Park Trails Theme

You’re a hiking enthusiast that’s ready to step up their game with a regimented training schedule. But you don’t want to be stuck alone on some boring gym treadmill when you could be out, enjoying nature in one of the National Parks. To make your journey all the more interesting, you challenge friends to start hiking in parks that have been most recently founded, then gradually work your way back to the oldest parks. Will you hike easy trails that meander through level terrain, or will you push yourself to conquer some of the most exhilarating trails that the national parks have to offer? Then again, you could just throw in the towel right now and simply enjoy picturesque drives through the parks. Whatever you decide, it’s time to find your Park Trails.

Park Trails Game Play - the main ideas

In Park Trails, each player has their own line of 10 cards that they are trying to sequence according to the park foundation decade, from most recent to oldest. However, the cards begin the game face down, so even the owner of the line doesn't know what cards are in or out of sequence to start the game. Each turn players have option of drawing a card from one of the available piles and using it to replace one from your line (or you could place it in an opponents line, but that's a good way to make enemies).

"But how will you know which cards to replace", you ask? Your other option each turn is to peek at or flip over 2 cards that are already in your line. This is a great way to make use of cards in your line that were already in sequence and to know where to place new cards you draw. You need to be cautious though, because once a card is either flipped or placed face up, it cannot be moved or exchanged. So one miscalculation or faulty memory can leave you in a really tight spot for the rest of the round.

And if this all sounds too simple, not all cards are worth the same number of points at the end of the round. More recent decades have easy trails and are only 1 point. The middle of the pack is worth 2 points for their moderate trails. And the oldest parks have strenuous trails worth 3 points. Additioinally, each decade has one drive that continues the sequence, but is worth 0 points( we are supposed to be hiking, after all). And there are two wild cards that are -10 points. This change in card values adds an aspect of push-your-luck gameplay to the sequencing and memory aspects of the game. 

Park Trails can be played as just a single match, winner-take-all, or multiple matches until a specific point value is reached (we recommend 100 points).

Oh, and Park Trails has still has all the numbers and suits of a standard deck of cards. So take this single deck with you for endless possibilities in games.
Park Trails was created and designed by Ben Panter
©Ben Panter 2016. All Rights Reserved