National Park Quest

Running is one of my favorite ways to see the world. Some of my most memorable runs have taken place in America’s National Parks. My husband and I have fallen in love with our National Park Service, and we’ve made it our goal to visit all 59 parks throughout the United States. While some runners are on a quest to race in every state, we’re trying to hike in every National Park (and hopefully run there too).

Twenty-seven states have National Parks, as well as the American Samoa and the United States Virgin Islands. The most National Parks are in California (nine), followed by Alaska (eight), Utah (five) and Colorado (four). We have a lot of trips to take! You can follow our journey on this page as we visit new parks and create memories of a lifetime.

Parks Visited

  1. Acadia (Maine) – Read my recap
  2. Arches (Utah) – See a few highlights
  3. Crater Lake (Oregon) – Read my recap
  4. Glacier (Montana) – Read my recap
  5. Grand Canyon (Arizona) – Read my recap
  6. Grand Teton (Wyoming) – Read my recap
  7. Mesa Verde (Utah) – See a few highlights
  8. Mount Rainier (Washington) Read my recap
  9. North Cascades (Washington) Read my recap
  10. Olympic (Washington) Read my recap
  11. Saguaro (Arizona) – Read my recap
  12. Yellowstone (Wyoming) – Read my recap
  13. Yosemite (California) – See photos from my Yosemite run
  14. Zion (Utah) – See a few highlights
  15. Great Smoky Mountains (North Carolina)
  16. Everglades (Florida)
  17. Biscayne (Florida)
  18. Rocky Mountain (Colorado)

Parks Still on the To-do List

  1. American Samoa
  2. Badlands (South Dakota)
  3. Big Bend (Texas)
  4. Black Canyon of the Gunnison (Colorado)
  5. Bryce Canyon (Utah)
  6. Canyonlands (Utah)
  7. Capitol Reef (Utah)
  8. Carlsbad Caverns (New Mexico)
  9. Channel Islands (California)
  10. Congaree (South Carolina)
  11. Cuyahoga Valley (Ohio)
  12. Death Valley (California/Nevada)
  13. Denali (Alaska)
  14. Dry Tortugas (Florida) 
  15. Gates of the Arctic (Alaska)
  16. Glacier Bay (Alaska)
  17. Great Basin (Nevada)
  18. Great Sand Dunes (Colorado)
  19. Guadalupe Mountains (Texas)
  20. Haleakalā (Hawaii)
  21. Hawaii Volcanoes (Hawaii)
  22. Hot Springs (Arkansas)
  23. Isle Royale (Michigan)
  24. Joshua Tree (California)
  25. Katmai (Alaska)
  26. Kenai Fjords (Alaska)
  27. Kings Canyon (California)
  28. Kobuk Valley (Alaska)
  29. Lake Clark (Alaska)
  30. Lassen Volcanic (California)
  31. Mammoth Cave (Kentucky)
  32. Petrified Forest (Arizona)
  33. Pinnacles (California)
  34. Redwood (California)
  35. Sequoia (California)
  36. Shenandoah (Virginia)
  37. Theodore Roosevelt (North Dakota)
  38. Virgin Islands (U.S. Virgin Islands)
  39. Voyageurs (Minnesota)
  40. Wind Cave (South Dakota)
  41. Wrangell–St. Elias (Alaska)