I’ve visited every US national park alone. Here are 8 mistakes I see first-time travelers make.

• Over the past 10 years, I’ve traveled alone to all 63 major US national parks.
• First-time travelers often don’t realize they sometimes have to secure reservations ahead of time. 
• It’s also important for visitors to respect the land, the wildlife, and their own physical limits. 

Nearly a decade ago, I woke up in the middle of the night with the idea to travel solo to the Grand Canyon — the first national park on what would later become a yearslong personal quest to see every one.

As I got in the car and headed southwest, I, admittedly, didn’t know much. I brought my backpack and a water bottle on the road (but forgot to bring any food) and spent days exploring the park. Only later did I realize how woefully unprepared I was on this trip.

Now that I’ve been to all 63 major national parks, I’ve seen plenty of other new travelers in my shoes. Here are the eight most common mistakes I see first-time travelers make when visiting the national parks.