Katie Parr and her husband, Rich, have always enjoyed hiking with their dog, Dollar, along their travels.
It’s long been a goal of theirs to hike the entire list of US parks! After bringing home their son, Rowan, in 2022, they knew he’d soon become the perfect little hiking buddy and join in on their explorations. Katie’s first book, “Hike the ABC’s: A Journey through our National Parks” is dedicated to him. It was written in an attempt to share her adventures with her son, Rowan, and published in 2024.
She knew she wanted to highlight our nation’s first National Park, but quickly realized there was too much to discuss on a single page. It needed a story of its own. Katie opted to write her second book as if her son was giving readers a tour of the park and thus “Ranger Rowan’s Guide to Yellowstone National Park” was published in 2025.
Katie now offers environmental education programming to local children at Buhl Park in Hermitage, PA, through her company, Trail & Twig.
Trail & Twig is rooted in the belief that children learn best through exploration, which is why we’ve carefully chosen this name for our business. Trail reflects the spirit of adventure—wandering through the great outdoors where learning happens through movement, experience, and discovery. Twig represents the small, simple wonders of nature that children instinctively pick up, examine, and play with that are often overlooked by adults. Together, Trail & Twig captures both the big adventures and the tiny discoveries that make learning meaningful. By replacing screens with sticks, stories, and shared adventures, Trail & Twig is raising the next generation of wild ones.
