Isaiah Maxi never considered himself a serious outdoorsman.
He enjoyed being a multi-sport athlete in high school and then playing football once he got to college. Maxi, now 28, wanted to get outside and start centering himself, so he made a goal.
By the end of year, Maxi wanted to visit 30 state parks in Missouri. He hiked 31 between February and December. The Missouri state park system includes 92 state parks and historic sites, with more than 150,000 acres, since it was established in 1917.
Here are the state parks Maxi enjoyed the most
Of the 31 state parks he visited, Maxi said in a phone interview with the Springfield News-Leader that the five he enjoyed the most were: Ha Ha Tonka, Knob Noster, Taum Sauk Mountain, Onondaga Cave and Rock Bridge Memorial.