Campfire Stories: Volume I
Tales from America’s National Parks

Published in 2018

Our national parks are beautiful and unique places, often serving as an introduction to the outdoors and inspiring an appreciation for nature and wilderness. Campfire Stories brings together tales about our national parks; some are by well-known writers such as John Muir, Bill Bryson, and Terry Tempest Williams, while others are from pioneer diaries or have been passed down through generations of indigenous peoples.

Co-editors Dave and Ilyssa Kyu spent five months traveling and researching the stories in the book. They gathered each of these stories from public libraries, historical societies, arts and cultural organizations, museums, research centers, and national park archives. They interviewed park rangers, historians, artists, curators, educators, and local residents, who all offered insights and guidance into the essence of each place, which was than used to select entertaining, diverse, and engaging writings that reflected each park and best told around a campfire.

Vol I features stories from the following parks and trails: Acadia, Great Smoky Mountains, Rocky Mountains, Zion, Yosemite, and Yellowstone.

Campfire Stories: Volume II
Tales from America’s National Parks & Trails

Published in 2023

Inspired by America’s beloved national parks, Campfire Stories Volume II is a collection of modern prose, poetry, folklore, and more, featuring commissioned, new, and existing works from a diverse group of writers who share a deep appreciation of the natural world. While the original Campfire Stories captured many historic tales reflecting the first 100 years of the National Park Service, this completely new collection, focused on five different parks (plus two long-distance trails), depicts the parks as we know and experience them today. Contributors represent a range of rich and diverse voices, including from the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities, and

Vol II features stories from the following parks and trails: Grand Canyon, Everglades, Olympic, Glacier, and Joshua Tree National Parks and the Appalachian and Pacific Crest National Scenic Trails

Vol I Process

In March 2016, we successfully raised  $20,264 via Kickstarter to bring this project to life—that's 135% of our target goal! 

From May through August 2016, we spent 2 weeks each in 6 National Parks, immersing ourselves and meeting folks to uncover themes and stories from each of these places. We traveled to:

• Acadia National Park

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park

• Rocky Mountain National Park

• Yellowstone National Park

• Yosemite National Park

• Zion National Park

We met with folks in libraries, museums, historical societies, arts & culture organizations, and local residents to get a sense of the historic and contemporary context of each place. Our research provided us with the background necessary to be emotionally and contextually aware of the stories we selected. 

Why National Parks?

They’re beautiful and unique places, and it is our hope that these stories generate an interest and impulse for new, unfamiliar audiences to visit and experience nature. And the time is right— in 2016 the National Park Service celebrated its centennial!

We feel that National Parks serve as a great introduction to the outdoors—providing modern amenities in unfamiliar places. Much like the intention behind the founding of the National Parks, nature should be protected and made accessible for everyone to enjoy—not just the wealthy or privileged. 

Why a book? Why now?

Stories play a powerful role in creating emotional connections necessary in creating individual connections to nature. Stories teach us lessons, build our empathy, and share ideas that are emotionally important in the art of living.

Whether somebody is reading Campfire Stories from their living room, a local city park, or around a campfire in a state or national park (or even their own backyard!), we hope these stories create new individual connections to, and positive experiences with nature, especially for younger generations who are increasingly disconnected from the outdoors—generations of people who, one day, will be responsible for protecting it. 

Oh, like ghost stories?

Not exactly. We've specifically chosen not to seek out ghost stories, as they dominate the campfire story genre and there are many excellent spooky story books out there. You’re out in the woods, it’s dark—it makes sense. But there are so many more stories to tell when you’re out in the woods.

There are stories of the landscape, the trees and animals that inhabit a place. There’s the human story of the land, and ballads for the folks who’ve lived & breathed these places. Campfire stories can capture all of these ideas, and can reignite our curiosity for the world. Sharing these stories evokes a camaraderie that we’ve lost—one that lives inside a good campfire story.