For the past ten years, Sheryl Kepping has been steadily working her way through the more than 420 National Park Service sites—she's at "380-ish" to date. Her mom, Janet, has joined her on many of the trips, turning their shared passion for adventure into a remarkable journey across America.
Tell us a bit about your origin story. Did you come from a family or environment where you camped or traveled a lot? Were national park sites a part of your family culture?
I grew up in rural Pennsylvania. We didn’t do a lot of camping or weekend trips. We went to Gettysburg with a school trip, to NYC to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island with my church, and to Philadelphia for Independence Mall with the Girl Scouts. We did take a road trip to Maine and visited Acadia and Bar Harbor, along with some of the other historic sites through Boston. We would typically spend a week in the fall going to Florida and often stop somewhere along the shore.
It wasn’t until 8th grade when my parents decided it was time for the quintessential American Road Trip that I was really exposed to National Parks. We stopped in Yellowstone, and I was in awe of the wildlife and geology. We traveled through the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest, Zion, the Badlands and Glacier. We stopped at many other historic sites along the way (including the infamous Deadwood and Wall Drug). I don’t really think my parents know of all of the NPS sites we passed, as only the well-known ones got our attention.
I specifically recall getting to the Grand Canyon (after a very long, very HOT day without AC) and not wanting to get out of the car to see “a stupid hole in the ground.” I truly didn’t appreciate the splendor of the parks and what they preserve until I was much older. My dad passed away when I was 20—I think he’d be amazed at my new obsession.
Once I moved to Boise from Pennsylvania in 2011, my mom decided that repeated trips to Boise became boring. We elected to pick a random spot in the U.S., rent a car, and travel. Initially we didn’t know where to go, but she purchased a Passport to Your National Parks stamp book from Steamtown (the closest park to her home) which she brought with her, so we used that as a guide to plan our trip.
My sister, Heather, has joined us on trips, and I’ve traveled with friends as well. My other half, Rob Hollerman, and I do some of the more adventurous parks together. My first big trip with my mom was 10 years ago, in August 2014, when we visited a number of park sites in the mid-Atlantic.
How many of the big national parks have you visited? And how many national park sites? Do you have a goal? What are some favorites?
So far, I’ve made it to all but 8 of the 63 National Parks, though I visited Indiana Dunes when it was still a National Lakeshore, and New River Gorge when it was a National River. I still need to get to Voyagers, Isle Royale, Big Bend, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Gates of the Arctic, Kobuk Valley and Lake Clark.
My goal is to try and visit all of the 431 (at last count?) sites. Depending on how you track them—I collect stamps and track the count on the National Park Travelers Club site—I’ve hit 381. I am also trying to walk a short portion of all of the national trails (three left) and visit affiliated areas, as well. I think my short term goal is to complete the sites in the lower 48 before I head back to Alaska, the Caribbean or to Hawaii/Pacific. There are a few new parks that have popped up in states that I’ve already visited, so eventually I will need to circle back to those.
Any day, my “favorite” list changes. Sticking solely to parks … I took my mom to Alaska for her 70th birthday (it was a surprise) and her 50th State. We went to Katmai, and seeing the bears—and seeing her see the bears—is definitely up there as one of my favorites.
I really love hiking through the hoodoos of Bryce. The colors, when paired with the brilliant blue sky, and the solitude is just so peaceful. I also enjoyed exploring Fort Jefferson and snorkeling the waters at Dry Tortugas. My boyfriend, Rob, and I did some exploring of Glacier which was stunning, and stuck our toes in the frigid north Pacific waters of the Olympic beaches. Witnessing the sunrise in both Acadia and Haleakala was a cool (cold!) experience. Being humbled by the size of the Redwoods. Playing with the sled dogs of Denali. My list will probably change tomorrow.
As far as other really epic experiences—this summer, a friend of a friend pulled a permit to raft the Green River through the Gates of Lodore in Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado. I’ve done a few multi-day trips with my boyfriend (we have a raft, and a group of rafting friends), and the stunning beauty of the sheer red cliffs, the solitude and the good campsites made this one of—if not my absolute—favorite river trips.
What’s your biggest park fail? (Things like forgetting something or going to a park that won’t allow dogs, etc.)
We’ve been fairly lucky, all in all, and learned a lot from our mistakes. I wasn’t too aware of the park websites, which helped me navigate closures and scheduling in advance. We showed up at Ford’s Theatre without a reservation, and it was sold out so we couldn’t go on a tour (we also showed up the weekend of the anniversary of Lincoln’s assassination during the Cherry Blossom Festival, which didn’t help matters). Our first time to Mammoth Cave was sold out; when we went back (in the area for the Kentucky Derby), we made sure to have cave tour reservations.
Our biggest “fail” was our spring 2020 trip—we flew into Pensacola, FL, at the beginning of March with the goal of visiting parks in Louisiana, Arkansas and ending in Kansas City. It was the week COVID exploded—the parks were closing (rightfully so), the towns were shutting down. We made it to Gateway Arch the night before tours of the arch closed. We ended up calling the trip early and flew home. Thankfully, we remained safe and were able to see a few places, and have since successfully made it back to the sites we missed previously. I’ve also failed twice in trying to see Port Chicago—canceled tour, and visiting the area on a weekend where tours were not available. I will get there (sometime)!
See our Insider’s Guide to Recreation.gov for NPS reservations, permits and planning tips.
What would you consider your greatest park success, or greatest surprise?
Again, we’ve been lucky. We “accidentally” showed up at Appomattox NHP during the weekend of the 150th Anniversary of the signing of the surrender and stumbled into a HUGE reenactment of the event. We have some cool photos with Grant and Lee impersonators (complete with Traveller). One of the more special experiences was going to the Rosie the Riveter NHP and getting to meet some of the original Rosies (including a man who worked at the shipyard) and hear their stories first-hand.
Do you have any hidden gems you recommend?
This is a tough one. There are so many special sites, and so many unique stories to share. Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico is a really special park. Walking through the tuff caves and homes was a really cool otherworldly experience. At some of the historical sites, I personally don’t connect as closely with a lot of the “homes” or “buildings” sites, but I love hearing the stories of the people who lived there, and the history that occurred.
As far as homes, the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument in DC is really special. Before women gained the constitutional right to vote, the 19th Amendment needed ratification by 36 of the 48 states. The National Woman’s Party marked each ratification by sewing a star onto their suffrage banners used during White House protests. When we visited the site, they had a replica of a banner and were sewing stars on it as each state celebrated the 100th anniversary of ratification. But because the NPS staff there couldn’t or hadn’t sewn, they were about three stars behind. As an emergency veterinarian, I have lots of experience with “sewing” so they invited me to sew a star on the banner.
I was most surprised by how much I enjoy and appreciate a lot of the Civil War battlefields—I wouldn’t have previously considered myself a history buff, but the sheer magnitude of the amount of suffering the men endured in these beautiful and hallowed fields is sobering and demands respect. I cannot visit a battlefield without truly appreciating the sacrifices that have been made for our country. Chickamauga and Chattanooga Military Park (particularly Lookout Mountain) is beautiful, as is Gettysburg.
I am also involved with DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution), so seeing the sites associated with the War for Independence is always really fascinating. Last fall my mom and I spent a week in New England, and visited Boston NHP and Minute Man NHP (among many other sites). Seeing one of the surviving tents that George Washington stayed in, and walking the grounds at Yorktown was really enjoyable. My link to DAR was a prisoner-of-war guard near Valley Forge, and having gone to graduate school in Philadelphia, walking through the storied cobblestone streets around Independence Hall was always a nice break from studying.
Any tips on traveling with your mom?
Having the opportunity to travel to so many places with my mom has been a tremendous blessing. My mom worked in a factory in Pennsylvania her entire adult life, and these experiences were never available to her. Not only do we get to spend time together, but it gets us exploring places we wouldn’t otherwise go and learn about history, geology and culture which would otherwise not be available to us.
That being said, I’ve learned that there must be some concessions made. The big one is to change expectations. I used to think we had to do and see everything that a park site had to offer. This made our time in a few places very hurried, and we didn’t get to enjoy some parks as much as we would have liked because we had to rush out before they closed or get to another place. As my mom is getting older, her ability to “hurry” has become a little more difficult and she can’t do some of the more adventurous or physically demanding things that I once expected her to do. Being able to enjoy and appreciate what we can is really what matters.
A good example was our recent visit to Effigy Mounds NM. I think we both were interested in seeing the Marching Bear cluster of mounds but didn’t realize it was a 4-mile hike that started up a steep cliff. That was a “Hard no” for my mom. The ranger was kind enough to point us to Pikes Peak State Park which allowed us to see a Bear Mound next to a short paved trail, as well as a beautiful view of the Mississippi.
I also realize that if there is something that I really want to do, my mom does not mind if I do it. When we stayed at Oregon Caves NM, she wasn’t comfortable going into the caves so I went on the tour myself. In hindsight, the uneven footing and low headspace would have been very difficult for her. I do try to push her limits somewhat, like renting a headlamp and helmet at Lava Beds NM and helping her through the lava tube. But realizing that there are limitations to what we can do at certain sites and being flexible especially with my mom is important.
Also, I almost killed my mother on the walk (hike) at Fort Bowie NHS. The elevation and elevation gain was not a good idea. Thankfully the ranger was SO kind to drive us back to our car from the Visitor Center. It may have been the only time I/we needed rescue.
What are your five most important tips that you think about when you’re planning a trip?
Where (and when) can I get my passport stamp!! OK, maybe not the MOST important thing I think about, but . . .
I think having a plan about visiting a park is important. So I try to get an idea as to what I want to see or do at a site, and if there’s something I need to make reservations for I will often do that first and plan the rest of the trip around that. I look at what parks are nearby, how long it may take to get there, and if there are any other interesting “Roadside America” stops we want to make.
Unless we want to stay IN a park (ie: Yosemite or Oregon Caves), I often wait to book hotels the day of so I can drive until I’m tired and that allows us to spend more time in a place. We try to stay near a park so we can wake up in the morning and get on the road. I do my diligence to get the history of the park or people when I can. I do take the Visitor Center hours into account as well.
Do you ever travel with a pet? Any advice?
Since we fly most places, I leave the pets at home. The BARK Ranger program is a really neat perk to traveling with a pet, but the inability to take pets into certain places (and my desire to NOT leave a dog in the car) makes a lot of the sites we visit off-limits.
As an emergency veterinarian, I have lots of suggestions for pet-safe travel. Having a pet first-aid kit with you in the car, with PET SAFE medications, bandage material, emergency water, emergency leash and water bowl is ESSENTIAL. Looking ahead to know where local veterinary emergency rooms are if needed, and familiarize yourself with local venomous or poisonous flora and fauna.
Since summertime is the time we are visiting most parks, the biggest risk to pets is obviously heat stroke, which can happen even on cool days or with modest exercise. Elevation, humidity, obesity, underlying diseases and body conformation all can contribute to or worsen a pet’s response to heat stress. It doesn’t take long for a dog to overheat and become critically affected. If you’re questioning the heat, play it safe. Hike in the cool parts of the morning or late at night, carry lots of water, and avoid heat and humidity! And don’t leave your pet in the car!!
Any final words or tips for your fellow National Park lovers?
Just get out there. We get blinded by these big fancy national parks, and there’s so much else to see. The National Park Service sites take us to places we wouldn’t normally go. Incorporate them into your life. In 2021, I resolved to run for 20 minutes every day. I ran the 4-mile loop in Yosemite Valley. I ran in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. I ran through Selma, Alabama. I ran through Ventura, Calif., near Channel Islands National Park. If not for my national park “obsession” I would never have gone to Harry Truman’s house. I never thought I would visit Shiloh or Yorktown. These places teach us who we are and where we come from. Exploring what we have and what’s available to us opens our eyes to our history and also to the natural wonders of the U.S.
