What changes when you give your travels a singular mission?
Conor Knighton is an Emmy Award-winning correspondent for CBS Sunday Morning and the bestselling author of Leave Only Footprints. After a personal breakup and some professional uncertainty, Conor pitched an idea that turned into a once-in-a-lifetime journey to all 59 national parks - a mission that transformed his life.
In this episode, Conor shares how the trip came to be, the people and parks that changed him, and why structure and singularity can create deeper travel experiences. He also offers practical advice for making the most of your national park visits, especially when you want to avoid the crowds.
If you’ve ever wanted to build a long-term travel journey around a specific goal, Conor’s story shows how powerful that can be. He opens up about the personal challenges that led to the trip, how he pitched it to CBS, and what it was really like to live on the road for a year. Along the way, he shares travel-tested tips for navigating national parks, connecting with strangers, and building a meaningful solo travel experience.
*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen.
What’s the most powerful travel experience you’ve had in nature? I'd love to hear what they are, and I hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message.
Tune In To Learn:
- How Conor transitioned from acting to TV journalism
- What sparked his idea to visit every U.S. national park in one year
- Why structure and a mission can elevate your travels
- How he funded and planned the yearlong journey
- Advice for navigating national parks without the crowds
- What to do on “lazy” travel days and why they’re important
- The best gear and apps for park-based road trips
- How to balance travel and content creation
- Stories of the inspiring people he met along the way
- Reflections on uncertainty, risk, and reinvention
- And so much more
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