We had the opportunity to take the trip of a lifetime (my opinion, and I stick by it!) last May as a family, as we celebrated our oldest’s high school graduation. We knew we wanted to see as many National Parks as we could in our time, made our plans, and added/changed some of the plans along the way.
Since I have had so many asking about our specifics, I thought I’d put it here for others to read and plan from. We were a family of 5 – with kids ages being 17, 15, and 9…all avid outdoor lovers, but not super experienced hikers.
This trip showed me that I’m stronger than I think, but not as strong as I want to be. Here’s my recap…
11 Days
8 National Parks
2 State parks
4 States
Route 66
Snow, sleet, high winds, & desert heat
2,000+ miles driven
40+ miles hiked
3,000+ pictures/videos
Priceless memories
I learned:
- You’re never too old to see America’s National Parks. Take time to explore! 🥾🧭 And while you’re at it, grab a small notebook or a National Park passport journal to stamp at each visitor center you visit! This is free, and it’s a super cool way to keep up with your travels (and they are dated!).
- You’re never too old to become a Jr. Ranger for each of the National Parks…pick up your booklet at the visitor center (or download them online ahead of time). It’s a lot of fun for all ages, and it gives you a free souvenir!
- Southeastern US food is far superior to the Southwestern US food, and they don’t even know what they are missing. We are ALL ready for our REAL homemade food! 😋
- You don’t breathe nearly the same at these crazy-high altitudes, so I blame my heavy breathing on that instead of the hike climbing. 😅😆
- Changing time zones multiple times in one trip is not fun and can be tricky when planning travel days…and may definitely show with the dark circles under my eyes when I get home 🫣
- Don’t trust the weather forecast. Pack for all temperature possibilities every day, because you will likely experience multiples daily! 😂
- Of all the NP stores we saw, Zion was far superior! So, when you find something you love at Zion, just do yourself a favor and buy it…you really WILL NOT find anything better. (Ask me how I know 🙈)
- Laundromats are life (and time) savers. Don’t even try it at a hotel! 🙃
- Cameras are amazing, but they cannot come close to capturing all the beauty and vastness of God’s creation. You just have to see it for yourself! 📸
- Hiking so many days in a row will challenge you more than you think, but it showed me that I’m stronger than I think, but not as strong as I want to be. 👊🏻💪🏻
If you are interested in more details, feel free to continue reading with our “Planning the Trip” post here: Planning the Trip POST
Here are some of my favorite National Park items (for souvenirs and for hiking/travel), if you want to check it out – https://www.amazon.com/shop/marsha0727/list/338Y20NRBHI1H?ref_=aipsflist ((as an Amazon Affiliate, I may earn a small percentage of commission from your purchases using my link – at no cost to you! Thanks for supporting our family 🤍)
Straight Outta My Mind 