Christen McKey

A sweet-and-salty trail mix of passion for camping, the outdoors, and writing, blended with a tragedy-turned-redemption story, has led me to this path. My journey began as a single mom of babies, new to Virginia, and adamant about regularly taking them camping. Along the way, I remarried a fellow outdoor lover, set a goal to visit and camp every state park in Virginia, created a website, started writing a book about my hard story, and published a children’s book about camping. 

After many years in communication at Noble Warriors, a non-profit Christian ministry that serves churches and equips men as they lead their families, I currently work part-time as a writer and copy editor for the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. With my family, mountain dog, and little dog by my side, my mission is to show how beneficial, fun, and easy it is to explore the outdoors, to spread the joy of our state parks, and to share stories of hope. 

My children's book, The Joyful Camper, is available on Amazon.

Follow me on Instagram @wordycamper and Facebook @christen.mckey.

Read my writings on the Virginia State Parks blog, on Her View From Home, and in Richmond Family Magazine.

Check out my adventures with my sister on our YouTube channel, @SisterAdventureVA.

The views expressed on this site are my own and do not reflect the views of my employer or of the Commonwealth of Virginia.