Adventure Awaits: How to Escape Crowds and Enjoy US National Parks like Matt and Karen Smith
Matt and Karen Smith, a couple who met in college and spent the first 25 years of marriage focusing on work, raising kids, and earning a living, decided to take a leap of faith in 2010. They quit their jobs and embarked on an adventure to visit every US national park. Their love for hiking and wildlife inspired this journey, although they weren’t particularly fond of crowds.
Their experiences led them to create valuable insights on how to steer clear of the tourist masses. With summer fast approaching and many Americans eager to explore a US national park, Matt and Karen have shared their top tips for avoiding crowded national parks.
According to the National Parks Service, over 325 million people visited at least one national park in the US last year, a 4% increase from the previous year. With such high numbers, encountering crowds is almost inevitable. However, Matt and Karen’s tips can help visitors make the most out of their experience without being overwhelmed by the crowds.
Matt and Karen met in college in Kansas and spent the first 25 years of marriage focusing on work, raising kids, and earning a living. Once their youngest child left for college in 2010, they became empty nesters. After relocating to Seattle and being introduced to national parks by friends, the Smiths decided to embark on an adventure. Using their savings, they visited all 63 national parks in the US
