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…