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“I dream of visiting all of the National Parks.” The woman rubbed her hands together and her voice buzzed with intensity as I signed a copy of my new novel, Where the Trees Touch the Sky: A Redwood National Park Novel for her. “All 63 of them. I’m mapping out my dream trip.”

I can’t tell you how often readers have said this to me–and to be completely honest–I’ve said it too! We collect the stickers on keepsake maps, write out bucket travel lists, and create Pinterest boards for our dream trips. News programs occasionally highlight tourists who have accomplished these sorts of goals, like this man who visited all 425 NPS sites (including monuments and other various designations) in a single year, or the youngest to visit all the parks, or––my personal favorite––Grandma Joy, the oldest person to visit all 63.

I don’t know about you, but when I see these stories, I get an overwhelming urge to tick all the NP boxes.

But how does our perspective shift when we make “seeing them all” our goal?

When we race through our journey, we risk missing the very experiences we’ve been dreaming about. A national park is more than a pretty view. Each has a unique spirit, whether it be the landscape, the wildlife, the history, or how people interact with the location. And typically, you can’t tap into this experience with a one-hour visit to get your passport stamped.

Think about your best experiences with nature when you were a child. Was it about getting another park stamp? I doubt it. More likely it was taking the time to watch a caterpillar walk along a leaf’s edge. Or wading in a creek and letting the minnows nibble your toes.

Many of us have lost sight of that childlike wonder. Rather than soaking in an experience, we’ve boiled it down to a checkmark. The Japanese term, shinrin-yoku, is loosely translated as “forest bathing.” If we take the time to slow down, turn off our devices, and close our to-do lists, it gives our bodies and souls space to breathe.

Our national parks are busier than ever, but I sometimes wonder how many visitors are seeking the rest and rejuvenation provided by nature instead of racing about trying to visit every view they saw on Instagram. When my husband and I planned our Zion trip last year, I did my research. I watched YouTube videos about trip planning, perused the park’s website, and educated myself on the shuttle system. There are multiple Facebook groups and discussion boards dedicated to Zion trips, and almost all the posts focus on two specific must-see hikes. After reading through the posts, it’s easy to buy into the idea that without these experiences, you’ve somehow missed out on what makes Zion unique. It’s FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) at its worst.

But the truth is quite the opposite. What if you visited Zion and spent time just sitting beside the Virgin River, listening to the sound of the water rushing by? You could stare up at the Navaho sandstone cliffs and watch as the light changed from minute to minute–from the dawn colors to the glare of the afternoon sun and shadows. Maybe you’ll choose to hike one of the lesser-known paths and be blessed by spotting a sunbathing lizard or a herd of bighorn sheep. Would your trip be somehow “less than” for not jockeying for position at one of the must-see locations? Probably not.

I recently turned in my manuscript for my next novel, set in–you guessed it!–Zion National Park. My main character is grappling with this very issue as she walks away from a high-powered career to spend the summer at Zion, only to saddle herself with a lengthy to-do list for her stay. [Don’t bother looking on Amazon for this book quite yet–it’s not scheduled to be released until fall, 2025. Stay tuned!]

My favorite trails at Great Smoky Mountain National Park were those labeled simply as “Quiet Walkways.” They don’t take you to an epic waterfall or gorgeous viewpoint. It’s all about experiencing the forest itself. My favorite thing to do at Mount Rainier is find a quiet place to sit and then soak in the mountain’s magnificence. I introduced my daughter to this concept on a recent trip–showing her both my favorite unpopular trail and my special secret spot.

So every time I feel myself longing to visit all 63 national parks, I need to slow down and remind myself why I love the national parks in the first place. It’s about experiencing the beauty and peace that nature has to offer. To “meet” each park with an open mind, and then spend time truly getting to know it. Rather than visiting Utah’s “Mighty Five” in five days, or “one week to see as many US NPs as possible” I’d prefer to spend those same days visiting one or two and really immersing myself in everything they have to offer.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with the desire to “see them all.” Just be sure your trip doesn’t morph into exactly what you’re trying to escape about day-to-day life–just another task to complete.

Happy travels, everyone!

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