Keaton Jewsbury

Hi! I’m Keaton. I am 12 years old and currently live in Washington state. I’ll be in 7th grade this year. I am excited to share my love of parks and hope to get more kids, especially middle schoolers, out enjoying them too!

I’ve always enjoyed being outdoors in parks locally and across the world. I am lucky that I’ve had lots of opportunities to do that. I’ve visited national parks in the United States, Australia, Denmark, Costa Rica, and India. In the USA, my family and I have visited 23 National Parks (and plan to visit all 63) and a multitude of National Park Service sites. I enjoy participating in the Junior Ranger program at all NPS sites. Every park has something special about it so it’s hard to pick a favorite, but I think, so far, my favorite National Park is Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado because it’s literally built into the side of a cliff. How epic is that? I also love Olympic National Park because it’s close to home and we visit it every year. 

Being in the parks gives me a chance to enjoy nature and connect with our history. I think it’s essential for everybody to have an opportunity to get a taste of the outdoors. Parks and public lands and waterways let us see plants and animals that we otherwise never would in the middle of the city. I also get a big thrill out of the personal challenge of Type II fun in the outdoors by backpacking, hiking, and bouldering.

When not out exploring our amazing parks, I am an active member of my Boy Scout troop, a competitive swimmer and sailor, and I also enjoy drawing, reading, and playing Minecraft.

You can follow me on Instagram @keatoninthewild and on my blog below.