Not many people can say they've visited every national park in the United States.
But two people who are members of that exclusive club are right here in Pocatello.
Shane Hunt, the dean of the College of Business at Idaho State University, and his daughter Sarah recently completed their national park odyssey.
Shane came up with the idea to visit every national park with his daughter after taking his oldest child, Andrew, to every Major League Baseball stadium, which took them nine years to complete. Shane said he was unsure of what adventure he and his youngest, Sarah, could embark on until the family went to Grand Canyon National Park and fell in love with the outdoors.
"Our daughter Sarah is five years younger than Andrew. I wanted she and I to have a father-daughter adventure, too," Shane said. "Sarah was not (and) is not a baseball fan, so we didn't know what it would be. In the summer of 2011, we decided to drive across the country to take the kids to the Grand Canyon."
Shane continued, "At first, I was resistant. We took the train to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. I think it's just going to be like a big hole in the earth and it's going to be boring. Well, when you go, it's one of the most breathtaking sights I have ever seen."
It was two years after their Grand Canyon trip that Shane and Sarah, age 6 at the time, really ramped up their national park visits.
In looking back at the 63 national parks they visited between 2011 and 2024, Shane recalls the bond he formed with his daughter and the unforgettable memories they experienced together.
"I'm an only child. When Sarah was born, being the father of a daughter was new, but being Sarah's dad was the best thing that happened to me in my adult life," Shane said. "Getting to spend time on trains, on planes, in boats, and just talk about life and the future and all the things that she wants to accomplish and to always be able to let her know how much I love her."
A journey that began at the Grand Canyon in 2011 came to an end last month when Shane and Sarah visited their final park, Kobuk Valley National Park in Alaska, to complete their 13-year adventure together.
Shane said he'll always remember highlights from their journey such as seeing a herd of bison in Yellowstone National Park, exploring caves, and watching whales in Alaska.
One of their favorite places was Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska.
The park sits at the edge of the Kenai Peninsula, where there are nearly 40 glaciers.
It has some of the most breathtaking and unique views and wilderness in the United States. The park's 569,000 acres make it a fantastic place to visit.
"When we went to Kenai Fjords National Park last year, it was the first time we had ever seen whales," Shane said. "To see the size of the whales, to see them feeding, and to see glaciers that went on for miles and miles, it was breathtaking."
For Sarah, she said the national parks in Alaska were her favorites.
"Kenai Fjords was terrific. I've never seen water that blue, "she said. "It was just untouched and so pristine and beautiful."
Sarah, who has always been a city girl and was scared to ride the trains at the Grand Canyon back in 2011, embraced the challenge of visiting every national park in the United States with her dad.
"I think that this type of journey is something that does create such a great (and) strong bond," she said, "because it's not as simple as getting on a plane (and) going somewhere for a few hours. It's something that takes so much planning and thought and discussion. The adventures we've had to try to get to these national parks, getting on the boats and the trains, the planes and everything, but I was always down for everything. I love traveling. We both just decided that it would be such a special bond and it surely has been."
Sarah, now age 17, is heading to Arizona State University later this month to begin her college education and believes this journey with her dad has had a significant impact on her life.
"This journey just made me a lot more well-rounded," Sarah said. "I'm moving to Phoenix for college and I have so much more experience and love for nature and the world. I have seen so much of the world because of this trip."
Shane and Sarah were both skeptical about this adventure 13 years ago when it started, but after the journey was over and the two of them had seen unforgettable things.
From the Grand Canyon, where it all started, to the Kobuk Valley National Park, where it ended, Shane and Sarah have created unforgettable memories and a solid father-daughter bond that they will cherish for the rest of their lives.
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