This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

It's easy to take national parks for granted in Utah. We have five parks right here, plus another dozen National Park Service (NPS) sites. It's also kind of easy to become a park snob. Heck, some of our local and state parks probably would be shoo-ins for national park status if they were plopped in a less dramatic setting, like Indiana. Sorry, Indiana. You're lovely, just maybe not Kodachrome Basin or Bells Canyon lovely.

But there is a world outside of Utah, with lots of natural wonders and national treasures to take in. A convergence of factors — some well-timed family events, some extra vacation days and an array of centennial activities by the NPS — made 2015-16 a good time to set a fun goal with my now-3-year-old daughter: Visit a different national park each month for a year.

So far, Saskia and I have hit 12 national parks in 11 months. We've traveled from peaks to caves, from deserts to swamps, and from tidal pools to prairies. We've put many miles on our shoes and learned a lot. As we count down to our grand finale trip on Aug. 25 — the 100th anniversary of the NPS — I'll share some of our adventures here. Check back in coming days to find out where we went.

Trip reports

12 Months of National Parks — No. 1, Acadia: Small children love nature, but on their own level

12 Months of National Parks — No. 2, Capitol Reef: 'People shouldn't be here'

12 Months of National Parks — No. 3, Arches: Are national park rules too strict?

12 Months of National Parks — No. 4, Canyonlands: The best fun may require a child's eyes

12 Months of National Parks — No. 5, Biscayne: A threatened park claws its way forward

12 Months of National Parks — No. 6, Everglades: Please don't spank the gator

12 Months of National Parks — No. 7, Bryce Canyon: The $10 lifetime senior pass needs to end

12 Months of National Parks — No. 8, Death Valley: The poetry of survival

12 Months of National Parks — No. 9, Wind Cave: Drama unfolds in a quiet corner of the prairie

12 Months of National Parks: Bonus stop in Badlands

12 Months of National Parks: The error of rushing history in Boston Historic Park

12 Months of National Parks — No. 10, Mesa Verde: A detour from the plan leads to floral delights

12 Months of National Parks — No. 11, Great Basin: Miles of adventure fit in one little ring

ealberty@sltrib.com

Twitter: @erinalberty