Switchbacks: Our Year in the National Parks

By Cole & Elizabeth Donelson

What's Switchbacks: Our Year in the National Parks about?

We spent last year exploring, hiking through, and tent camping inside all 59 U.S. national parks. Now we're here to share our experiences, insights, and advice about our year in the national parks.

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Switchbacks: Our Year in the National Parks episodes:

11.24.2020
81. How to Visit Denali National Park
Denali National Park, the country's twelfth national park, is home to the highest point in North America, Denali. It's frequently visited by tourists in Alaska, but it requires advanced preparation to visit. By planning ahead, visitors can make the most...
11.08.2020
80: How to Visit Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park, the country's eleventh national park, is home to active and dormant volcanoes, hydrothermal features, and beautiful mountain landscapes. It's one of the least visited parks in California, but many people congregate to Lassen Volcanic's main attractions....
10.19.2020
79. How to Visit Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, the country's tenth national park, is home to two of the most active volcanoes in the world. Most visitors go to try and spot some volcanic activity, like lava flows, steam vents, and lava tubes. Hawai'i...
10.19.2020
78. How to Visit Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park, the country's ninth national park, is home to spectacular mountain environments, alpine tundra, wildlife, and gorgeous lakes. Most visitors go to drive the Trail Ridge Road or take a hike, and the park is a paradise...
10.13.2020
77. How to Visit Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park, the country's eighth national park, is home to mountains, hundreds of lakes, and 26 rapidly-receding glaciers. Most visitors go to drive the Going to the Sun Road or take a hike, and the park is a paradise...
10.13.2020
76. How to Visit Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National Park, the country's seventh-oldest park, is home to some of the most impressive cliff dwellings in the world. Most visitors go to tour the cliff dwellings, but there is much more to be found in Mesa Verde....
09.28.2020
75. How to Visit Wind Cave National Park
Wind Cave National Park, the country's sixth-oldest park, is home to the densest cave system in the world. Most visitors go to see the cave itself, but there is another world for exploring above ground. Wind Cave is located in...
09.18.2020
74. How to Visit Crater Lake National Park
Crater Lake National Park, the country's fifth-oldest park, is home to the country's deepest lake. Most visitors go to see Crater Lake and its rim trails and scenic drive, which make up most of the park's recreation opportunities. Crater Lake...
09.14.2020
73. How to Visit Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National Park, the country's fourth-oldest park, has a fascinating history of preservation. Most visitors go to see the iconic Mount Rainier, which juts out abruptly along the horizon, twice the height of its surrounding peaks. Mount Rainier has...
08.31.2020
71. How to Visit Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, some of the country's earliest parks, protect the world's largest trees, vast wilderness, and diverse ecosystems. In this podcast, we describe what Sequoia and Kings Canyon are all about, how to get to the parks,...
08.27.2020
72. How to Visit Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park, the country's third park, is foundational in national parks history. Surrounded by granite cliffs, sequoias, waterfalls, and history, visitors can easily find something for them. Yosemite is popular, and most visitors congregate into the 7-square-mile area of...
08.24.2020
70. How to Visit Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, the world’s first national park, is truly one of a kind. Teeming with geothermal activity, wildlife, and vast wilderness, yet chock full of visitor facilities, programs, and tours, Yellowstone is a park for everyone. In this podcast, we...
08.24.2020
69. Season 3 Introduction: How to Visit the National Parks
This season, we're getting back to our roots to launch a year-long national parks project. Each week, we will put out a podcast covering a different national park, describing what the park is all about, how to visit, what to...
12.23.2019
#68: Nigeria Culture Immersion plus Nigeria National Parks and Tourist Hot Spots - LIVE REPORT
Nigeria is SO DIVERSE, and yet it's a very under-touristed destination. In this episode I provide live reports from Nigeria with various segments of my personal experience with the culture in Lagos and a rural village. We will also cover: 1....
11.06.2019
#67: Perfect Ireland Loop with Irish National Parks and More - LIVE REPORT
Get my live reports and sounds of the island as I circle Ireland and Northern Ireland! I'll cover everything from traditional tourist destinations, the 6 Irish National Parks and our personal itinerary: 2 parks, Ring of Kerry, Cliffs of Moher,...
09.09.2019
#66: Debunking 5 Myths of Traveling to Europe
It's hard to think about visiting Europe as an American without thinking about the ancient architecture, romantic cities, great food, and backpacking hostel to hostel. But when we planned a six-week Eurotrip last summer, we found that many things we...
08.06.2019
#65: Do You Have a Travel Wish List? + What's Currently on Ours
Having a travel wish list and putting your travel goals down on paper can have a huge impact on whether or not you actually achieve those travel goals. Today we're sharing why you should have a travel wish list, how...
07.02.2019
#64: The Azores Trip Report
If you aren't following us on social media, you may have missed our exciting news... we welcomed baby boy Donelson on June 10th! We are soaking up baby snuggles and diaper changes here at home, but today we broke away...
05.14.2019
#63: The Art of Babymooning
We may not be expert babymooners yet, but we sure had an amazing time during our recent pre-baby trip to the Azores and mainland Portugal. Listen for all things babymooning: planning and considerations, our favorite babymoon-specific activities, and things we...
03.14.2019
#62: Traveling to Africa, Part II: Our Top 5 Natural Landmarks
Today we're sharing Part II of our Africa experiences last summer. Last time, we broke down our top 5 game drive experiences. Today, we're chatting all about our favorite natural landmarks and outdoor experiences in the southern portion of Africa....
03.06.2019
#61: Indiana Dunes, our 61st National Park
If you missed the big news out of the National Park Service a few weeks ago, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore was renamed Indiana Dunes National Park, making it the U.S.'s 61st national park. Of course, we have to talk about...
02.04.2019
#60: Traveling to Africa: Planning & Executing our Dream Safari Trip (+ Our Top 5 Game Drives)
When it comes to backpacking on a budget through a giant region, Southern Africa is no Southeast Asia. It doesn't have the extensive travel infrastructure, the masses of digital nomads, or the shoestring-budget travel possibilities. But as a travel destination,...
01.07.2019
#59: Our Top 18 Travel Experiences of 2018 (+ An Announcement!)
2018 has been good to us, especially in terms of travel experiences. Dozens of new countries, two new continents (for Elizabeth!) and millions of memories. Listen for our top 18 travel experiences last year. Let's see if 2019 can top it! Music: http://bensound.com
12.05.2018
#58 - Listener Questions: travel vs. debt, affording Alaska, new National Park, TPIR and more!
In honor of Thanksgiving, this episode covers a smorgasbord of topics… all from you! We picked out some great questions and comments from our listeners over the past 6 months since we ended the first season of the podcast and...
11.05.2018
#57 - Round Table Discussion on International Travel
We are so grateful for the friends we met this summer while on an overland tour through eastern and southern Africa. They taught us a lot, but one thing that stuck is that we have SO MUCH of the world...
10.01.2018
#56: Season 2 Preview and Our Top Travel Budget Tips
We're back and we're overly excited to kick off Season 2 of Switchbacks. We're going international, people. Want to know what we've been up to lately? Curious about our very favorite budget travel tips? Listen for more, and check out today's...
05.27.2018
#55: 60th National Park - Gateway Arch History and Controversy
In February, Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri quietly became the 60th national park. Today we're breaking down the history behind the famous Arch, and the controversy that surrounds its national park status. Listen for more, and check out today's show...
05.21.2018
#54: And... We're Off!
Today we're taking off on a 3.5-month trip abroad to Eastern Europe and Africa. Listen to hear where we're going, why we're taking time off social media, and what you can expect from our podcast in the next few months. Listen...
05.16.2018
#53: Our Top Resources for Visiting Alaska + Our Book is Here!
We are thrilled to announce that our eBook all about how to visit Alaska's national park is now available for download. You can find it here: http://switchbackkids.com/product/ebook-visit-alaskas-8-national-parks/ Today, we spilling five of our top resources for building your own Alaska adventure....
05.16.2018
#52: Our Top Resources for Visiting Alaska + Our Book is Here!
We are thrilled to announce that our eBook all about how to visit Alaska's national park is now available for download. You can find it here: http://switchbackkids.com/product/ebook-visit-alaskas-8-national-parks/ Today, we spilling five of our top resources for building your own Alaska adventure....
05.13.2018
#52: Our Ultimate Long-Haul International Packing List
Ever think about striking out for a long-haul international excursion? Over the last two years and ten international trips, we have been learning about what we need and what we don't. Today we're sharing our list for our upcoming 3.5-month...
05.13.2018
#53: Our Ultimate Long-Haul International Packing List
Ever think about striking out for a long-haul international excursion? Over the last two years and ten international trips, we have been learning about what we need and what we don't. Today we're sharing our list for our upcoming 3.5-month...
04.23.2018
#51: Business of the NPS - Interview with internal consultant Adam Ranson
Did you know there are 6 internal consultants who are employed by the NPS and travel across the country to advise and work on its toughest business problems? Today we go beyond the vistas to explore the inner workings of...
04.04.2018
#50: Family-Friendly National Parks, ft. Great Sand Dunes & Carlsbad Caverns
We aren't parents. But we likely will be someday. So as we were traveling through all 59 national parks in 2015-2016, we often looked at parks through the lens of someday coming back and experiencing them with our own future kids. Today...
03.22.2018
#49: National Parks with Friends, ft. Shenandoah & Rocky Mountain
Sometimes you visit a national park for the views and landmarks. Sometimes you visit a national park to reconnect with friends and family in an uninterrupted environment. Any time you travel with a group, especially to a national park, there...
03.08.2018
#48: Our Top 10 Experiences of 2017 + Where We're Going in 2018
Today we're counting down our very best experiences of 2017. Listen for some travel inspiration, and also to hear where we're headed in 2018! Listen for more, and check out today's show notes at switchbackkids.com/podcast. And check out SwitchbackKids.com for blog posts,...
02.21.2018
#47: BONUS Episode: Our Week in Panama
In January, we traveled to Panama. Our true motivation for visiting this country was that we had enough Spirit miles to fly there for free. But what we brought home was much more valuable: a wonder of the world, the...
02.19.2018
#46: Ranger Programs in the Parks, ft. Joshua Tree and Wind Cave
If you aren't supplementing your national parks trip with a ranger program or two, you aren't doing it right. Today we're breaking down everything you should know about the wide variety of ranger programs offered at our national parks. Listen for more,...
02.01.2018
#45 Paddling the Parks, ft. Voyageurs
We do more in the parks than just hike. Today we're chatting all about kayaking in the national parks, featuring a very water-heavy park in Minnesota: Voyageurs! Listen for more, and check out today's show notes at switchbackkids.com/podcast. And check out SwitchbackKids.com...
11.08.2017
#44: Trying Times in the National Parks, ft. Black Canyon of the Gunnison & Mammoth Cave
It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows during our year in the national parks. Today we're sharing two of the more challenging experiences we had. Listen for more, and check out today's show notes at switchbackkids.com/podcast. And check out SwitchbackKids.com for blog posts,...
10.17.2017
#43: Long Walks in the National Parks, ft. Grand Canyon and Isle Royale
When we think back to our year in the parks, a few epic activities always stand out. Today we're reflecting on two backpacking trips that allowed us to get deeper into Grand Canyon and Isle Royale National Parks. Listen for more,...
09.26.2017
#42: Our Top Ten Bucket List Adventures in the National Parks
During our year in the parks, some moments were subtle. There were moments of quiet beauty, soft sunsets, easy strolls in beautiful places. But some moments were loud. We had experiences in the parks that we planned for, dreamed about, and...
09.12.2017
#41: Getting Deeper into the National Parks, ft. Everglades and Haleakala
It's always worth the logistics to get deeper into the national parks. Listen for more, and check out today's show notes at switchbackkids.com/podcast. And check out SwitchbackKids.com for blog posts, videos and ebooks with tips, info and visuals on each National Park....
08.29.2017
#40: Seasonal Considerations in the National Parks, ft. Lassen Volcanic and Mount Rainier
Visiting a national park in its off-season has its pros and cons. Today we lay those out, while reflecting on our time in Lassen Volcanic and Mount Rainier National Parks. Listen for more, and check out today's show notes at switchbackkids.com/podcast. And...
08.24.2017
#39: Planning Ahead in the National Parks, ft. Yellowstone and Katmai
When visiting some national parks, the "just wing it" approach works. But for many parks, advanced planning is required. Listen as we discuss planning hurdles and logistic loopholes at Yellowstone and Katmai National Parks. Listen for more, and check out today's...
08.15.2017
#38: Our Top Ten Overnight Hikes in the National Parks
We're back today with another Top Ten list... this time, our Top Ten Overnight Hikes in the national parks. We counted and determined that we spent 27 nights sleeping in the backcountry last year. Here were our favorites. Listen for more,...
08.08.2017
#37: Amazing National Parks Plants, ft. Saguaro and Sequoia
The national parks are known for their sweeping mountain vistas and incredible wildlife, but what about the unsung plant life that supports the ecosystems where mountain peaks and wildlife can thrive? Today, they'll get their day. Listen for more, and check...
08.01.2017
#36: Geologic Wonders of the National Parks, ft. Arches and Crater Lake
Discover two national parks protected for their geologic significance: Arches and Crater Lake. What makes these parks important? What makes them beautiful and fun to explore? Find out! Listen for more, and check out today's show notes at switchbackkids.com/podcast. And check out...
07.25.2017
#35: National Parks for History Buffs, ft. Mesa Verde and Hot Springs
Most national parks are known for their natural beauty: think mountains, lakeshores, and canyons. But Mesa Verde and Hot Springs are quite different. Although still beautiful, these two parks were formed to preserve and protect some of our country's most significant...
07.18.2017
#34: Our Top Ten National Parks that Aren't "Parks"
Politics often determine their official designation, but all 417 national parks are important. Although we spent our year focusing on the 59 "parks," we also found ourselves at almost 100 other NPS sites. Listen for our Top 10 national parks...

What's Switchbacks: Our Year in the National Parks about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Switchbacks: Our Year in the National Parks episodes:

81. How to Visit Denali National Park

80: How to Visit Lassen Volcanic National Park

79. How to Visit Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

78. How to Visit Rocky Mountain National Park

77. How to Visit Glacier National Park

76. How to Visit Mesa Verde National Park

75. How to Visit Wind Cave National Park

74. How to Visit Crater Lake National Park

73. How to Visit Mount Rainier National Park

71. How to Visit Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

72. How to Visit Yosemite National Park

70. How to Visit Yellowstone National Park

69. Season 3 Introduction: How to Visit the National Parks

#68: Nigeria Culture Immersion plus Nigeria National Parks and Tourist Hot Spots - LIVE REPORT

#67: Perfect Ireland Loop with Irish National Parks and More - LIVE REPORT

#66: Debunking 5 Myths of Traveling to Europe

#65: Do You Have a Travel Wish List? + What's Currently on Ours

#64: The Azores Trip Report

#63: The Art of Babymooning

#62: Traveling to Africa, Part II: Our Top 5 Natural Landmarks

#61: Indiana Dunes, our 61st National Park

#60: Traveling to Africa: Planning & Executing our Dream Safari Trip (+ Our Top 5 Game Drives)

#59: Our Top 18 Travel Experiences of 2018 (+ An Announcement!)

#58 - Listener Questions: travel vs. debt, affording Alaska, new National Park, TPIR and more!

#57 - Round Table Discussion on International Travel

#56: Season 2 Preview and Our Top Travel Budget Tips

#55: 60th National Park - Gateway Arch History and Controversy

#54: And... We're Off!

#53: Our Top Resources for Visiting Alaska + Our Book is Here!

#52: Our Top Resources for Visiting Alaska + Our Book is Here!

#52: Our Ultimate Long-Haul International Packing List

#53: Our Ultimate Long-Haul International Packing List

#51: Business of the NPS - Interview with internal consultant Adam Ranson

#50: Family-Friendly National Parks, ft. Great Sand Dunes & Carlsbad Caverns

#49: National Parks with Friends, ft. Shenandoah & Rocky Mountain

#48: Our Top 10 Experiences of 2017 + Where We're Going in 2018

#47: BONUS Episode: Our Week in Panama

#46: Ranger Programs in the Parks, ft. Joshua Tree and Wind Cave

#45 Paddling the Parks, ft. Voyageurs

#44: Trying Times in the National Parks, ft. Black Canyon of the Gunnison & Mammoth Cave

#43: Long Walks in the National Parks, ft. Grand Canyon and Isle Royale

#42: Our Top Ten Bucket List Adventures in the National Parks

#41: Getting Deeper into the National Parks, ft. Everglades and Haleakala

#40: Seasonal Considerations in the National Parks, ft. Lassen Volcanic and Mount Rainier

#39: Planning Ahead in the National Parks, ft. Yellowstone and Katmai

#38: Our Top Ten Overnight Hikes in the National Parks

#37: Amazing National Parks Plants, ft. Saguaro and Sequoia

#36: Geologic Wonders of the National Parks, ft. Arches and Crater Lake

#35: National Parks for History Buffs, ft. Mesa Verde and Hot Springs

#34: Our Top Ten National Parks that Aren't "Parks"