For many people, visiting a national park is a once-in-a-lifetime experience–but for Ian McGraw, 10, it is a way of life. Since his first national park around ten years ago, he has already visited around 20-30 national parks. In this interview, he shares his favorite parks, unexpected adventures, and tips for anyone looking to start their own national park journey.
Q: What inspired your family to start traveling to national parks?
A: My mom was always a ‘nature person,’ and she didn’t get to travel with her parents when she was a kid, so when my older sister wanted to go on a trip, we decided to go to our first National Park out west.
Q: How many national parks have you visited so far? Do you have a goal to visit all of them?
A: I definitely want to visit all of them. I haven’t really counted in a long time, but definitely around 20-30 parks.
Q: Do you remember the first national park you visited? What was that experience like?
A: The Badlands in South Dakota. It was around 10 years ago, and I remember it being very very hot. It had good terrain and good hikes. It was beautiful; I really liked it.
Q: How has traveling to national parks influenced your perspective on nature and conservation?
A: Well, first, my Mom is an environmental scientist, so I’ve always grown up with a lot of background knowledge to protect nature. But seeing it actually in real life is one of the best things to ever experience, and it makes it obvious how nature should be protected.
Q: What’s your favorite national park and why?
A: Channel Islands of California. It has a lot of historical value; that’s why I like it. One of the islands used to be a prison, and they had nice chill foxes and we got to snorkel and see octopi.
Q: Have you ever had a surprising or unexpected experience in a park?
A: Grand Tetons in Wyoming. My family and I saw a bear approaching this little kid on the bench, and it kept getting closer and closer, so the park ranger had to save the boy. He almost got eaten alive!
Q: What’s the most challenging part of visiting so many parks?
A: No huge downside, but if there is one, drive to national parks in the west. It takes like two to three days to get to California. Our first time going out west, we rented a van with two families, and it was fun but so exhausting. Now we fly all the time.
Q: Are there any parks that didn’t meet your expectations or ones that completely exceeded them?
A: I did not like the Florida national parks, specifically the Everglades. I hated the humid weather; I thought it was cool because there are swamps and the wildlife is cool, but, compared to the West and North, it’s not comparable.
Q: Have these experiences changed how you think about travel, adventure, or the environment?
A: When I was a kid, I wanted to visit more cities like New York, but since my first national park around 10 years ago out west, I definitely prefer nature more now and going outdoors than a
big city.
Q: What’s one national park you think everyone should visit at least once?
A: Definitely Grand Tetons. There is stuff for everyone. You can ski, hike, swim, and it’s so beautiful. So if you’ve never been to a national park, Grand Tetons is a great one.
