Turning Your National Park Adventure Into a Scrapbook of Memories
Because sometimes the best Yellowstone souvenir isn't something you buy, it's something you create.
There are two kinds of Yellowstone visitors.
The first takes 500 photos, promises they'll make a scrapbook later, and never looks at those photos again.
The second comes home with a journal stuffed so full of maps, stickers, receipts, and random bits of paper that it barely closes.
This blog is for the second group.
Junk journaling is one of my favorite ways to remember a trip. Instead of keeping everything neatly organized, you collect little pieces of your adventure along the way and turn them into a creative travel journal. Yellowstone is basically a junk journaler's dream destination because there are treasures hiding everywhere.
What to Bring From Home
You don't need much to get started.
The Essentials
- A journal, notebook, or sketchbook
- Glue stick or tape runner
- Pen or marker
- Colored pencils or markers (optional but funnnn)
- Washi tape (optional but makes everything cooler)
- Small scissors (or you can use your hands and rip stuff up)
Bonus Items for Overachievers
- Instant camera or Polaroid camera
- Mini photo printer
- Colored paper scraps
- Stamp-shaped hole punch
- Small envelope for collecting loose items
- Stickers to decorate pages (you can always buy more in the park)
If you're worried about space, even a simple composition notebook works perfectly. Talk about nostalgic.
The National Park Passport Stamp Hack
If you know, you know.
Throughout Yellowstone you'll find National Park Passport cancellation stamps in visitor centers and gift shops. Most people stamp their official National Park Passport books.
But nobody says you can't stamp your junk journal too. Bonus points, because each stamp is unique to where you are stamping from and dated!
Leave a few blank pages specifically for park stamps or create a dedicated "stamp collection" spread. If you're a little extra like me, bring a stamp-shaped hole punch and create a page that looks like a giant collection of postage stamps.
It's a fun way to track where you've been and adds a vintage travel feel to your journal.
The Free Stuff Nobody Thinks About
Some of the best junk journal supplies in Yellowstone are completely free.
They literally hand you a map of the entire park and a receipt upon entry!
But keep an eye out for:
- Wildlife identification pamphlets
- Ranger program handouts
- Safety brochures
- Junior Ranger activity sheets
- Trail information cards
- Visitor center maps
- Event schedules
Most visitors toss these in the trash when they get home.
You? You're making art.
Cut out illustrations, maps, animal graphics, or interesting facts and add them throughout your journal pages.
Don't Throw Away Your Park Map
Like I just mentioned above. The map you receive when entering Yellowstone is junk journaling gold.
Use it as:
- A fold-out page
- A background for photos
- A route tracker
- A place to mark your favorite stops
- A spot to circle every geyser you visited
Bonus points if you jot down little notes directly on the map throughout your trip.
Postcards Are Basically Ready-Made Journal Pages
Every gift shop in Yellowstone sells postcards.
Instead of mailing all of them, keep a few. But if you are anything like me, Mail at least one home! Write your favorite memories on it and in a few days you will be reminded of all the fun you had on your trip! It will also make a nice anchor to end your Yellowstone Junk Journal after you are home.
Use them as:
- Full-page inserts
- Pocket pages
- Photo backgrounds
- Journal covers
- Decorative page elements
Some of the vintage-style Yellowstone postcards are so beautiful they practically create the page for you.
Save the Receipts
Hear me out.
That receipt from the Old Faithful General Store?
Future you will love it.
The receipt from the ice cream you bought after hiking all day?
Journal-worthy.
The gift shop receipt for the stuffed bison you definitely didn't need?
Absolutely going in the book.
The Intrigue Ink Yellowstone Edition Tee you found in the park and had to buy?
You will want that receipt in your journal! Don't forget to cut the tag off the shirt and use that for your journal too!
Receipts add dates, locations, and tiny details that help bring memories back years later.
Your Road Trip Snacks Deserve Recognition
Junk journals are supposed to be messy.
Save:
- Candy wrappers
- Gum wrappers
- Coffee sleeves
- Hot chocolate packets
- Trail mix bags
- National park snack packaging
Will it look ridiculous?
Yes.
Will it make you laugh when you find it five years from now?
Also yes.
Nature Finds (The Responsible Version)
Before collecting anything from the park, remember that Yellowstone has rules about removing natural objects.
Leave the rocks, flowers, antlers, and other natural treasures where you found them.
Instead, use sketches, photos, rubbings, notes, or drawings to document what you saw.
A doodled blade of grass is just as memorable as the real thing and park rangers won't have to give you a lecture.
Personally taking a ball of clay for imprint stamping is one of my favorite things to do!
Polaroids, Photos, and Doodles
Not every page needs to be perfect.
Tape in:
- Polaroids
- Instant photos
- Printed phone photos
Then fill the empty spaces with:
- Little doodles of bison
- Mountains
- Pine trees
- Elk
- Geysers
- Terrible drawings of Old Faithful
The worse the drawing, the more personality it has.
Make It a Group Project
Traveling with friends or family?
Hand them your journal.
Have them:
- Sign a page
- Draw something
- Write a favorite memory
- Rate the trip
- Leave a funny quote from the vacation
Years later, these end up being some of the best parts of the entire journal.
Before You Go...
Throw a journal in your backpack.
Save the map.
Keep the receipt.
Stamp the page.
And don't underestimate the storytelling power of a crumpled candy wrapper from the middle of Yellowstone National Park.
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