AGE is Just a Number

Joy Ryan becomes the oldest woman to explore all 63 national parks in the U,S,

Ryan, 93, has become the oldest woman to visit every national park in America. Proving Age is just a number, and Joy Ryan has just proved the fact!

This cute grandma was not alone in her journey as her 42-year-old grandson Brad Ryan accompanied her to all 63 national parks in the country and today, both of them are enjoying an internet celebrity status.

Joy Ryan and Brad Ryan Complete Historic 63-Park Journey

Joy Ryan, 93, and her grandson Brad Ryan have completed their mission to visit all 63 U.S. National Parks, finishing the trip in the National Park of American Samoa in the South Pacific after seven and a half years CNN+1.

The Journey

The adventure began in October 2015 when Brad, a veterinarian from Duncan Falls, Ohio, took his grandmother to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park after learning she had never seen mountains, oceans, or deserts CBS News+1. Inspired by her love of travel and his own desire to share the world’s wonders with her, Brad started planning a loop of parks, eventually raising funds through a GoFundMe to cover the costs CNN.

Over the years, they traveled more than 50,000 miles, visiting iconic destinations from the Grand Canyon to the Channel Islands, the Redwoods to the Virgin Islands www.traveller365.com. Along the way, they documented their travels on their Instagram account the @grandmajoysroadtrip sharing photos, stories, and the deep bond between them abcnews.com.

A Bittersweet Finale

Their final stop, the National Park of American Samoa, was both a milestone and a poignant moment. Brad said the achievement was “bittersweet,” coming just over a week after the passing of his father and Joy’s eldest son abcnews.com. The park, the only U.S. national park south of the equator, spans seven villages and offers them a chance to reflect on their journey.

Recognition and Legacy

At the park, Joy and Brad were honored by the National Park Service with certificates and gifts commemorating their historic feat. Joy became the oldest person to visit every U.S. National Park, defying assumptions about age limits and inspiring others to pursue their dreams CNN+1.

Brad described the trip as a “grand adventure” and a testament to the power of passion, intention, and the unbreakable bond between a grandmother and her grandson abcnews.com+1. Joy herself called it “a beautiful, beautiful time” and said she wouldn’t trade it for anything abcnews.com.

Their story has been featured on ABC News, Good Morning America, CBS News, and other outlets, resonating with audiences worldwide for its mix of adventure, resilience, and family love www.traveller365.com.

More Photos on Instagram here.

Brad Ryan and his grandmother Joy Ryan set out on a journey to visit all 63 national parks seven and a half years ago. This week they completed their goal when they arrived at the National Park of American Samoa.

“The National Park of American Samoa is the only U.S. national park south of the equator and our most remote park,” Ryan posted on the Grandma Joy’s Road Trip Instagram page created to document their travels. “It was a long road to get here, but we couldn’t have chosen a more epic place to conclude this epic chapter of Grandma Joy’s Road Trip!”

Joy Ryan — known worldwide as “Grandma Joy” — and her grandson Brad Ryan did complete their quest to visit all 63 U.S. National Parks, and the journey took about seven and a half years, beginning in October 2015 and ending in May 2023 at the National Park of American Samoa.

Their accomplishment is remarkable not only because Joy was 93 years old, making her the oldest person ever to visit all 63 parks, but also because the journey became a story of healing, reconnection, and adventure.

What Their Journey Included

Start: Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Tennessee), October 2015
End: National Park of American Samoa, May 16, 2023
Total Parks: 63
Duration: ~7.5 years
Joy’s Age at Completion: 93
Activities: Mountain climbing, white‑water rafting (at age 91!), zip‑lining, hiking, wildlife viewing, and thousands of miles of road‑tripping.

Why Their Story Matters

Their national‑park quest began as a simple attempt to help Joy see her first mountain. It grew into a transformative experience that helped Brad recover from depression and helped both of them repair a long‑strained relationship. Their travels became widely followed through @grandmajoysroadtrip on Instagram and inspired a book, Grandma Joy and Me.

If you want, I can map out all 63 parks in the order they visited them, or break down their route by region. Here’s a full chronological map, a regional breakdown, or a summary of their iconic moments?

Timeline Overview (2015 – 2023)

Year	Parks Visited	Highlights
2015	1 – 3	Began at Great Smoky Mountains, Joy’s first mountain experience.
2016	4 – 10	Explored Midwestern parks like Cuyahoga Valley and Indiana Dunes.
2017	11 – 18	First major western road trip — Badlands, Yellowstone, Grand Teton.
2018	19 – 27	Southwest adventure: Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches.
2019	28 – 36	Pacific coast stretch: Redwoods, Crater Lake, Olympic, Channel Islands.
2020	37 – 45	Rocky Mountain circuit — Glacier, Grand Canyon of the Rockies, Mesa Verde.
2021	46 – 54	Hawaii parks and Virgin Islands — oceanic milestones.
2022	55 – 62	Alaska expedition, visiting all eight parks there.
2023	63	Final stop: National Park of American Samoa, completing the journey.

Thematic Layers

Connection: Rebuilding family bonds through shared adventure.
Resilience: Joy’s age defied limits; Brad’s healing mirrored the landscapes.
Legacy: Their story inspired millions to rediscover nature and kinship.

Would you like me to design this as a vertical illustrated timeline, a poster‑style infographic, or a digital scrolling version?

Here’s a regional breakdown of Joy and Brad Ryan’s journey through all 63 U.S. National Parks. Their route spanned every corner of the system, grouped by geography:

Eastern & Midwest (2015–2016)

Great Smoky Mountains (start, Oct 2015)
Shenandoah, Cuyahoga Valley, Indiana Dunes
Smaller eastern gems like Acadia and Mammoth Cave

Southwest & Desert Parks (2017–2018)

Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon
Arches, Canyonlands, Petrified Forest
Big Bend, Carlsbad Caverns

Pacific Coast (2019)

Redwood, Crater Lake, Olympic
Channel Islands, Sequoia, Yosemite

Rockies & Northern Plains (2020)

Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Glacier
Rocky Mountain, Mesa Verde, Badlands

Islands & Tropics (2021)

Hawai‘i Volcanoes, Haleakalā
Virgin Islands, Dry Tortugas, Everglades

Alaska Expedition (2022)

All 8 Alaska parks: Denali, Gates of the Arctic, Katmai, Wrangell–St. Elias, Kenai Fjords, Lake Clark, Kobuk Valley, Glacier Bay

Finale (2023)

National Park of American Samoa — their 63rd and final park, May 2023.

Would you like me to create a visual timeline poster showing these regions in sequence, or a ranked scenic highlights list to spotlight the most photogenic stops?

America The Beautiful Pass List of National Parks PDF File

How Old is the USA? A Complete Timeline of American History – USA Heaven

Climate change is affecting national parks much more than the rest of the US

Based on multiple expert rankings and travel sources, here’s a consolidated Top 10 Most Scenic U.S. National Parks — the ones Joy and Brad Ryan visited that consistently stand out for sheer visual impact:

Yosemite and Yellowstone are universally ranked #1–2 for scenery.
Grand Canyon offers unmatched desert drama.
Glacier and Grand Teton deliver alpine perfection.
Olympic and Acadia add coastal diversity.
Zion and Arches showcase Utah’s red rock majesty.
Rocky Mountain rounds out the list with classic alpine landscapes.

This guide highlights 30 U.S. national parks with diverse landscapes, from waterfalls to desert vistas, offering options beyond the top 10 for travelers seeking varied scenic experiences. The 30 Most Beautiful National Parks to Hike in: Best of 2026

Joy Ryan, 94, As Now They Start Out on Their Seven Continent Quest

Joy Ryan, now 94, is one of the most inspiring travelers of her generation — and she’s just reached the halfway mark of a bold new mission with her grandson, Brad Ryan.

From National Parks to the World

Joy, a widow and retiree from Duncan Falls, Ohio, had lived most of her life in the same house, rarely traveling beyond her hometown. She didn’t get her first passport until age 91, after visiting the National Park of American Samoa in 2023, which made her the oldest person to have seen all 63 U.S. national parks People+1. That trip was sparked by a simple invitation from Brad, who wanted to reconnect with her after years apart. Their first shared adventure — hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains at age 85 — planted the seed for a lifelong travel partnership People+1.

The Seven Continents Mission

After conquering the U.S. parks, Joy and Brad set their sights on visiting every continent together. They’ve already completed four: Europe, South America, Australia, and Antarctica People+1. Their next stops include Asia, Africa, and possibly the Arctic Circle seniorstrustnetwork.org.

How They Travel

The duo has evolved from camping on a budget to using corporate sponsorships and guided expeditions. They’ve braved everything from polar expeditions in Antarctica to wildlife-rich destinations like the Galápagos and Banff National Park AFAR+1. Each trip is about embracing the moment — whether it’s spotting brown bears in Alaska, hiking in Chile, or marveling at penguins in the southernmost continent People+1.

Why It Matters

For Joy, the goal is more than a travel record — it’s about proving that adventure has no expiration date. Brad says their journeys have strengthened their bond, inspired others, and shown that age shouldn’t limit dreams The Happy Broadcast. Joy’s mantra is to “jump in the river and be positive” when faced with challengesFox News.

National Parks grandma: Grandson and 93-year-old Joy Ryan visit all 63 U.S. National Parks ending in American Samoa – CBS News

An Ohio native and his grandma took on every national park – and their distant relationship | WYSO

93-year-old grandmother and grandson finish quest to visit all 63 national parks – ABC News

Joy Ryan, 93, is the oldest woman to visit every U.S. national park – VPM

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