The Parks Podcast is independently produced — no big media company, no corporate backing, just me, a microphone, and a deep belief that America’s public lands deserve more attention than they’re getting.
Every episode, every park guide, every piece of content I create takes time and resources. When you support this work — in any of the ways below — you’re helping keep it going. And you’re helping more people find their way to the parks.
Here’s every way you can help, from the ones that cost nothing to the ones that go a little deeper.
1: It costs nothing – but means everything
The single most powerful thing you can do to support The Parks Podcast is engage with the content. Here’s why it actually matters.
Every platform — Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook — uses an algorithm to decide who sees what. When you like, comment, share, or follow, you’re telling that algorithm that this content is worth showing to more people. It’s not vanity. It’s reach. And reach is what lets me keep doing this work.
Follow — On every platform you use. @TheParksPodcast on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook. @CatchYourselfSmiling on Instagram and TikTok. Following tells the algorithm you want to see this content — and it means you actually will.
Like — Every like signals to the platform that the content is worth amplifying. One tap. Costs nothing.
Comment — Comments carry more weight than likes in most algorithms. Even a simple “love this park” or “adding this to my list” makes a real difference. And I read every single one.
Share — The most powerful action of all. When you share a post or episode with someone who might love it, you’re doing something no algorithm can do — making a personal recommendation. That’s how this community grows.
Subscribe to the podcast — On Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Subscribe, not just download. Subscriptions signal to podcast platforms that The Parks Podcast is worth recommending to new listeners. It takes 10 seconds and matters more than you know.
2: Send a little love
If The Parks Podcast has given you a reason to get outside, taught you something about a park you love, or just been good company on a long drive — this is the most direct way to say thank you.
Every single one is appreciated more than I can say.
3: Subscribe on Substack
Catch Yourself Smiling is my Substack publication — home to personal essays, park dispatches, Hammock Summer reflections, and the deeper thinking that doesn’t always fit in a podcast episode.
It’s free to subscribe and you’ll get new pieces delivered directly to your inbox. If you want to go deeper and support the work financially, a paid subscription is available — and it means a lot.
Subscribe to Catch Yourself Smiling →
What you’ll find there:
- Joy Letters — personal essays on finding your way back to everyday joy
- In the Parks — park guides and news from America’s public lands
- The Parks Podcast — every episode of the podcast
4: Shop my affiliate partners
Thank you — genuinely. Whether you followed along on TikTok, bought a coffee, subscribed to Substack, or shopped for a hammock through one of these links — it all adds up to something real. It keeps the parks content coming and it keeps me in the hammock, on the trail, and telling these stories.
See you in the parks. 🌲 — Missy
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE
Some links on this page are affiliate links. When you make a purchase through these links, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend brands and products I personally use and believe in. Thank you for supporting The Parks Podcast.