By Leah Thomas, Award-winning environmentalist, also known as Green Girl Leah

Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by Intrepid. Read our full disclosure statement here.

I’ve always had a knack for adventure that existed snuggly alongside my love for the planet. When I explore I get to meet people, see magnificent landscapes and ecosystems, and be inspired by the beauty of the earth. 

Over time I realized that my travels across the country and around the world played a large role in my journey to environmental activism and education. It’s hard not to be compelled to protect the earth once you see the beauty and majestic nature of it up close and personal. 

I’ve been to over half of the United States after growing up in a small town right outside of St. Louis Missouri. My first big adventure was going to school in Southern California, which led to two cross country roadtrips, interning twice as a National Park Service Ranger and heading to London for my first school conference. Any chance I got to see the world – I took. 

When I served as a park ranger intern at Nicodemus National Historic Site, one of the least visited national park sites in the country and located in rural Kansas, it sparked an even deeper curiosity about what other stories are out there. I met with descendants of Nicodemus, a thriving historically Black town created by freed African Americans after enslavement, and realized how many incredible cultural stories existed alongside our most cherished wilderness areas and parks. 

From the stories of The Buffalo Soldiers protecting the Sequoia trees, The Rosie The Riveter National Historic Park that explores the iconic ‘We can do it’ art piece that’s served as a symbol for women’s rights to the over 100 parks that have co-stewardship agreements with tribal governments. U.S. Parks are beacons of U.S. history and culture. 

When I’d visit National Parks like Sequoia, The Grand Tetons and The Grand Canyon I’d always experience this beautiful feeling of being one small part of a larger global ecosystem that connected us all. Admiring nature in these parks and working in the parks while studying environmental science made it abundantly clear why the earth is worth protecting, and all of the stories of diverse communities that inhabit the planet. 

I took my first Intrepid trip in 2023 to Costa Rica and then jetted off to Japan with them in 2024 and was amazed by how both experiences prioritized eco-tourism, sustainability, and local connection vs. a more common non-reciprocal and extractive approach to travel and tourism. 

Throughout my journeys I’ve loved getting to not only experience the world around me through travel, but intentionally connect with locals and avoid tourism that didn’t directly support them or center them. 

It became clear that seeing the world didn’t have to compromise my values to protect it. My time working for the park service also made me value the incredible park workers who maintain the parks so we can have those almost spiritual experiences witnessing them. So when the opportunity came to partner with intrepid on their Active-ism trips designed to support U.S. National Parks, it felt like a way for me to continue my commitment to protecting parks, their legacies and their dedicated employees.

These Active-ism trips aren’t just vacations. They’re immersive, intentional experiences that merge exploration with education, joy with justice. As someone who believes activism can look like many things, from crafting in community to standing on the frontlines of environmental defense, this model of travel felt like a unique opportunity to both educate and inspire. 

I hope people that join the experience take away a newfound appreciation for the parks across the U.S., fall in love with them, and feel inspired to advocate for them after the trip. Because our National Parks need us now more than ever and each of us can play a role in making sure they’re intact for years to come. 

Join Leah on her Active-ism trip here: https://intrepid.wetravel.com/i/682f335600925428c6404f18