America’s parks at your fingertips.

ParkQuest is your one-stop shop for U.S. national park resources. Having personally visited all 63 national parks himself, Ken Crane shares firsthand expertise and insight through informative travel guides, descriptive trip stories and stunning original photography garnered over 5 years of immersive park experiences, all with the hope of inspiring your very own quest into America’s greatest landmarks.

Ken’s Story

It was too big for me to ever consider it a real goal. I never expected to attempt something so extravagant. Personally visit and photograph all 63 National Parks? Are you crazy? That’s 30 states and 2 territories—one of which is halfway across the world. A hundred separate flights maybe. Easily 10,000 miles. That’s too audacious—not to mention expensive. I was happy to just visit the nearby big-name parks and call it good . . . but this thought kept nagging me and, well, over time it just sorta happened. One park at a time, reaching further and further from home. Rocky Mountain became Zion became Rainier became Everglades became Denali became American Samoa. Momentum just kept building.

I remember hitting a critical point in my travels when I first thought this crazy idea might actually be doable. It was after Kings Canyon, my 43rd park, that I stopped referring to my visits to the parks as a “journey” and started calling them a “quest”. That’s when I knew I was serious about it. By definition, a quest implies a goal. It speaks of direction and commitment, whereas a journey is a bit more passive and ambiguous. So my intentions betrayed me. And that gave me all the drive I needed to lock in. Because if I made it this far along, I knew I could see it through. From this point on, it wasn’t a question of turning back. Just a matter of how long would it take.

I guess you could say my park quest started back in 1996. At only 3 years old, I visited Yellowstone for the first time with my family. I remember kicking pine cones along the trail and riding in my car seat through herds of buffalo (or “lallos” as I called them). I probably wasn’t aware of it then, but that trip set a trajectory of nature and exploration in my life. Born and raised in Colorado, I grew up blessed with easy access to adventures in nearby national parks, like Arches National Park, Great Sand Dunes National Park and of course Rocky Mountain National Park, fueling my imagination for the outdoors.

My first real park experience, however, happened back in 2019 with a trip to Joshua Tree National Park. I don’t think I had any idea what I was in for because what happened on that trip has left me hungry for more ever since. On a whim, I decided to wake up at 4 a.m. to drive an hour into the desert for sunrise at Cholla Cactus Garden. The best part was the moment the sun appeared. It still gives me goosebumps thinking about it: golden light streaming over the mountains igniting every single cactus needle like sparklers at a wedding. The sight was completely otherworldly. I felt humbled to witness such remote, rare beauty, which of course ruined me from then on. I suddenly had an itch to replicate magical moments like this across the country and share them with others. I kept thinking, if I just happened to stumble upon this, what other hidden gems am I missing? Fast forward 6 years and 62 parks later, I’m returning from American Samoa National Park, my final park on the roster just as giddy as ever to keep exploring the rare beauty of this country.

Sometimes I still can’t believe it. I have to remind myself that I have personally photographed every national park in America. To be atop a summit like this looking back on all the ground covered is quite humbling. To think of all the friends and family who sacrificed to help make this happen. As I remember hikes, measured not just in miles but conversations, I see relationships deepened from exploring the world together. All the meals shared over campfires or long car rides through the American countryside—it leaves me utterly grateful. And that’s my desire for you. Through ParkQuest, I want to help you create your own awe-inspiring moments and life-changing adventures. I want you to share in the delight for our beautiful country, and discover new and better experiences, one park at a time.

See you on the trails,