We’re getting close to Christmas, which means it’s time to start trying to find the perfect gift for the people on your list. As an avid national park lover, I knew that we could make the ultimate gift guide for national park lovers. If you have someone in your life who loves the US National Parks or even the outdoors in general and would like to spend more time in our national parks, then there’s something on this list they would LOVE! Also, the price I have listed is the sticker price, but the links may have them on sale for cheaper.
An Annual National Park Pass ($80)
An Annual National Park Pass, also called the America The Beautiful Pass is probably the ultimate gift for national park lovers because it grants you access to all 63 national parks in addition to multiple national monuments and historical sites. These are only $80 and will more than pay for themselves if the national park lover in your life truly is going to hit the ground running… or hiking.
This National Parks Journal That I Personally Authored ($16)
I had the privilege of authoring this beautiful journal for planning and recording adventures in the 63 U.S. National Parks. I’ve added fun facts, must-sees and more! This feels like the perfect marriage of quick info on the parks and space to curate your own memories in one spot.
This 100 Parks 5,000 Ideas Book ($30)
I love this book. It’s beautifully put together and has so many fun ideas for things to do in our National Parks and beyond!
This Bucket List Water Bottle ($55)
There are a few different versions of this going around, but I love the design of this particular water bottle. I love the colors used in the designs. Every national-park-goer needs a good water bottle for hitting the trails, and this reusable one is a bucket list and is practical all in one go!
This Tracker Map with Little Trees ($95)
This is on my own personal wishlist as a national park lover. I love things that help me track my travels and visual reminders of how far I’ve come and inspiration to keep going, so this wooden national park tracker map is just perfect! I love the earthy colors and fun design of this too!
Or a Scratch Off Bucket List of the Parks ($20)
This scratch-off poster is a really fun and more interactive option for tracking your progress in visiting the US National Parks. It’s also a much more budget-friendly option! Plus, the satisfaction of scratching a park off this poster is 10/10.
National Park Puzzle ($30)
I’m a huge fan of puzzling! It’s so calming and something interactive and hands-on to do while also still leaving enough brain capacity to talk and hang out. This national park puzzle is on my personal wish list too. I think it’ll be so fun to work on in the cool winter evenings.
Nature Meditation Deck ($20)
This is another pull from my own National Park wishlist. These are meditation cards with simple prompts to help encourage mindfulness and meditations while out in nature. I can’t wait to get these to practice as a family!
National Park Stickers ($4)
If the national park lover in your family/friend group is anything like me, they love stickers. I put them on my car, my laptop, my nalgene water bottles and other cups. My favorite brand for purchasing stickers is Keep Nature Wild. Their designs are so fun and I have them plastered all over the place.
A Gas Gift Card
Most national park trips go hand-in-hand with road tripping. So, a gas gift card is always welcome to help fund an adventure to/from our national parks and beyond.
Outdoor Gear Your National Park Lover Would Love!
These are all products that we personally use or have used on our national park adventures over the years. We have lots of experience in the outdoors, thousands of hiking miles taken over the last decade alone and we put our gear to the test. If the national park lover in your life is looking for new gear, or a gear update, these are things we know will be loved.
FOOTWEAR: Teva Sandals ($75) are a seasonal must for me. I love to have them for hiking in the summer, for spending time near water and even just around a campground. Merrell Hiking Boots ($120) are Matt’s and my go-to for hiking boots. I’ve tried a lot of different shoes hiking and I personally love having the midboot ankle support as a clumsy hiker who rolls her ankle all the time. These Merrell Hiking Socks ($15 for 4pack). Hot take, I like the blend better than wool and Matt does too. The wool actually gave him blisters and switched to these and came out unscathed!
A BACKPACK: There are all kinds of options for backpacks depending on what kind of adventure is being had. I love my Osprey Daylight ($65) for day hikes. If I’m just going out for a 10-mile or less day of hiking, this is perfect because it holds enough water for me, has space for some snacks and my personal items. If I’m doing a more substantial day hike or even a weekend backpacking trip, I love my Deuter 28 Liter Pack ($150) I recently got. I also really love this Hipbelt Pocket ($15) I got from REI to add a little extra storage right on my hip for things I need or want to easily access while hiking.
OTHER ITEMS I PACK IN MY DAYPACK: Trekking poles ($40) are great for people doing longer hikes or anyone looking for a little extra help with balance and oomph to get them up and down trails. I’m a huge fan of these wide mouth Nalgene bottles ($17). I like the wide mouth because they’re so much easier to clean than the narrow mouth. In shoulder seasons I try to always have a fleece with me and I’m obsessed with my Columbia Fleece Jacket ($40). This fold up chair ($90) that’s pack-friendly to rest on longer hikes or even shorter ones that you want to just sit and take in the view.
HIKING TECHY ITEMS: I have an Apple watch ($250) and I love it because I love tracking my stats. I’ve had one for 5 years now and I’ll always have some sort of smart watch. A Garmin InReach Mini ($300) is a great gift for hikers. It’s a satellite communicator for emergency situations. You can choose what plan works best for you (month to month or annual, plus there are different tiers. It gives me so much peace of mind to know that help is a button away if I get hurt, lost or anything else on trails. This power bank is a game-changer for long days of hiking. There are different sized ones depending on what all you might need to charge on the trails. Airpods are another great gift for hikers. I really like Airpods, specifically, because I only have one in at a time for safety and the other one is charging in the case and I feel the case has decent battery life and takes very little time to charge.
If Your National Park Lover is a Parent of Little Kids
Having 2 toddlers has not diminished our love for the national parks or slowed down our adventures. Our kids have been to 13 and 12 national parks at the ages of 3 and 1. So, we know how to adventure with little ones.
If the parent is carrying littles, we cannot recommend the Deuter Kid Comfort ($320) enough. We both love it so much that we own two. Charleigh is finally too tall for it and is such a little badass while hiking that she’s doing up to almost 6 miles at a time – seriously, she’s a beast. But if you want to read more about why we love it, check out our full, unsponsored review here.
Hopefully, this gift guide for national park lovers gives you some unique ideas that are practical, fun and will be so loved and appreciated this holiday season!
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