If you are looking for some fun reads set around the U.S., Karen Barnett National Park Books might be what you are looking for.
Karen Barnett is a former park ranger, and it shows in her writing. She knows and loves national parks, and she shares that love by writing books set in national parks across the U.S.
Of the six books set in National Parks, the first three books are from The Vintage National Parks series and the other three are indiviudal stand alone books..
They are all really stand-alone books, though. They involve different characters and are set in different parks. These books can be read in whatever order you want. Or whatever National Park you want to learn about.
I think these would be fun books to read before visiting a specific park.
If you are headed to the Redwoods in California, pick up Where Trees Touch the Sky. If you plan to visit Mt. Rainier, The Road to Paradise would be a great book to read.
All six of these books are clean historical fiction. They are considered Christian historical fiction, but I think these are books anyone can enjoy because religion is not a major theme.
I think they are considered Christian mainly because they are clean fiction. The National Parks are definitely the stars of these books.
National Park Books By Karen Barnett
The Road To Paradise is set in 1927, during the early days of the National Park Service. Margaret, an avid naturalist, gets a job working with the park rangers who live and work in the beautiful land in Mount Rainier’s shadow.
Where the Fire Falls is set in Yosemite National Park during the 1920s. Artist Olivia Rutherford lands a contract for a travel magazine, painting illustrations of Yosemite National Park. She hopes the money she earns will help Olivia and her sisters escape poverty.
Ever Faithful is set in Yellowstone National Park during the 1930s. Nate grew up on the streets of Brooklyn. Even though he can’t read, he signs up for the new Civilian Conservation Corps, working in the wild country of Yellowstone National Park.
When Stone Wings Fly is a dual time book set in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is a dual timeline book set in 1931 and 2016.
In 1931, Rosie’s home is threatened by the Tennessee Great Smoky Mountains Park Commission as it creates a new national park. Eighty-five years later, Kieran heads back to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to find answers to a mysterious death and bring peace to her grandmother.
Where the Trees Touch the Sky is a dual timeline book set in California’s Redwood National Park.
In the 1920s, the California redwoods were being destroyed. Marion Baker, a nature lover, can’t bear it. She throws herself into the work of the Save the Redwoods League.
Close to fifty years later, polio survivor June Turner has a disability, but she is trying to prove she is a capable ranger because she wants to continue the legacy of her great-aunt Marion.
Through Water and Stone was published in 2025. It is in my stack of books to read. It is set in Zion National Park in 1949. I am looking forward to reading this one because I do not know a lot about Zion National Park.
Have you read any of Karen Barnett’s books? If you enjoy clean fiction, I think you will like these books set in National Parks set around the United States.