A visit to a National Park promises to be memorable and perhaps even life changing. Whether you’re looking out over the vast Grand Canyon at sunset, walking among titan Giant Sequoia trees, sledding down a sand dune, or mesmerized by shifting mists in the Smoky Mountains, National Park trips often act as anchor points in our lives. The memories of your adventures there stamped in your mind forever.

These places are set aside as national parks “for the benefit and enjoyment of the people” (Theodore Roosevelt) - and though it’s hard to dispute the National Parks’ immense value and the value of our experiences in them, there are a few things you can do to make your national park visit even better.

Of course you can take photos, or buy a t-shirt, magnet, or book in the visitor center, but I think one of the best ways to remember your National Park trip is to write about it.

One of the best ways to remember your National Park trip is to write about it.

Writing, especially by hand with an actual pen and paper, forces you to slow down and think a little deeper. Writing about our experiences encourages you to be more observant of your surroundings and take notice of things you might otherwise have missed. And perhaps best of all, journaling about your national park trip will make your memories more vivid and enduring.

But, what should you write about your National Park trip?

If you can’t tell, I absolutely love our national parks! They’re my favorite subject matter and have inspired loads of my products here at Dear Summit.

I want you to get the most out of your national park visits, so I’ve written ten prompts to journal about your adventures in a national park!

And don’t worry, these prompts are easy, whether you already write a journal daily or you’ve never journaled before in your life; they’ll also work no matter which of the 400-plus national park system units you’re in, from the mountainous coast of Acadia National Park in Maine, to the lush rainforests of Olympic National Park in Washington state, to haunted battlefield of Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania, the Art Deco bath houses of Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas, and everywhere in between.

Take these prompts along on your next trip, ponder them and pick one or two to write with; they will help you to dig just a little bit deeper into your national park experience, making it even more memorable and meaningful.

10 Prompts for Journaling in a National Park:

Why did you choose to visit this particular National Park? What are you hoping to experience while here?

What is one thing you can do to challenge yourself while visiting this park? (Try something new, tackle a more challenging trail, climb higher, etc.)

Who lived on these lands before they were set aside as a national park? How does learning about these people and how they used this land bring a new perspective to your own time here? (Use Native Land app to find out)

What is a defining feature of this park, and how does it inspire you to think about yourself?

How do you feel changed here, compared to when you left home?

How is this park different from or similar to the last park you visited?

If you could bring anyone along with you to this National Park, who would it be and why?

What sorts of wildlife thrive in this National Park? What traces of them have you found during your visit (sounds, prints, scat, etc.)?

What is one thing you can do to challenge yourself while visiting this park? (Try something new, tackle a more challenging trail, climb higher, etc.)

What kinds of textures characterize this landscape?

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