What The Golden Rule Of National Parks 'Promote The Stoke' Means And How To Follow It

Planning to visit a national park in the new year? There's a common phrase among park rangers you may not have heard of before. If you're embarking on a trip and enjoying your time in a park, you might want to embrace the golden rule of "promote the stoke" — and here's how. "Promote the stoke" means sharing the positive experience of visiting national parks with other people, whether that means pointing someone to a place where you've just seen something cool or stepping aside after a few moments to let another parkgoer experience the view.

The phrase and the word "stoke" were originally coined by surfers and have since been adopted by some park rangers. "Stoke" — a synonym for "excitement" — is easy to find in a national park. If something exciting happens in a park, tell other hikers on the trail about it. At the same time, it's important not to take too long enjoying an experience that others may be waiting to share. "Promote the stroke" is another way to say "treat the park and the people in it well." Follow safety advice while in the park, and keep the park clean for wildlife and other visitors. 

By promoting the stoke, park rangers hope visitors will share space for views with others; make way for small children, seniors, or parkgoers with accessibility needs; limit noise to a minimum around wildlife; share what they've seen and give useful tips to others; and offer to take photos of fellow travelers. If you see one of these five adorable animals in Yellowstone National Park, for instance, let others on the trail know. Doing so promotes the positive energy everyone wants to experience in a national park and ensures that everyone can have a pleasant visit.

The phrase "promote the stoke" isn't just about passing on excitement and good experiences in national parks; it's also about cultivating an environment where everyone feels safe. The best way to be a good visitor on your next national park trip is to make it the kind of place you want it to be (especially if you plan to go to one of the best national parks for camping in America).

First and foremost, respect the land you're on, its history, and the animals who call it home. Park rangers recommend that you educate yourself about the land you're visiting, even if just doing so at the park's welcome center. One of the easiest ways to be a good visitor is to leave parks as you found them, so others can fully enjoy them. To make sure you leave no trace on protected lands, follow the "pack out" rule and bring out everything that you bring in, including trash. Clean up after yourself, and follow the rules on where you're allowed to be in the park and how close you're allowed to get to wildlife.

Stick to marked trails to protect the local ecosystem and ensure future visitors can also enjoy these beautiful areas. Every national park in America was built on the ancestral homeland of a Native American tribe. Do your part to respect and protect these lands by keeping them clean and open. One of the most common mistakes first-timers make when visiting a national park is not properly following these unwritten rules.