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The Atlas Obscura Podcast · Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Brad Riant's First Trip with Grandma Joy: Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The first camping trip Brad Riant took with his grandmother, Joy, was in 2015 to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. At the time, his grandmother was 85 years old, and this trip marked the beginning of their extensive national park travels.

personGrandma Joy

The tape

5 quotes
The first camping trip you did together was in 2015.
Kelly McGoverrs
Is that right?
Kelly McGoverrs
That's right.
Brad Riant
And it was to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Kelly McGoverrs
Your grandmother was 85 at the time.
Kelly McGoverrs
Heard on The Atlas Obscura Podcast — “Traveling All 63 U.S National Parks with Grandma Joy, published Wednesday, August 5, 2026. Heardvine summarizes and quotes with attribution and timestamps, and links to the original everywhere.
Transcribed via Gemini audio transcription · $0.04
Brad Riant's First Trip with Grandma Joy: Great Smoky Mountains National Park — Heardvine