10 Tips for Visiting all 63 National Parks (with Shellie Bailey-Shah from Kid Tripster)

What this episode covers

Visiting all 63 U.S. National Parks is a dream for many RV owners, but it’s no small feat. Between logistics, budgeting, and time constraints, planning visits to all the parks requires some serious strategy. In this episode of The RV Atlas, podcast, we interview Shellie Bailey-Shah, a seasoned traveler and founder of KidTripster, who has visited every single U.S. National Park. With years of experience RVing across the country, she shares practical tips for visiting all 63 National Parks—whether you want to visit them all in a few years or spread them out over a few decades. If you’ve ever wondered how to make a goal like this happen, listen to the podcast episode or read on for 10 expert tips that will help you efficiently and meaningfully explore America’s most iconic and cherished landscapes. This is part four of a four-part series on National Parks with Shellie--here are the first three podcasts in this series: 8 Great National Parks for Kids The 5 Most Underrated National Parks in America 13 National Parks You Can't Visit By RV 1. Establish a Realistic Goal photo provided by Shellie Bailey-Shah Seeing all 63 national parks is a huge undertaking, and for many, it may not be a feasible goal. Some of the most remote parks—like American Samoa National Park and Gates of the Arctic in Alaska—are incredibly difficult (and expensive) to reach. Shellie suggests setting a realistic goal that works for you: Visiting all the parks in the continental U.S. Completing the western parks or the Big Five in Utah Exploring a set number of parks each year By defining what success looks like before you start planning, you’ll avoid frustration and create an achievable bucket list. 2. Plan Park Visits Based on Your RV Size Many national parks have length restrictions for RVs, particularly for in-park campgrounds. If you currently own a smaller RV but plan to upgrade in the future, visit the size-restricted parks first. Shellie’s family followed this strategy by visiting length-restricted parks in their 31-foot RV before upgrading to a 38-foot RV. This allowed them to experience certain campgrounds that would not have been accessible later. Some parks with notable RV length restrictions include: Lassen Volcanic National Park, CA (35-foot limit in campgrounds) Zion National Park, UT (Tunnel restrictions for rigs over 11’4”) Glacier National Park, MT (Vehicle restrictions on Going-to-the-Sun Road) 3. Group National Parks Together for Efficient Travel Rather than making individual trips to parks spread across the country, maximize efficiency by visiting parks in geographically connected clusters. Some natural groupings include: Yellowstone & Grand Teton Utah’s Big Five: Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands Theodore Roosevelt, Badlands & Wind Cave Colorado’s Three Parks: Rocky Mountain, Mesa Verde, and Great Sand Dunes By bundling parks together, you reduce travel time, save money, and create more immersive trips. 4. Consider a Cross-Country Adventure For those committed to visiting many parks in a short period, a cross-country RV trip is a fantastic way to check off multiple destinations. Shellie has done two coast-to-coast trips, using different routes each time to maximize the number of parks visited. On one cross-country trip, her family hit 10 national parks, strategically planning stops to get the most out of their time on the road. If you have the time and flexibility, consider taking a long-haul RV trip that incorporates multiple parks, covering different regions of the country in one go.