The necessary gear for your U.S. National Park visit this summer

Oh, the great outdoors. Our country is full of natural splendors: from the white sands in New Mexico, to the unearthly hoodoos in Bryce Canyon and majestic sandstone cliffs of Zion. It is no wonder we flock to National Parks, especially now as we discover our own backyard via highway travel and road trips.

On a recent visit to Yosemite, where some of my family members live and work, I found myself ill-prepared for what I needed and/or could’ve used to make my daily explorations a bit more comfortable. Scrambling to borrow things to maintain my nature-fueled bliss, I began noting the tricks up their sleeves. Mostly, items to avoid “weakness of spirit” or WOS (pronounced w-aw-s). WOS occurs when your will is diminished, your enthusiasm lost, and you’re complaining more than admiring the 1,000-year-old Sequoias towering overhead.

According to those living in the park, a well-equipped explorer (with the safety essentials, such as toilet paper, snacks, first aid, and so much more!) can mean the difference between a jolly holiday and a challenging one.

Here are a few items that help sustain high spirits in the most beautiful places on earth written by Danieelle Bernabe.