Joe Yogerst

Joe Yogerst is a writer, editor, and photographer based in Southern California. He has worked on four continents, including stints in South Africa, London, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Specializing in travel, business, culture, and sports, Joe has contributed to dozens of major publications, including The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Examiner, International Herald Tribune (Paris), CNN Travel, USA Today, BBC Travel, Time, Newsweek, and Travel + Leisure. He's been a contributing editor at both Condé Nast Traveler and Islands magazine. Joe began his career as an editor at Age Communications in London, where he was responsible for editorial content and photos for publications including inflight magazines for Gulf Air and Kuwait Airways, an in-car magazine for Avis, and in-hotel magazines for Sheraton and Holiday Inn. He worked as a managing editor at Emphasis Publishing in Hong Kong and was responsible for six Cathay Pacific publications and International Herald Tribune special sections. He was also the English language editor of Air China's CAAC magazine and Air Macau magazine. As an accomplished author, Joe has worked on several National Geographics Books projects, including "50 States 5,000 Ideas" (2017), the best-selling U.S. travel book the last several years. His book "The Long Road South," about his four-month journey along the Pan American Highway between Texas and Argentina, was named one of America's top two travel books by the Society of American Travel Writers. He's currently working on a children's book on U.S. national parks and a book on the best hiking trails in North America.

• 35+ years of experience as a travel writer, editor, and photographer
• Author and co-author of 40+ books including the best-selling “100 Parks, 5,000 Ideas” (2019) and “100 Drives, 5,000 Ideas” (2020) from National Geographic
• Won America’s Best Travel Book award in the Lowell Thomas competition for “Land of Nine Dragons,” his account of a modern-day journey through Vietnam
• Received a bachelor's degree in geography from the University of California, Los Angeles
• Received a master's degree in journalism from the University of Oregon