This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
But there is a world outside of Utah, with lots of natural wonders and national treasures to take in. A convergence of factors some well-timed family events, some extra vacation days and an array of centennial activities by the NPS made 2015-16 a good time to set a fun goal with my now-3-year-old daughter: Visit a different national park each month for a year.
So far, Saskia and I have hit 12 national parks in 11 months. We've traveled from peaks to caves, from deserts to swamps, and from tidal pools to prairies. We've put many miles on our shoes and learned a lot. As we count down to our grand finale trip on Aug. 25 the 100th anniversary of the NPS I'll share some of our adventures here. Check back in coming days to find out where we went.
Trip reports
12 Months of National Parks No. 1, Acadia: Small children love nature, but on their own level
12 Months of National Parks No. 2, Capitol Reef: 'People shouldn't be here'
12 Months of National Parks No. 3, Arches: Are national park rules too strict?
12 Months of National Parks No. 4, Canyonlands: The best fun may require a child's eyes
12 Months of National Parks No. 5, Biscayne: A threatened park claws its way forward
12 Months of National Parks No. 6, Everglades: Please don't spank the gator
12 Months of National Parks No. 7, Bryce Canyon: The $10 lifetime senior pass needs to end
12 Months of National Parks No. 8, Death Valley: The poetry of survival
12 Months of National Parks No. 9, Wind Cave: Drama unfolds in a quiet corner of the prairie
12 Months of National Parks No. 10, Mesa Verde: A detour from the plan leads to floral delights
12 Months of National Parks No. 11, Great Basin: Miles of adventure fit in one little ring
ealberty@sltrib.com
Twitter: @erinalberty