Trails, tales & travels
Some couples collect souvenirs.
Helen and Allen Holcomb collected sunsets over mountain peaks, winding roads through towering forests, and family memories stretching across America’s most treasured national parks.
Now residents at Great Lakes Christian Homes, the Holcombs often find themselves swapping travel stories with neighbors who share the same spirit of adventure. Their conversations are a reminder that while their traveling days have slowed, the memories—and the friendships they inspire—continue to grow.
“Our neighbors have some wonderful travel stories too,” Helen said. “One couple has visited every state capital except one in Alaska. We enjoy sharing those experiences with each other.”
For the Holcombs, the journey began more than seventy years ago.
On their honeymoon in 1954, the newlyweds packed up the car and headed west to the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Park. What started as a honeymoon adventure soon became a family tradition that would shape the next seven decades of their lives.
“After that,” Allen recalled, “We just wanted to see the country.”
Long before GPS and smartphones, planning each vacation was an adventure in itself. Maps covered the kitchen table as they traced routes, marked attractions, and dreamed about places they had yet to discover.
Together they eventually visited 33 national parks, each one offering something entirely different.
Some welcomed them with waterfalls tumbling through evergreen forests. Others revealed towering mountain ranges, colorful canyons, massive rock formations, or reminders of America’s rich history.
Yet one destination kept calling them back.
“We’ve gone to Glacier National Park three times,” Helen said. “The scenery, the layout, the big rocks, the big mountains—they just take your breath away.”
Standing among those mountains also strengthened their faith.
“I like the Smokies,” Helen said, “but you haven’t seen mountains until you’ve seen the Rockies. When you stand beside those mountains, you realize God is so big, and I am so small.”
Even after dozens of parks, one memory still stands above the rest.
During that very first honeymoon trip, Helen and Allen rode mules deep into the Grand Canyon.
By the time they reached the bottom and climbed back out, they were exhausted, dusty, and trying to clean themselves up before visiting museums later that evening.
“We were all dirty afterward,” Helen laughed. “But that trip has stayed with us our whole lives.”
As their family grew, so did their adventures.
The Holcombs raised three daughters, and many family vacations revolved around road trips to national parks. They packed the family vehicle, stayed in modest roadside motels, and discovered that some of life’s best memories happened somewhere between the destination and the drive.
“When the girls were little, you could get a hotel room for twenty dollars,” Helen said. “It was tiring and exhausting sometimes, but it was good fun.”
Eventually, they traded motel rooms for camping, first with a small travel trailer and later with fifth wheels that gave the family even greater freedom.
“With a trailer, you can deviate from the plan if you need to,” Helen explained. “You have the freedom to take a longer route and maybe see something amazing you otherwise would’ve missed.”
Allen often preferred the scenic route.
“We took U.S. Route 2 all the way to Washington—no major expressways,” he remembered. “Then we crossed into Canada and even rode the bobsled at the Olympic training center.”
Not every adventure went exactly as planned.
During one visit to Glacier National Park, rangers closed a road after a bear wandered too close to visitors, forcing everyone to change their route.
“There is only so much you can control with nature,” Helen said with a smile.
Their travels created more than memories—they created traditions. Their family has grown to include eleven grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren. Today, many of those younger generations are discovering the very parks where the Holcombs’ love of adventure first took root.
“We saw a lot of these places first,” Helen said. “Then we went back with our kids. Now they’re going back with their kids.”
Traveling through the national parks also gave the Holcombs a deeper appreciation for protecting the beauty of the natural world.
“That’s the biggest point right there,” Allen said.
“We have to preserve these places,” Helen added. “We’re thankful these parks are national parks so people for many generations can enjoy their beauty.”
Although Glacier National Park remains their favorite, the Grand Canyon still holds a special place in their hearts because it marked the beginning of everything.
“We’re biased toward the Grand Canyon,” Helen admitted with a smile. “It was our honeymoon trip, and every time you go back, you’re amazed all over again.”
Looking back, the Holcombs realize the national parks gave them much more than beautiful photographs or memorable vacations.
They provided opportunities to slow down, strengthen their faith, raise adventurous children, and spend decades discovering God’s creation together.
Now, at Great Lakes Christian Homes, those stories continue to bring people together. Whether reminiscing with neighbors or watching younger generations create adventures of their own, Helen and Allen know the greatest journey wasn’t simply crossing the country—it was traveling through life together.
“We felt God’s presence in the mountains,” Helen reflected. “What a wonderful world He created for all of us to enjoy.”