Why do National Parks Matter?

August 31, 2021 Deanna Jensen

This month marks 105 years since the National Park Service was established - the organization dedicated to serving in America’s national parks, “...to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as we will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.”

You might have noticed that the national parks are a big theme here at Dear Summit (like this blog post, this hiking journal, or these wooden stickers). You might also know that I donate a percentage of my profits to the National Park Foundation.

But why?

Why are National Parks so important to me? And why give up part of my profit for them?

National Park Lover's Reading List

June 29, 2021 Deanna Jensen

What to do when you have national parks on your mind, but can’t actually visit them?

You might have found yourself in this situation in the last year or so, with the travel restrictions from the global pandemic - or a national park trip might be off the books for countless other reasons.

I’ve been in this situation for a while, actually.

I adore our national parks, but I don’t visit them often, and that’s mostly because of debt. My husband and I have a lot of it, mostly student loans, and we’re working our tails off to beat the debt to the ground so we can be free of it once and for all. That means that we’re putting bigger expenses on hold and not traveling much at all. If we can somehow fit a stop at a national park into a trip to visit family or one of our cross-country moves, we absolutely do, but we’re not making many special trips just to vacation at a National Park — yet.

And yes, it kills me to wait like this, but the reward of getting out of debt faster and afterward having the freedom to travel as much as we want? That’s worth it.

So what do I do when I’m longing for a national park adventure, but can’t actually hit the road?

I read about them.

I study them.

I soak in their stories and their topographies.

Books are a fantastic way to explore America’s national parks, whether you’re looking for a vicarious adventure, a mental retreat, or planning your next trip. Below I’ve listed a few of the national-park related books I’ve enjoyed reading recently -- books which any fan of our national parks is bound to appreciate.

Find your next national park adventure in one of these titles…

10 Journal Prompts for National Parks

May 15, 2021 Deanna Jensen

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 enhance your national park visit.

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.

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?

I’ve written ten prompts to journal about your adventures in a national park…