National Parks and board games are two of our favorite things, so finding a game all about the parks?!? Score!!
We’ve visited 14 of the 61 National Parks and I hope to visit them all in my lifetime. It’s exciting to have that much adventuring ahead of me.
Trekking the National Parks is the perfect blend or board game fun and travel/history/geography. The board is a map of the parks and the pieces are tents and hikers. Our favorite game element is the leather-like satchel that store the game stone pieces. It just feels so…wildernessy. The art/photography on the cards is beautiful and the board is sturdy. Overall, 5 stars for quality!
Game play is straight forward, but there are a variety of ways to earn points so picking a winning strategy is a challenge that can depend on other players.
Every National Park on the map gets a stone at the beginning of the game. Collecting the most stones of one color is one way to earn points. Players receive points at the end of the game for having the 1st and 2nd most stones of each color.
Buying Parks cards is another way to earn points (and my favorite strategy).
Three Parks Cards and three Major Parks Cards (the ones outlined in red) are in play at a time.
To buy a Park Card, land on the Park you want by playing a card with the exact number of spaces you need to travel. Pay with cards that match the icons on the bottom of the Park Cards.
The Major Parks can be occupied in the same way (land on the park and pay with the proper cards). Players receive points for camping at a Major Park PLUS a special ability to be used once or the whole game, depending on the park.
On a player’s turn he can do 2 of 4 possible actions:
- Draw a Trek Card
- Move
- Claim a Park Card
- Occupy a Major Park
We like that every turn allows 2 actions to be taken. This keeps the game moving at a quick pace.
Players keep on moving around the game board/map, collecting stones and parks cards until 1. all the stones have been collected or 2. a player claims their 5th park card. Everyone gets a final turn and scores are tallied.
Even though I want to visit all the parks in my life, I don’t know much about very many of them. I have loved learning more and seeing pictures and most of all, locations! I’m getting more familiar with where the parks are in the US and mapping out routes in my head for our future travel plans.
Trekking is the perfect Gameschool game because of the blend between a fascinating topic AND play. It’s the perfect way to have fun studying geography and history. I would say Trekking is THE MOST popular game among Gameschoolers, and they have very good taste. :)
{I received this game free of charge to facilitate this review. All opinions are honest and my own. We love it and think your family will too!}
