manufacture is not published on the company website; check the box for a “Made in” label.
About BHPFA
BHPFA is the official nonprofit partner of Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Scotts Bluff National Monument, and Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, as well as the Black Hills National Forest and Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands. Proceeds from every purchase support education programs, conservation projects, and visitor services at these sites.
