Husband and wife quit jobs, devote year to touring national parks
A Missouri couple that quit their jobs to visit all 59 major national parks in one year is in Washington this week during a sweeping journey of the country.
Their odyssey is getting media notice as the National Park Service celebrates its centennial this year.
In this state, they are planning to visit their 40th, 41st and 42nd destinations by visiting Mount Rainier, North Cascades and Olympic national parks.
Cole and Elizabeth Donelson started planning for their adventure approximately two years ago, according to a KING-TV report.
They saved $30,000, quit their jobs in Kansas City and embarked on their adventure in August. The couple is about nine months into the trip.
The other goal of the trip is to inspire more millennials to get out and see the natural wonders of the country, Elizabeth said.
They’ve become seasoned campers. “About six out of seven nights a week, rain or shine, you can find us cozied up inside our Alps Zephyr 2,” says their blog.
The scariest moment in their tour so far, Elizabeth said, was running out of water in August while hiking in their first park – Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado.
The worst national park bathrooms so far? “There were a lot of bad ones,” she chuckled. But they agreed worst they’ve encountered was in Haleakala National Park, Hawaii.
But overall, they are very upbeat on what they’ve seen.
For example, despite the sour vault toilet at Haleakala, they rank the campground on Maui’s volcano crater park as one of their favorites so far.
They’re ranking their top national park campsites on six criteria: Cheap, scenic, cozy and private, basic amenities, uncrowded and quiet, close proximity to activities.
Others topping the list so far include The Dunefield at Great Sand Dunes, Murphy Point at Canyonlands, Johnson Lake at Great Basin, and inside the crater at Haleakala.
The Donelsons plan to peg their top 10 park campsites at the end of their trip.
Meantime, they’re tapping into sponsors and blogging about the experience on their website, switchbackkids.com.