Journey of a lifetime: 3-year-old Texas girl becomes youngest person to visit all 63 US national parks
FOX Weather first brought you the story of Journey and her parents, Eric and Valerie, in 2022, who at that time had already been to 46 national parks – well on their way to completing the ambitious mission.
3-year-old girl visits all 63 National Parks
A 3-year-old girl is gaining attention for her journeys through all the country's National Parks.
It’s been the journey of a lifetime for Journey Castillo, who at just 3 years old has the honor of being recognized as the youngest person to visit all 63 U.S. national parks.
FOX Weather first brought you the story of Journey and her parents, Eric and Valerie, in 2022. At that time, the family had already been to 46 national parks – well on their way to completing the ambitious mission.
GO JOURNEY, GO: TEXAS TODDLER ON QUEST TO EXPLORE ALL OF AMERICA'S NATURAL WONDERS
![Journey Castillo inside Rocky Mountain National Park.]()
Image 1 of 16Journey Castillo inside Rocky Mountain National Park. (Journey_Castillo/Instagram)
![Journey Castillo inside Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.]()
Image 2 of 16Journey Castillo inside Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. (Journey_Castillo/Instagram)
![Journey Castillo at the summit of Haleakala National Park.]()
Image 3 of 16Journey Castillo at the summit of Haleakala National Park. (Journey_Castillo/Instagram)
![Journey Castillo inside National Park of American Samoa.]()
Image 4 of 16Journey Castillo inside National Park of American Samoa. (Journey_Castillo/Instagram)
![Journey Castillo inside Lake Clark National Park & Preserve.]()
Image 5 of 16Journey Castillo inside Lake Clark National Park & Preserve. (Journey_Castillo/Instagram)
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Image 6 of 16Journey visits with a park ranger at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park in Texas. The Castillo family said it takes courage to grow up and take a stand to protect and serve our country's nature. (Eric & Valerie Castillo)
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Image 7 of 16The Castillos are encouraging everyone, if they get the opportunity, to visit a National Park. They say the experience is therapeutic and spiritual. (Eric & Valerie Castillo)
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Image 8 of 16Journey Castillo loves to explore the outdoors. The 2-year-old San Antonio, Texas, girl is on a mission to explore all 63 U.S. National Parks. Along the way, she encourages kids and families everywhere to enjoy the great outdoors. As of November, she has visited 46 National Parks. (Eric & Valerie Castillo)
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Image 9 of 16Journey looks out over Bryce Canyon National Park, a sprawling reserve in southern Utah. It's known for crimson-colored hoodoos, which are spire-shaped rock formations. (Eric & Valerie Castillo)
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Image 10 of 16Journey has climbed Manitou Incline, hiked the Vortexes in Sedona and visited Maroon Bells. Here she stands along the river in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state. (Eric & Valerie Castillo)
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Image 11 of 16Journey battles the wind and snow at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in southern Colorado. (Eric & Valerie Castillo)
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Image 12 of 16Journey stands at Death Valley National Park, which straddles eastern California and Nevada. (Eric & Valerie Castillo)
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Image 13 of 16Journey enjoys the falling snow at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in western Colorado. (Eric & Valerie Castillo)
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Image 14 of 16Journey sits under General Sherman, the likely largest tree in the world, in Sequoia Park in California's southern Sierra Nevada mountains. (Eric & Valerie Castillo)
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Image 15 of 16Journey's parents are active people and enjoy hiking miles and miles of trails. Days after she was born, Journey joined them at Pikes Peak and Rocky Mountain National Park. (Eric & Valerie Castillo)
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Image 16 of 16Eric and Valerie Castillo and their daughter, Journey�, visit Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state. The couple said it's not easy traveling with a child, but Journey inspires them to explore the places that make them feel alive. (Eric & Valerie Castillo)
Just days after Journey was born, she joined her parents on a hike at Pikes Peak inside the Pike National Forest in Colorado.
From there, the need to explore the incredible beauty within the national parks grew and there was no time to waste.
"We took her to Yosemite National Park when she was about 6 months old and saw this majestic waterfall, and it was a beautiful experience," Valerie Castillo said.
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A beautiful experience that looked much different the next time they visited.
"We decided to take her again about six months later, and that waterfall had dried up," Valerie Castillo said. "That’s when we realized that these places are not promised, and they’re not amusement parks. They’re not going to be around for, you know, the next 10 years. They may be in a different state in the next five years."
That’s when the decision was made to get out there and see the rest of the national parks before they changed forever. Her parents asked people to follow along on their daughter's epic quest on their website, Journey Go Explore.
Climate change fueled urgency to finish Journey’s journey
Texas girl visits 46 U.S. national parks at 25 months old
Journey Castillo is on a mission to explore all 63 U.S. National Parks to encourage kids and families everywhere to enjoy the great outdoors. The 2-year-old has visited 46 parks so far and hopes to complete her mission by the time she turns three. (Video from November 2022)
"With her being so young, we wanted to build her character, her strength," Eric Castillo said. "So, we figured by doing this, it would allow that to happen."
At 3 years old, Journey may not remember everything about her incredible mission, but she’ll have the photos to look back upon when she’s older.
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Because extreme weather events and natural disasters are forever changing our landscape, the Castillos said, the time was now to see as much as possible.
"With everything going on with weather changes and weather patterns, we’re seeing a lot of climate change happening, and we’ve seen it with our own eyes in these parks," Eric Castillo said. "So, that was the urgency for us to get to the 63."
Witnessing disaster firsthand built Journey’s strength
As Journey was nearing the end of her expedition, disaster struck.
In early August, Hawaii was devastated by wildfires. One of which on Maui left nearly 100 people dead when it swept through the historic community of Lahaina.
"We didn’t know if we were going to be able to go to Hawaii because when we landed, it was the same day that (President) Biden landed, and the wildfires," Valleries Castillo said. "It was such a catastrophe."
The Castillos didn’t know if it was a good idea to visit, but they’re glad they did.
"We got to see that culture, and it made it even more of an emotional experience for us," Valerie Castillo said. "Not only the wildfires, but we’ve been in windstorms, hailstorms, we’ve been in extreme heat and extreme cold. And, so, for that experience for Journey, it’s built her strength. So, if she can handle that, I think that later on down the road she’ll be able to handle anything."
Letting nature be Journey’s teacher
Journey’s parents describe her as active, fearless and outgoing, and say there’s nothing better than seeing her explore the wonders that nature has to offer.
"By doing all the traveling, it’s given her a lot of energy, and it’s really exposed her to a lot of nature," Eric Castillo said. "But not only being given an opportunity to grow up in nature, as well, and let nature be that teacher for her."
Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the location of Pikes Peak.