‘Baby’, Me, Mav, HikerTrailer, Nat. ParkTour. Who’s In? -- 15,300 mile tour of National Park System w/ Maverick Towing Trailer

[Richie La.]

In 2025, my little kitty, Baby, and I embarked on a 15,300 mile tour of our National Park System. We were on the road for 65 days. Ambitious? Yes. Tiring? Yes, at times. Rewarding? Absolutely!!

2023 Maverick Lariat Hybrid pulling a Hiker ‘Highway Lite’ Trailer weighing in at 700 pounds. Like, if you would like to skip around the country with me and Baby. I will only post the most awe inspiring photos and only post one at a time, as my connection is dicey here at home.

I will start by posting a photo of a dry erase map I pinned on my wall, to rough out my clockwise trip. I hope there is some interest in this thread, as I just love The Park System. It is my bucket list adventure project. Currently, I have 48 National Parks proper, out of a possible 63.

I did visit some crazy, amazing, National Monuments and even ‘dropped down’ to some insane State Parks as well!

Hope you’ll come along with us! It would be my pleasure to provide insights and ideas for anyone asking. Might be fun, as just about every possible topic has been hashed over on this forum, Mav-Wise. I’m sure someone has done something similar along this theme also. BUT, no two trips are alike and being a hobby photographer, I might be able to show you some things you’ve never seen before.

The National Park System is indeed the jewel of our nation. The most bizarre and beautiful scenery this country has, has been preserved for our viewing pleasure. That said, so many people I speak to, ‘want’ to do what my ‘partner’ and I did. But due to circumstances or constraints, never will. There were many extraordinary encounters with numerous folks along the way that are mine, that I really cannot do justice to, by sharing. So I will leave those alone. But the best photos I took along the way are yours to enjoy!!! Hope you’ll come along. As long as there is interest, I will keep posting pics, including the place they were taken. I will post randomly, not chronologically, as the ‘eye poppers’ are mostly all west of the Mississippi. If I start out too slow, this thread might frazzle before it truly begins!

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[Maverick123]

Sounds like a great adventure! But am I reading this right, you did it with a cat?

 

[BK007]

 

[Richie La.]

Oh yeah! And she was the ‘Star’ of the trip!!!

 

[Cancunbadlands]

Where the pics are

 

[Richie La.]

I am just going to dribble them in, if I see interest.

 

[Richie La.]

To jump start this right, here is my ‘Baby’ at Old Faithful, in Yellowstone!!

 

[inline_five]

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[Richie La.]

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‘Baby’ checking out the Rio Grande River in Big
Bend National Park, Santa Elena Canyon.

 

[Richie La.]

Sounds like a great adventure! But am I reading this right, you did it with a cat?

She is a ‘strapping’ 7 pounds!!! Hence her name!

 

[Richie La.]

There she is as we are getting ready to set out on our trip.

 

[Richie La.]

Hiker ‘Highway Lite’ and Mav in Big Bend National Park. 100 degree highs both days. Nights got very comfortable though.

 

[Redline]

Don't let her behind the wheel. Cats are notoriously bad drivers.

 

[Richie La.]

I didn’t let her drive (on this trip anyway), but she sometimes walks on the dash. The ‘self driving’ on the Lariat comes in handy until I can get her down! Mostly though, she was content to ride safely in her bubble backpack, which I have set up high in the seat so she could scan the road ahead. I have jerry-rigged a system to include her seatbelt, to maximize her safety!!

 

[LisaS]

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