Thank you 2022 + HNY 2023!

I am so fortunate to be alive and out and about adventuring and healing in nature! 2022 was an awesome year and I was fortunate to explore in many new beautiful places, and also revisit some old favorites.

My realistic National Park Service Unit annual goal for 2022 was to visit 30-40 Units and to focus on Healing in Nature, both mentally and physically. My hardcore cancer battle was behind me, but I was still in bi-weekly physical therapy appointments … struggling to move through my lymphodema to reduce my swelling and improve my mobility. Even though I am officially “cancer-free,” my body and my mind are still healing from the trauma. I also balanced this by the reality check that I have 3 kids, a husband, 2 dogs (Rosie, our Pompoo and Matisse, our part-time pup aka the Velcro Visla), a very close family full of many daily calls and many mandatory events, plus a very busy life.

As I entered 2022, I thought this all was a crazy dream. Then in July, I pushed over the 40 Units mark and started working my way upwards. In August, I hit the 60 Unit mark. I am excited to report that I ended the year exploring at 68 Units, making for a total of 126 Units to date in my goal to explore at all 420+ NPS Units.

NEW National Parks =

  1. Saguaro National Park in Arizona in January

  2. Everglades National Park in Florida in March

  3. Biscayne National Park in Florida in March

  4. Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky in April

  5. Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina in April

  6. Pinnacles National Park in California in May

  7. Sequoia National Park in California in May

  8. Kings Canyon National Park in California in May

  9. Yosemite National Park in California in May

  10. Badlands National Park in South Dakota in June

  11. Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota in June

  12. Lassen Volcanic National Park in California in August ✅ We made it on our second attempt! Our first was in May 2022 … it was way too snowy and cold for us 12 miles out of park, so we turned around to attempt another day.

Revisit/Stamp =

  1. Redwood National Park in California in May

  2. Mount Rainer National Park in Washington in July

  3. North Cascades National Park in Washington in July

NEW NPS Units =

  1. Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument in Arizona in January

  2. Wupatki National Monument in Arizona in January

  3. Walnut Canyon National Monument in Arizona in January

  4. Tuzigoot National Monument in Arizona in January

  5. Lewis and Clark National Historical Park in Oregon in February

  6. Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area in California in February

  7. De Soto National Memorial in Florida in March

  8. Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida in March

  9. Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park in Kentucky in April

  10. Appalachian National Scenic Trail in Tennessee in April

  11. Castle Clinton National Memorial in New York in April

  12. General Grant National Memorial in New York in April

  13. Saint Paul’s Church National Historical Site in New York in April

  14. Hamilton Grange National Memorial in New York in April

  15. Theodore Roosevelt’s Birthplace National Historical Site in New York in April

  16. Stonewall National Monument in New York in April

  17. African Burial Ground iNational Monument n New York in April

  18. Manzanar National Historic Site in May

  19. Cesar Chavez National Memorial in May

  20. Little Bighorn Battlefield National Historical Site in Montana in June

  21. Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming in June

  22. Minuteman Missile National Historical Site in South Dakota in June

  23. Mount Rushmore in South Dakota in June

  24. Jewel Cave National Memorial in South Dakota in June

  25. Fort Laramie National Historical Site in Wyoming in June (MY 100th NPS Unit!!!)

  26. Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area in Montana in June

  27. Minidoka National Historic Site in Washington in July

  28. Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve in Washington in July

  29. Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park in Washington in July

  30. Ross Lake National Recreation Area in Washington in August

  31. Lake Chelan National Recreation Area in Washington in August

  32. Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area in Washington in August

  33. Manhattan Project National Historical Park-Hanford Unit in Washington in August

  34. Tule Lake National Memorial in California in August

  35. Lava Beds National Memorial in California in August

  36. Whiskeytown National Recreation Area in California in August

  37. Devils Postpile National Monument in California in August

  38. Cabrillo National Monument in California in August

  39. John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in Oregon in September

  40. Boston African American National Historical Site in Massachusetts in September

  41. Boston Harbor National Recreation Area in Massachusetts in September

  42. Saugus Iron Works National Historical Site in Massachusetts in September

  43. Salem Maritime National Historical Site in Massachusetts in September

  44. Longfellow House Washington’s Headquarters National Historical Site in Massachusetts in September

  45. Adams National Historical Park in Massachusetts in September

  46. John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historical Site in Massachusetts in October

  47. Minute Man National Historical Site in Massachusetts in October

  48. Fort Point National Historic Site in California in November

Revisit for Stamp =

  1. Montezuma Castle National Monument in Arizona in January

  2. Statue of Liberty (and Ellis Island) in New York in April

  3. Federal Hall National Memorial in New York in April

  4. Governor’s Island National Monument in New York (Stamp only) in April

  5. Boston National Historical Site in September

Realized I already visited!

  1. Nez Perce National Historical Park @ Chief Joseph Grave in Joseph, Oregon in 2021

  2. Denali National Preserve in Alaska (109 … I just discovered that the Preserve is considered another official NPS Unit on its own, so that’s fun news!)

  3. Wrangell-St. Elias National Preserve in Alaska (110 … I just discovered that the Preserve is considered another official NPS Unit on its own, so that’s more fun news!)

My 2022 NPS Unit Totals are as follows:

NEW = 60

REVISITED = 5

PREVIOUSLY VISITED = 3

TOTAL UNITS YTD: 68

STAMP REQUESTS: Sent self addressed envelopes with photographic proof for Stamps AND GOT THE OFFICIAL NPS STAMP! Thank you to:

  1. Pearl Harbor National Memorial

  2. Castillo De San Marcos National Monument

  3. Nez Perce National Historical Park

  4. New River Gorge National Park

  5. Bryce Canyon National Park

  6. Capitol Reef National Park

  7. Kenai Fjords National Park

  8. Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Preserve

  9. Joshua Tree National Park

  10. Arches National Park

  11. Denali National Park and Preserve

  12. Haleakala National Park

  13. Olympic National Park

  14. Manhattan Project Hanford Unit

And my Sister scored me my official stamp from Independence Hall National Historic Park during her visit in December for the Army/Navy football game.

Adventures that I had planned but got sidelined =

  1. Indiana Dunes National Park in June … too much day drinking with James in Chicago to make the timing work.

  2. Pullman National Monument in June … too busy touring Chicago with Ryder after too much day drinking with James in Chicago.

  3. Mississippi National River and Recreation Area in June … but got COVID from my trip to Chicago and could not travel.

  4. Voyageurs National Park in June … another victim of COVID and could not travel. And now I’m planning on going in September 2023!

  5. Cape Cod National Seashore … due to Hurricane Ian in October

  6. Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site … due to Hurricane Ian!

  7. Lowell National Historic Park … due to Hurricane Ian!

  8. New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park … due to Hurricane Ian!

  9. Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial. I had two official dates where I was all cleared by the military to tour the active military base … but for 11/4 my friend Paola was sick and could not fly and then on 12/22 Portland got hit by an Arctic Blast and opted not to travel as we were predicted to got iced in … which is what precisely happened.

  10. Rosie the Riveter National Historic Park … due to above related travel issues and weather.

  11. John MuirNational Historic Site … due to above related travel issues and weather.

  12. Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site … due to above related travel issues and weather.

And a few fun facts for 2022:

This year, I visited the first established National Monument at Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming AND I visited America's First National Historic Site at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site. Firsts for me too, indeed!

For next year, my journey is going to take a wee bit of a different path. Along with my passion for Adventures in Nature at NPS Units, I also want to see the world. A friend invited me to explore Antartica with her, so I’ll be there in January, along with stops in Argentina and Chile. Then my COVID cancelled “Girls Trip” to Argentina is back on in February along with an adventure to Montevideo, Uruguay to visit one of Anthony Bourdain’s favorite cities. March will take the family to Portugal for Spring Break. Then to The Netherlands and Greece for Ryder’s college graduation adventure …. which is two countries as we were not able to travel for Mak’s graduation. And then finally my 50th birthday trip to Peru … just two years later!

I feel super lucky to be able to experience all of this travel and I am very excited to welcome 2023 into my life! I am forever thankful to my team at Legacy Health for making these dreams of mine a reality. Science is indeed magic!!!

Dana Bach Johnson