If you’ve played the original PARKS by Keymaster Games, this roll-and-write version keeps the spirit of hiking through national parks but condenses it into a quicker, dice-driven adventure. You’ll be rolling dice, tracking your journey, spotting wildlife and uncovering landmarks, all to create the hike of a lifetime.
Setup
If you’ve played the original PARKS by Keymaster Games, this roll-and-write version keeps the spirit of hiking through national parks but condenses it into a quicker, dice-driven adventure. You’ll be rolling dice, tracking your journey, spotting wildlife and uncovering landmarks, all to create the hike of a lifetime.
Setup
Each player takes a logbook and a branded PARKS pencil. Place the trail board in the centre, using the correct side depending on the number of players (1 to 2 players on one side, 3 to 4 on the other). Shuffle the trail tokens and place one randomly above each trail marker on the board. If you’re playing with 1 or 2 players, leave out the binoculars token. Place the boot token on the first space of the trail.
Next, choose one of the six available park cards. Each park offers a unique effect that adds a twist to the way you play. Once chosen, place it symbol side up where all players can see it. Then roll all five dice: four white and one yellow Lead Hiker die.
Before starting day one, players who aren’t going first get a small head start:
● Second player gets one sun
● Third gets one sun and one water
● Fourth gets two suns and one water
Record these in your logbook and you’re ready to hit the trail.
Hiking Phase
Roll and Hike takes place over three days, each with two parts: the hiking phase and the sunset phase.
During the hiking phase, players take turns choosing a die from the pool. You mark the die’s effect in your logbook, collecting resources or discovering landmarks and wildlife. If you can’t use the die you’ve taken, gain one sun instead.
Here’s what each die face does:
● Sun: Circle a sun. These power certain park abilities and are needed to take the Lead Hiker die.
● Water: Fill a drop in your canteen. Completed columns score points during the sunset phase.
● Wildlife: Cross off an animal in the wildlife section and take the associated bonus.
● Landmark: Either draw a landmark icon on a journal page or fill in a sunset ability circle.
● Pencil: Draw a line on a journal page. Each line scores 1 point at the end of the game. You can only add a line if the page already has a landmark.
● Binoculars: Fill in a binoculars circle. Completing a binocular pair gives you a bonus action: water, wildlife, pencil or landmark.
The yellow die is the Lead Hiker die. It’s more powerful but comes at a cost. To take it, you must spend suns equal to the number of white dice still in the pool. When you take the Lead Hiker die, you get to use it, move the boot one step forward, and activate the trail token at the new spot. Trail tokens grant the ability of the landmark pictured on them, so you can either draw a picture in your journal or colour in a corresponding Sunset action. After this, all players get to draw a journal line for the new landmark token.
You can take the Lead Hiker die at any point, but it may be too expensive if lots of white dice remain in the pool. If a player chooses, they can take it as their first action, meaning no other player will get a turn that round.
Once the boot moves, the next player rerolls all five dice and the round continues.
Sunset Phase
When the boot reaches the final trail marker, the hiking phase ends, and the sunset phase begins.
This is when any sunset abilities you’ve unlocked activate. These may grant water, suns, binoculars or extra journal entries. These bonuses trigger at the end of each day once unlocked, so collecting them early can really pay off.
Some park cards also give you special sunset effects. For example, Yosemite lets you spend two suns at sunset to take two bonus actions.
Players then check their canteen. You’ll score this at the end of each day and write it in your points section. You score points only for the most recently completed column.
Game End and Scoring
After the third sunset, it’s time to total up your points.
● Wildlife: Score points only if you’ve crossed off animals that are next to each other in the same column.
● Journal: One point for every completed line. If you’ve drawn landmarks on all your journal pages, gain an extra five points.
● Canteen: Add up the canteen scores from each sunset phase.
● Park card: Check the park card for any additional scoring rules
The player with the highest total wins, having enjoyed the most fulfilling and well-documented journey through the national park.
Solo Trekking
Roll and Hike includes a dedicated solo mode where you’ll hike alone while trying to top your best score.
Follow Ranger Teddy’s Trail Guide, included in the box, which leads you through all three days. The structure is the same, but with a twist. Any die you take will move the boot along the trail. You can take any die, including the Lead Hiker die, for free. If you want to take a second die on your turn, you’ll need to spend a sun. This limits the number of actions you can take each day, so planning is key.
At the end, total your points as usual and compare them to Teddy’s guide. See whether your trek was casual, competitive or truly memorable.
Top Tips for Hikers
Want to make sure your hike is unforgettable? Here are some useful tips:
● Fill your canteen: Water doesn’t pay off immediately, but filling columns steadily gives you a solid point boost. A strong canteen score in the first sunset phase will benefit you across Roll and Hike.
● Target wildlife: Don’t just cross off animals at random. Aim for adjacent pairs to unlock their bonuses and end-game points. These stack quickly and help you get the most out of every move.
● Manage your suns: Suns aren’t worth points, but they give you control. Keep a few in reserve so you can grab the Lead Hiker die when it matters. Suns also fuel powerful bonus actions via park abilities.
● Sunset synergy: Unlock sunset abilities early and make the most of them every day. They stack up fast and help build momentum through the game.
● Park bonus: Tailor your play to the specific park card. One strategy won’t suit every park. Adapt your focus to get the most from each round. Death Valley, for example, flips play dramatically by converting water into suns.
Now you’re ready for your three-day trek. Grab your logbook, roll the dice and enjoy the journey.
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About the author:
* Sophie is a gamer, blogger, podcaster, and book lover with a passion for solo narrative video games. When she’s not immersed in games or writing, she’s probably out hiking. Her favourite board games feature worker placement, nature themes, and smart tableau-building mechanics.
Zatu Review Summary
Zatu Score
85%
