62 down – one to go! Grandson takes his 92-year-old grandmother on a tour of 62 national parks in the United States after learning she had never seen a mountain in person: The couple intends to make their final visit to American Samoa National Park this year.
Since 2015, Brad Ryan has accompanied his 92-year-old grandma Joy to 62 of America’s 63 National Parks.
Joy revealed in 2015 that she had never seen a mountain in person, which stunned Brad.
They have visited scenic locations such as New River Gorge Park and Joshua Tree National Park.
Both claim that the experience has been extraordinary and has helped them to enhance their relationship and friendship.
Grandmother and grandson are about to complete a’magical’ seven-year mission to visit all 63 national parks in the United States, which has brought them closer together.
This year, Brad Ryan, from Washington, DC, and his 92-year-old grandmother, Joy, from Duncan Falls, Ohio, will visit the National Park of American Samoa to conclude their long road trip.
Joy revealed to her grandson in 2015 that she had never seen a mountain range in person or gone camping in her lifetime. Thus, their feat began in 2015.
According to CBS News, Brad, who was a veterinary student at the time, told her about his journey on the Appalachian Trail, and she wished she had done something similar.
Astonished by his nature-loving grandmother’s admission, Brad vowed to rectify that and invited her on a road trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Since then, according to the Washington Post, they have continued their epic travels by traveling about 50,000 miles on the open road and visiting 62 of America’s 63 national parks.
Brad Ryan, from Washington, DC, and his 92-year-old grandmother Joy, from Duncan Falls, Ohio, have visited 62 of the United States’ 63 national parks.
HOCKING HILLS STATE PARK: Along with National Parks, the pair has also visited state parks and enjoys going on adventures throughout the United States.
Their life-altering experience included mountain climbing, white-water rafting, and sleeping under the stars in breathtaking settings such as Joshua Tree National Park in Colorado.
In the meantime, probably most astonishingly for both of them, they have become ‘best friends’ after reuniting and reinforcing the link they lost when they did not talk for ten years – during Brad’s parents’ divorce.
Brad has been more resilient as a result of Joy’s assistance during his mental health difficulties prior to their first vacation together in 2015.
And Brad could not be more appreciative of the experiences he has shared with his grandma, calling the task as “wonderful” when traveling throughout the United States and meeting new people.
Joy has stated that their car travels have been “beyond anything” she could have dreamed in her lifetime.
The 92-year-old has been astounded by what they have seen along the journey, stating that they have been fortunate to see and experience things that others may never see in their lifetimes.
Joy and Brad have logged more than 50,000 miles on their epic seven-year road adventure across America’s national parks.
The WRANGELL-ST ELIAS NATIONAL PARK is a national park. The experience has rebuilt their relationship after they stopped speaking for ten years during Brad’s undergraduate years, during his parents’ divorce.
As they went on the epic road trip, they feel tremendously lucky to have shared some of their life stories with each other.
As Brad liked the first trip they took together, which he paid for, he set up a GoFundMe campaign that raised $12,000, allowing them to take a road trip to 21 national parks in the summer of 2017.
He also invested some of his personal cash in the trip, and both of them were frugal with their funds and determined to see as much as possible.
As their enthusiasm for adventure grew, they visited even more locations, including Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio and Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.
Brad wanted to share their happiness with relatives and friends, so he began using social media in 2019 to capture the process.
Their enthusiasm was contagious, and the news of their road trip quickly gained international attention.
As a result, offers from businesses and travel agents helped them pay their adventures.
After Brad began sharing their journey on social media, sponsors contacted out to fund their excursions to PINNACLES NATIONAL PARK.
Joy has stated that the generosity of private donors and individuals willing to host them during the road journey has been astounding.
DENALI NATIONAL PARK: Despite being 92 years old, Joy pushes herself whenever she can and has participated in sports such as white-water rafting.
They are able to continue sponsoring their journeys and finding accommodations due to the affection and generosity of private contributors and the assistance of other individuals.
Joy remarked on the joy the adventure has afforded them both, adding that she believes their story has inspired others to live their lives to the fullest by demonstrating what is possible.
Regardless of the duration of their adventures, whether they last 45 or 5 days, Joy is always determined to challenge herself physically.
In September of 2019, during one of their lengthier journeys, they visited 20 national parks in 14 states.
They have always planned the travels in advance, with Brad taking vacation days or being between jobs on one occasion.
The 92-year-old Joy, who worked in a grocery store near her house until she was in her early 80s, never lets her age stop her from trying new things.
EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK: Their final destination, American Samoa National Park, will be bittersweet, according to their description.
She praised her grandson, saying that he will always make her feel safe and comfortable when they go on trips together.
Joy stated that her grandson is a kind and affectionate young man who makes her heart sing.
National parks do not mark the end of the adventures. In addition to visiting Washington, D.C. in March to view the blossoms, the duo always finds time to visit other intriguing locations across the United States while they are not touring National Parks.
When their National Parks journey concludes, they will be in the National Park of American Samoa.
This will be both an incredible and bittersweet experience for them both, but they will not stop traveling.
Instead, they will explore the state parks of the United States and possibly other regions of the world.
Brad’s mission to bring some excitement into his grandmother’s life has brought him much satisfaction and peace.
He is pleased that he was able to assist her in experiencing new things, noting that she earned them.
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK: Brad expressed gratitude that he has been able to infuse his grandmother’s life with adventure and take her to so many great sites across America.
Grandmother and grandson have visited 62 of the 63 national parks in the United States in just seven years.
ALASKA
Denali National Park
The Arctic National Park at the Gates
Glacier Bay National Monument
Katmai National Park
Kenai Fjords National Park is located in Alaska.
National park of Kobuk Valley
National Park near Lake Clark
ARIZONA
National Park Service – Grand Canyon
National Park Petrified Forest
National Park of the Saguaro Cactuses
ARKANSAS
National Park for Hot Springs
CALIFORNIA
Channel Islands National Recreation Area
National Park of Death Valley
Joshua Tree National Monument
Lassen National Volcanic Park
National Park of Pinnacles
National Redwood Forest Park
National Sequoia Park
The national park Yosemite
COLORADO
National Park of the Gunnison Black Canyon
National Park with Sand Dunes
Mesa Verde National Park
Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park
FLORIDA
Florida’s Biscayne National Park
Dry Tortugas National Monument
National Park Everglades
HAWAII
Haleakalā National Park
KENTUCKY
The national park known as Mammoth Cave
INDIANA
Indiana Dunes National Park
MAINE
National Acadia Park
MICHIGAN
National Park of the Isle Royale
MINNESOTA
This is Voyageurs National Park
MISSOURI
National Park Gateway Arch
MONTANA
National Park Including Glacier
NEVADA
National Park, Great Basin
NEW MEXICO
National Park of Carlsbad Cavities
White Sands National Monument
NORTH DAKOTA
National Theodore Roosevelt Park
NORTH CAROLINA
The Great Smokies National Park
OHIO
National Park of the Cuyahoga Valley.
OREGON
National Park Crater Lake
SAINT CAROLINE
Congaree State Park
SOUTH DAKOTA
National Park encompassing the Badlands
Wind Cave State Park
TEXAS
National Park of Big Bend
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
UTAH
Arches National Monument
National Park Bruce Canyon
National park encompassing the Canyonlands
Congressional Reef National Park
National Park Zion
VIRGIN ISLANDS
Park of the Virgin Islands
VIRGINIA
Shenandoah National Park is a national park in Virginia.
WASHINGTON
National Park Mount Rainier
The national park for the North Cascades.
Olympic National Monument
WEST VIRGINIA
National Park of New River Gorge
WYOMING
Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park
Wyoming’s Yellowstone National Park