First and foremost, a gigantic thanks to Stefanie Simpson, my amazing friend, for reading this book when it was barely past a first draft. You were encouraging and enthusiastic, and it made all the difference in the world. I love you, lady.
Thank you, Bella and Tessa, for blessing me with your TV production expertise and answering all my random questions.
Thank you, Steph Mills, for putting me in touch with Tessa and for your wonderfully encouraging emails.
Lauren Maxwell, a million thanks to you for helping me navigate the New York City subway via Instagram DMs. Someday I will visit and you can show me the ropes in person.
Skye McDonald, thank you for helping me properly set the scene of a busy subway car ride.
Thank you, JL Peridot, for your pep talks and your friendship. You always cheer me on when I need it most. You’re a gem.
Thank you to the best agent, Sarah Younger, and the best editor, Sarah Blumenstock.
Thank you so, so much to Vikki Chu for designing yet another stunning book cover. You always bring my books to life in the most beautiful way.
Huge thanks to my husband, Alex, my favorite hiking buddy on the planet. Our road trips to Utah inspired this book. There’s no one in the world I’d rather get lost in the desert with.
Thanks to my family and friends for supporting me, loving me, and being proud of me.
And thank you to everyone who buys and reads my books. I know I’ve said this a million times before, but it means the absolute world. Truly.
One more thing: The National Park Service and the show Rock the Park were inspirations for this book. NPS employees and volunteers work diligently to preserve so many beautiful lands while also making them accessible to the public. If you’re able, visit a national park or monument. It’s a great way to support the NPS while also observing the beauty and majesty of the land around you. If you can’t make it out to your nearest national park, watch Rock the Park. It’s a fun and engaging program that showcases all that the national parks have to offer.