Many families have considered visiting every national park in the U.S., but one family of four actually took on the challenge.
It all started in 2009, when the Goldstein family from Charlotte, North Carolina, visited Yosemite National Park and decided they needed to see more. When the family’s adventure started, there were 59 national parks. By the time they finished, four more parks had been added to the list.
“It was just gorgeous … overwhelming,” dad Bill recalled. “And I said, ‘Yeah, I want to see more of that,'” Bill said, according to USA Today.
The real challenge was visiting every park before the Goldstein children, Luke and Winston, were 18 years old.
Luke was 11 when they started, and he admits it was a little crazy. “At first, I thought the whole idea was a little out there,” he said.
Bill explained that the trips were scheduled around the kids’ school schedule. “Literally every break, during their school, we would try to see another park.”
Their now 23-year-old son Winston was 10 when they started. He recalled these trips with USA Today. “I’m out there eating granola bars and ham and bread out of a cooler in our trunk that was our refrigerator for weeks,” he said.
Mom, Alisa, was in charge of the finances. Bill gives her credit for finding affordable meals and travel arrangements while keeping the family within their budget.
Luke expressed to USA Today that spending this much time with his family was almost too much, and not having phone service was tough for him as a kid. “But it got us to grow our bond together and become a really tight family,” he said.
Visiting national parks is less expensive than you might think. The National Park Service has compiled a list of essentials. Things like navigation, insulation, and hydration are mentioned in the list.
Luke recalls an incident where they ran out of water while hiking at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. “Probably the most dangerous thing that I’ve experienced on our hikes was actually dehydration. There was a lot of praying and faith and patience to get back. We finally made it and soaked ourselves with ice-cold water.”
Are you interested in taking on the challenge of visiting all 63 national parks?
Alisa encourages explorers to start locally. “I would recommend parks closest to your area first,” she said.
The family also suggested visiting multiple parks in one trip but urged people to remember to be flexible. “It will never be perfect,” Bill said, recalling less-than-ideal situations the family found itself in. “Make yourselves happy. Just take a deep breath when you’re out seeing this majestic beauty … and thank the Lord that you’re here today.”
Visiting the national parks can be an educational and exciting adventure. Still, the U.S. National Park Service wants to remind everyone that it is important to “leave no trace” when visiting. Leaving no trace means cleaning up behind yourself while camping, hiking, and exploring the parks.
