National parks are my jam. When I was little, my family would go to national parks but I never really liked nor appreciated them. Mostly I was bored and tired on our hikes and did not understand why my mom thought they were the most beautiful places in the world.
Now I get it. National parks make my jaw drop and take my breath away, and not just because I’m a fast hiker. I think appreciating the beauty of nature comes with adulthood, it’s something I’ve had to grow into.
A few weeks ago, I turned 23. I was at lunch with my sister and my roommate when my sister told me that maybe I should kiss 23 boys to celebrate being 23. I think instead I’m going to try to visit 23 national parks this year. I’ve already done 8:
- The Badlands, South Dakota
- Theodore Roosevelt, North Dakota
- Yellowstone, Wyoming
- Grand Tetons, Wyoming
- Rocky Mountain, Colorado
- Great Sand Dunes, Colorado
- Mesa Verde, Colorado
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Colorado
For the Colorado parks, we did all four in four days. It was a 1,000+ mile road trip that included the most beautiful campsite I’ve ever been to (Stillwater campsite at Lake Granby), the windiest night of my life (if you’re going to the sand dunes, don’t camp), some great red rocks and petroglyphs, and maybe my favorite park I’ve ever been to (though I think Black Canyon is better in the winter??)
So I have 15 national parks to go in order to complete my goal for this year of my life. There are five in my home state of Utah; easy. Ten more apart from that. I’m thinking Glacier, Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Great Basin, Carlsbad Caverns, Wind Cave, Mount Rainier, Olympic, and North Cascades. I know those are all in the West, but they’re within driving distance for me. I guess I better start planning those trips, huh?
jamie goes outside 
Sounds cool
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