That's me, standing just a few more flights of stairs away from the top of Moro Rock in Sequoia National Park. It was only my second time visiting the park, and my first time tackling this climb.

I'd heard about Moro Rock before—it's one of those iconic spots that shows up in all the park guides—but I wasn't sure what to expect. When we pulled into the parking lot and I saw the granite dome towering above us with those tiny stairs carved into the rock face, I'll admit I was a little intimidated because I wasn’t into much hiking yet. But we'd driven all the way there, so up we went.

The stairs themselves are narrow. Like, one-person-at-a-time narrow. And on a beautiful day like the one we had, the path was packed with families, couples, solo hikers—everyone moving at their own pace. It made for a slow climb, but honestly, I didn't mind. Every time we paused to let someone pass or catch our breath, there was another jaw-dropping view waiting for us.

What struck me most was how the perspective kept shifting as we climbed higher. At first, you're just focused on the steps in front of you. Then, as you turn the corner, you suddenly see the whole forest spread out below. Looking further out beyond the trees, you can see mountain ridges stretching into the distance as you walk along the side of the mountain.

By the time we reached the top, I felt like I could see everything—the Great Western Divide, the valley, everything. It’s a beautiful scene to take in, and rewarding at the same time.

We spent maybe twenty minutes at the summit, just taking it all in. Other hikers were doing the same, some sitting on the rocks, others snapping photos. There's something about standing on top of a granite dome surrounded by wilderness that makes you want to soak it all in a little longer.

The descent was easier, though my legs definitely felt those 400-something steps by the time we got back to the parking lot. The whole thing took us about an hour and a half, including our time at the top. It was really not that long, an easy hike for most people to trek up the top.

If you ever find yourself in Sequoia National Park, you have to try this hike. It's short, it's manageable, and the payoff is absolutely worth it. Just bring enough water, wear sunscreen, and don't rush through the hike. Some experiences are meant to be savored, and this is definitely one of them.

When we reached the summit, I noticed something that made everyone around us a little uneasy. A father was up there with his two daughters—maybe around 10 years old—and they were running around without much supervision. The girls kept getting close to the edge, their shoes slipping on the smooth granite, while their dad wandered ahead, seemingly unaware of how close they were to the drop-off.

It was genuinely frightening to watch. One wrong step and they could have fallen. The other hikers and I exchanged nervous glances, and quietly complaining as we couldn’t believe the dad being so careless. Eventually, the family moved on, but it stuck with me.

So if you're planning to bring kids up Moro Rock, please keep them close. The views are incredible, but the edges aren’t meant for careless behavior and the drop is steep. Make sure they understand the importance of staying on the path and moving carefully. With a little supervision, it's a perfectly safe and wonderful hike for the whole family.

At the Foothills Visitor Center, I spotted an older couple hunched over a table, stamping something into a spiral-bound book. Curious, I walked over and asked what they were doing. That simple question turned into a half-hour conversation that would completely change everything about all my next trips.

The man flipped through his passport book, showing me page after page of colorful cancellation stamps from parks across the Northern States. Each stamp came with a story—a sunrise hike in Glacier, a rainstorm in Olympic, the wildlife sightings in Yellowstone. He wasn't just collecting stamps though. He was documenting a visual diary of his adventures.

I was absolutely hooked. I was already planning to visit all of California's National Park Service sites, and this seemed like the perfect way to document each one. Not just with photos on my phone, but with something tangible I could flip through years later.

So I bought my own passport book that day and collected my very first stamp right there at Sequoia.

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