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Wikipedia

List of national parks of the United States

February 15, 2024

The United States has 63 national parks, which are congressionally designated protected areas operated by the National Park Service, an agency of the Department of the Interior.[1] National parks are designated for their natural beauty, unique geological features, diverse ecosystems, and recreational opportunities, typically "because of some outstanding scenic feature or natural phenomena."[2] While legislatively all units of the National Park System are considered equal with the same mission, national parks are generally larger and more of a destination, and hunting and extractive activities are prohibited.[3] National monuments, on the other hand, are also frequently protected for their historical or archaeological significance. Eight national parks (including six in Alaska) are paired with a national preserve, areas with different levels of protection that are administered together but considered separate units and whose areas are not included in the figures below. The 428 units of the National Park System can be broadly referred to as national parks, but most have other formal designations.[4]

1938 poster promoting Yellowstone National Park, the first national park in the world
Interactive map of the National Parks of the United States.

A bill creating the first national park, Yellowstone, was signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1872, followed by Mackinac National Park in 1875 (decommissioned in 1895), and then Rock Creek Park (later merged into National Capital Parks), Sequoia and Yosemite in 1890. The Organic Act of 1916 created the National Park Service "to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wildlife therein, and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations."[5] Many current national parks had been previously protected as national monuments by the president under the Antiquities Act or as other designations created by Congress before being redesignated by Congress; the newest national park is New River Gorge, previously a National River, and the most recent entirely new park is National Park of American Samoa. A few former national parks are no longer designated as such, or have been disbanded. Fourteen national parks are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites (WHS),[6] and 21 national parks are named UNESCO Biosphere Reserves (BR),[7] with eight national parks in both programs.

Thirty states have national parks, as do the territories of American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The state with the most national parks is California with nine, followed by Alaska with eight, Utah with five, and Colorado with four. The largest national park is Wrangell–St. Elias in Alaska: at over 8 million acres (32,375 km2), it is larger than each of the nine smallest states. The next three largest parks are also in Alaska. The smallest park is Gateway Arch National Park, Missouri, at 192.83 acres (0.7804 km2). The total area protected by national parks is approximately 52.4 million acres (212,000 km2), for an average of 833 thousand acres (3,370 km2) but a median of only 220 thousand acres (890 km2).[8]

The national parks set a visitation record in 2021, with more than 92 million visitors.[9] Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee has been the most-visited park since 1944,[10] and had almost 13 million visitors in 2022.[11] In contrast, only about 9,500 people visited the remote Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve in Alaska in 2022.[11]

National parks edit

Legend
* Green – UNESCO designated World Heritage Sites (WHS)
† Blue – UNESCO designated Biosphere Reserves (BR)
‡ Purple – parks designated in both UNESCO programs
List of U.S. national parks
Name Image Location Date established as park[12] Area (2023)[8] Recreation visitors (2022)[11] Description
Acadia   Maine
44°21′N 68°13′W / 44.35°N 68.21°W / 44.35; -68.21 (Acadia) 		February 26, 1919 49,071.40 acres (198.6 km2) 3,970,260 Covering most of Mount Desert Island and other coastal islands, Acadia features the tallest mountain on the Atlantic coast of the United States, granite peaks, ocean shoreline, woodlands, and lakes. There are freshwater, estuary, forest, and intertidal habitats.[13][14]
American Samoa   American Samoa
14°15′S 170°41′W / 14.25°S 170.68°W / -14.25; -170.68 (National Park of American Samoa) 		October 31, 1988 8,256.67 acres (33.4 km2) 1,887 The southernmost national park is on three Samoan islands in the South Pacific. It protects coral reefs, rainforests, volcanic mountains, and white beaches. The area is also home to flying foxes, brown boobies, sea turtles, and 900 species of fish.[15]
Arches   Utah
38°41′N 109°34′W / 38.68°N 109.57°W / 38.68; -109.57 (Arches) 		November 12, 1971 76,678.98 acres (310.3 km2) 1,460,652 This site features more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches, with some of the most popular arches in the park being Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch and Double Arch.[16] Millions of years of erosion have created these structures in a desert climate where the arid ground has life-sustaining biological soil crusts and potholes that serve as natural water-collecting basins. Other geologic formations include stone pinnacles, fins, and balancing rocks.[17]
Badlands   South Dakota
43°45′N 102°30′W / 43.75°N 102.50°W / 43.75; -102.50 (Badlands) 		November 10, 1978 242,755.94 acres (982.4 km2) 1,006,809 The Badlands are a collection of buttes, pinnacles, spires, and mixed-grass prairies within the drainage basin of the White River, in southwestern South Dakota. They contain the largest known assemblage of late Eocene and Oligocene mammal fossils.[18] Wildlife includes bison, bighorn sheep, black-footed ferrets, and prairie dogs.[19]
Big Bend †   Texas
29°15′N 103°15′W / 29.25°N 103.25°W / 29.25; -103.25 (Big Bend) 		June 12, 1944 801,163.21 acres (3,242.2 km2) 514,107 Named for the prominent bend in the Rio Grande along the U.S.–Mexico border, this park encompasses a large and remote part of the Chihuahuan Desert. Its main attraction is backcountry recreation in the arid Chisos Mountains and in canyons along the river. A wide variety of Cretaceous and Tertiary fossils as well as cultural artifacts of Native Americans also exist within its borders.[20] (BR)[21]
Biscayne   Florida
25°39′N 80°05′W / 25.65°N 80.08°W / 25.65; -80.08 (Biscayne) 		June 28, 1980 172,971.11 acres (700.0 km2) 701,023 The central part of Biscayne Bay, this mostly underwater park at the north end of the Florida Keys has four interrelated marine ecosystems: mangrove forest, the Bay, the Keys, and coral reefs. Threatened animals include the West Indian manatee, American crocodile, various sea turtles, and the peregrine falcon.[22]
Black Canyon of the Gunnison   Colorado
38°34′N 107°43′W / 38.57°N 107.72°W / 38.57; -107.72 (Black Canyon of the Gunnison) 		October 21, 1999 30,779.83 acres (124.6 km2) 297,257 The park protects a quarter of the Gunnison River, which slices sheer canyon walls from dark Precambrian-era rock. The canyon features some of the steepest cliffs and oldest rock in North America, and is a popular site for river rafting and rock climbing. The deep, narrow canyon is composed of gneiss and schist, which appears black when in shadow.[23]
Bryce Canyon   Utah
37°34′N 112°11′W / 37.57°N 112.18°W / 37.57; -112.18 (Bryce Canyon) 		February 25, 1928 35,835.08 acres (145.0 km2) 2,354,660 Bryce Canyon is a geological amphitheater on southern Utah's Paunsaugunt Plateau with hundreds of tall, multicolored sandstone hoodoos formed by erosion. The region was originally settled by Native Americans and later by Mormon pioneers.[24]
Canyonlands   Utah
38°12′N 109°56′W / 38.2°N 109.93°W / 38.2; -109.93 (Canyonlands) 		September 12, 1964 337,597.83 acres (1,366.2 km2) 779,147 This landscape was eroded into a maze of canyons, buttes, and mesas by the combined efforts of the Colorado River, Green River, and their tributaries, which divide the park into three districts. The park contains thousands of rock pinnacles and arches, as well as artifacts from Ancient Pueblo peoples.[25]
Capitol Reef   Utah
38°12′N 111°10′W / 38.20°N 111.17°W / 38.20; -111.17 (Capitol Reef) 		December 18, 1971 241,904.50 acres (979.0 km2) 1,227,608 The park's Waterpocket Fold is a 100-mile (160 km) monocline that exhibits the earth's diverse geologic layers. Other natural features include monoliths, eroded buttes, and sandstone domes, including one shaped like the United States Capitol.[26]
Carlsbad Caverns *   New Mexico
32°10′N 104°26′W / 32.17°N 104.44°W / 32.17; -104.44 (Carlsbad Caverns) 		May 14, 1930 46,766.45 acres (189.3 km2) 390,932 Carlsbad Caverns has 117 caves, the longest of which is over 120 miles (190 km) long. The Big Room is almost 4,000 feet (1,200 m) long, and the caves are home to over 400,000 Mexican free-tailed bats and sixteen other species. Above ground are the Chihuahuan Desert and Rattlesnake Springs.[27] (WHS)[28]
Channel Islands †   California
34°01′N 119°25′W / 34.01°N 119.42°W / 34.01; -119.42 (Channel Islands) 		March 5, 1980 249,561.00 acres (1,009.9 km2) 323,245 Five of the eight Channel Islands are protected, with half of the park's area underwater. The islands have a unique Mediterranean ecosystem originally settled by the Chumash people. They are home to over 2,000 species of land plants and animals, 145 endemic to them, including the island fox. Ferry services offer transportation to the islands from the mainland.[29] (BR)[30]
Congaree †   South Carolina
33°47′N 80°47′W / 33.78°N 80.78°W / 33.78; -80.78 (Congaree) 		November 10, 2003 26,692.60 acres (108.0 km2) 204,522 On the Congaree River, this park is the largest portion of old-growth floodplain forest left in North America. Some of the trees are the tallest in the eastern United States. An elevated walkway called the Boardwalk Loop guides visitors through the swamp.[31] (BR)[32]
Crater Lake   Oregon
42°56′N 122°06′W / 42.94°N 122.1°W / 42.94; -122.1 (Crater Lake) 		May 22, 1902 183,224.05 acres (741.5 km2) 527,259 Crater Lake lies in the caldera of an ancient volcano called Mount Mazama that collapsed 7,700 years ago. The lake is the deepest in the United States and is noted for its vivid blue color and water clarity. Wizard Island and the Phantom Ship are more recent volcanic formations within the caldera. As the lake has no inlets or outlets, it is replenished only by precipitation.[33]
Cuyahoga Valley   Ohio
41°14′N 81°33′W / 41.24°N 81.55°W / 41.24; -81.55 (Cuyahoga Valley) 		October 11, 2000 32,571.89 acres (131.8 km2) 2,913,312 This park along the Cuyahoga River has waterfalls, hills, trails, and exhibits on early rural living. The Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail follows the Ohio and Erie Canal, where mules towed canal boats. The park has numerous historic homes, bridges, and structures,[34] and also offers a scenic train ride.[35]
Death Valley †   California, Nevada
36°14′N 116°49′W / 36.24°N 116.82°W / 36.24; -116.82 (Death Valley) 		October 31, 1994 3,408,395.63 acres (13,793.3 km2) 1,128,862 Death Valley is the hottest, lowest, and driest place in the United States, with daytime temperatures that have exceeded 130 °F (54 °C). The park protects Badwater Basin and its vast salt flats at the lowest elevation in North America, −282 ft (−86 m),[36] This geologic graben also protects numerous canyons, badlands, sand dunes, mountain ranges, historic mines, springs, and more than 1,000 species of plants that grow.[37] (BR)[38]
Denali †   Alaska
63°20′N 150°30′W / 63.33°N 150.50°W / 63.33; -150.50 (Denali) 		February 26, 1917 4,740,911.16 acres (19,185.8 km2) 427,562 Centered on Denali, the tallest and most prominent mountain in North America, the park is serviced by a single road leading to Wonder Lake, most of which can only be accessed via scheduled tour buses. Denali and other peaks of the Alaska Range are covered with long glaciers and boreal forest. Wildlife includes grizzly bears, Dall sheep, moose, caribou, and wolves.[39] (BR)[40]
Dry Tortugas †   Florida
24°38′N 82°52′W / 24.63°N 82.87°W / 24.63; -82.87 (Dry Tortugas) 		October 26, 1992 64,701.22 acres (261.8 km2) 78,488 The islands of the Dry Tortugas, at the westernmost end of the Florida Keys, are the site of Fort Jefferson, a Civil War-era fort that is the largest masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere. The park is home to undisturbed coral reefs and shipwrecks, and is only accessible by plane or boat.[41] (BR)[42]
Everglades ‡   Florida
25°19′N 80°56′W / 25.32°N 80.93°W / 25.32; -80.93 (Everglades) 		May 30, 1934 1,508,938.57 acres (6,106.5 km2) 1,155,193 The Everglades are the largest tropical wilderness in the United States. This mangrove and tropical rainforest ecosystem and marine estuary is home to 36 protected species, including the Florida panther, American crocodile, and West Indian manatee. Some areas have been drained and developed; restoration projects aim to restore the ecology.[43] (WHS)[44] (BR)[42]
Gates of the Arctic   Alaska
67°47′N 153°18′W / 67.78°N 153.30°W / 67.78; -153.30 (Gates of the Arctic) 		December 2, 1980 7,523,897.45 acres (30,448.1 km2) 9,457 The country's northernmost park protects an expanse of pure wilderness in Alaska's Brooks Range and has no park facilities. The land is home to Alaska Natives who have relied on the land and caribou for 11,000 years.[45]
Gateway Arch   Missouri
38°38′N 90°11′W / 38.63°N 90.19°W / 38.63; -90.19 (Gateway Arch) 		February 22, 2018[46] 192.83 acres (0.8 km2) 1,618,774 The Gateway Arch is a 630-foot (192 m) (both high and wide) catenary arch built in the 1960s to commemorate the Lewis and Clark Expedition, initiated by Thomas Jefferson, and the subsequent westward expansion of the country. The nearby Old Courthouse, across a greenway to the west of the arch, was the original site of the landmark Dred Scott case about slavery. An underground museum describes the arch's construction and the country's westward expansion.[47]
Glacier ‡   Montana
48°48′N 114°00′W / 48.80°N 114.00°W / 48.80; -114.00 (Glacier) 		May 11, 1910 1,013,126.39 acres (4,100.0 km2) 2,908,458 The U.S. half of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, this park includes 26 rapidly receding glaciers and 130 named lakes surrounded by Rocky Mountain peaks. Historic hotels and the landmark Going-to-the-Sun Road accommodate visitors.[48] The local mountains, formed by an overthrust, expose Paleozoic fossils including trilobites, mollusks, giant ferns and dinosaurs. The park is also home to Triple Divide Peak, which forms the boundary between the watersheds of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans.[49] (WHS)[50] (BR)[51]
Glacier Bay ‡   Alaska
58°30′N 137°00′W / 58.50°N 137.00°W / 58.50; -137.00 (Glacier Bay) 		December 2, 1980 3,223,383.43 acres (13,044.6 km2) 545,758 Glacier Bay contains tidewater glaciers, mountains, fjords, and a temperate rainforest, and is home to large populations of grizzly bears, mountain goats, whales, seals, and eagles. When discovered in 1794 by George Vancouver, the entire bay was covered by ice, but the glaciers have since receded more than 65 miles (105 km).[52] (WHS)[53] (BR)[54]
Grand Canyon *   Arizona
36°04′N 112°08′W / 36.06°N 112.14°W / 36.06; -112.14 (Grand Canyon) 		February 26, 1919 1,201,647.03 acres (4,862.9 km2) 4,732,101 The Grand Canyon, carved by the mighty Colorado River, is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 1 mile (1.6 km) deep, and up to 15 miles (24 km) wide. Millions of years of erosion have resulted in a massive three-tiered canyon, exposing the multicolored layers of the Colorado Plateau in mesas and canyon walls, visible from trails that descend into the canyon from the north and south rims.[55] (WHS)[56]
Grand Teton †   Wyoming
43°44′N 110°48′W / 43.73°N 110.80°W / 43.73; -110.80 (Grand Teton) 		February 26, 1929 310,044.36 acres (1,254.7 km2) 2,806,223 Grand Teton is the tallest mountain in the scenic Teton Range. The park's historic Jackson Hole and reflective piedmont lakes teem with endemic wildlife, with a backdrop of craggy mountains that rise abruptly from the sage-covered valley below.[57] (BR)[7]
Great Basin   Nevada
38°59′N 114°18′W / 38.98°N 114.30°W / 38.98; -114.30 (Great Basin) 		October 27, 1986 77,180.00 acres (312.3 km2) 142,115 Based around Nevada's second tallest mountain, Wheeler Peak, Great Basin National Park protects 5,000-year-old bristlecone pines, a rock glacier, and the limestone Lehman Caves. Due to its remote location, the park is home to some of the country's darkest night skies. Wildlife includes the Townsend's big-eared bat, pronghorn, and Bonneville cutthroat trout.[58]
Great Sand Dunes   Colorado
37°44′N 105°31′W / 37.73°N 105.51°W / 37.73; -105.51 (Great Sand Dunes) 		September 24, 2004 107,345.73 acres (434.4 km2) 493,428 The tallest sand dunes in North America, up to 750 feet (230 m) tall, were formed by deposits of the ancient Rio Grande in the San Luis Valley. Abutting a variety of grasslands, shrublands, and wetlands, the park also features alpine lakes, six 13,000-foot mountains, and old-growth forests.[59]
Great Smoky Mountains ‡   North Carolina, Tennessee
35°41′N 83°32′W / 35.68°N 83.53°W / 35.68; -83.53 (Great Smoky Mountains) 		June 15, 1934 522,426.88 acres (2,114.2 km2) 12,937,633 The Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Appalachian Mountains, span a wide range of elevations, making them home to over 400 vertebrate species, 100 tree species, and 5,000 plant species. Hiking is the park's main attraction, with over 800 miles (1,300 km) of trails, including 70 miles (110 km) of the Appalachian Trail. Other activities include fishing, horseback riding, and touring nearly 80 historic structures.[60] (WHS)[61] (BR)[62]
Guadalupe Mountains   Texas
31°55′N 104°52′W / 31.92°N 104.87°W / 31.92; -104.87 (Guadalupe Mountains) 		September 30, 1972 86,367.10 acres (349.5 km2) 219,987 This park contains Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas, as well as the scenic McKittrick Canyon filled with bigtooth maples, a corner of the arid Chihuahuan Desert, and a fossilized coral reef from the Permian era.[63]
Haleakalā †   Hawaii
20°43′N 156°10′W / 20.72°N 156.17°W / 20.72; -156.17 (Haleakalā) 		July 1, 1961 33,488.98 acres (135.5 km2) 1,087,616 The Haleakalā volcano on Maui features a very large crater with numerous cinder cones, a grove of non-native trees, the Kipahulu section's scenic pools of freshwater fish, and the endemic Hawaiian goose. The park protects the greatest number of endangered species within a U.S. national park.[64] (BR)[65]
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes ‡   Hawaii
19°23′N 155°12′W / 19.38°N 155.20°W / 19.38; -155.20 (Hawaiʻi Volcanoes) 		August 1, 1916 344,812.18 acres (1,395.4 km2) 1,580,961 This park on the Big Island protects the Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, two of the world's most active geological features. Diverse ecosystems range from tropical forests at sea level to barren lava beds at more than 13,000 feet (4,000 m).[66] (WHS)[67] (BR)[65]
Hot Springs   Arkansas
34°31′N 93°03′W / 34.51°N 93.05°W / 34.51; -93.05 (Hot Springs) 		March 4, 1921 5,554.15 acres (22.5 km2) 2,646,133 Hot Springs was originally established by Congress as a federal reserve on April 20, 1832, making it the oldest area managed by the National Park Service. Natural thermal springs flow out of the Ouachita Mountains, providing opportunities for relaxation in a historic setting. Bathhouse Row preserves examples of 19th-century architecture.[68] Hot Springs is the first national park within a city and was the smallest national park until 2018.[69]
Indiana Dunes   Indiana
41°39′12″N 87°03′09″W / 41.6533°N 87.0524°W / 41.6533; -87.0524 (Indiana Dunes) 		February 15, 2019 15,349.08 acres (62.1 km2) 2,834,180 Previously designated a national lakeshore, parts of this 20-mile (32 km) stretch of the southern shore of Lake Michigan have sandy beaches and tall dunes. The park includes grassy prairies, peat bogs, and marsh wetlands home to over 2,000 species.[70]
Isle Royale †   Michigan
48°06′N 88°33′W / 48.10°N 88.55°W / 48.10; -88.55 (Isle Royale) 		April 3, 1940 571,790.30 acres (2,314.0 km2) 25,454 The largest island in Lake Superior is a place of isolation and wilderness. Along with its many shipwrecks, waterways, and hiking trails, the park also includes over 400 smaller islands within 4.5 miles (7.2 km) of its shores. There are only 20 mammal species on the island, though the relationship between its wolf and moose populations is especially unique.[71] (BR)[72]
Joshua Tree †   California
33°47′N 115°54′W / 33.79°N 115.90°W / 33.79; -115.90 (Joshua Tree) 		October 31, 1994 795,155.85 acres (3,217.9 km2) 3,058,294 Covering large areas of the Colorado and Mojave Deserts and the Little San Bernardino Mountains, this desert landscape is populated by vast stands of Joshua trees. Large changes in elevation reveal various contrasting environments including bleached sand dunes, dry lakes, rugged mountains, and maze-like clusters of monzogranite monoliths.[73] (BR)[38]
Katmai   Alaska
58°30′N 155°00′W / 58.50°N 155.00°W / 58.50; -155.00 (Katmai) 		December 2, 1980 3,674,529.33 acres (14,870.3 km2) 33,908 This park on the Alaska Peninsula protects the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, an ash flow formed by the 1912 eruption of Novarupta, and the stratovolcano Mount Katmai. Over 2,000 grizzly bears come here each year to catch spawning salmon. Other wildlife includes caribou, wolves, moose, and wolverines.[74]
Kenai Fjords   Alaska
59°55′N 149°39′W / 59.92°N 149.65°W / 59.92; -149.65 (Kenai Fjords) 		December 2, 1980 669,650.05 acres (2,710.0 km2) 389,943 Near Seward on the Kenai Peninsula, this park protects the Harding Icefield and at least 38 glaciers and fjords stemming from it. The only area accessible to the public by road is the rapidly shrinking Exit Glacier. Boat and kayak tours offer views of tidewater glaciers, whales, sea lions, and marine birds.[75]
Kings Canyon †   California
36°48′N 118°33′W / 36.80°N 118.55°W / 36.80; -118.55 (Kings Canyon) 		March 4, 1940 461,901.20 acres (1,869.2 km2) 640,986 Home to several giant sequoia groves and the General Grant Tree, the world's second largest measured tree, this park also features part of the Kings River, sculptor of the dramatic granite canyon that is its namesake, and the San Joaquin River, as well as Boyden Cave.[76] Although Kings Canyon National Park was designated as such in 1940, it subsumed General Grant National Park, which had been established on October 1, 1890, as the United States' fourth national park.[77][78][79] (BR)[80]
Kobuk Valley   Alaska
67°33′N 159°17′W / 67.55°N 159.28°W / 67.55; -159.28 (Kobuk Valley) 		December 2, 1980 1,750,716.16 acres (7,084.9 km2) 16,925 Kobuk Valley protects 61 miles (98 km) of the Kobuk River and three regions of sand dunes. Created by glaciers, the Great Kobuk, Little Kobuk, and Hunt River Sand Dunes can reach 100 feet (30 m) high and 100 °F (38 °C), and they are the largest dunes in the Arctic. Twice a year, half a million caribou migrate through the dunes and across river bluffs that expose well-preserved ice age fossils.[81]
Lake Clark   Alaska
60°58′N 153°25′W / 60.97°N 153.42°W / 60.97; -153.42 (Lake Clark) 		December 2, 1980 2,619,816.49 acres (10,602.0 km2) 18,187 The region around Lake Clark features four active volcanoes, including Mount Redoubt, as well as an abundance of rivers, glaciers, and waterfalls. Temperate rainforests, a tundra plateau, and three mountain ranges complete the landscape.[82]
Lassen Volcanic   California
40°29′N 121°31′W / 40.49°N 121.51°W / 40.49; -121.51 (Lassen Volcanic) 		August 9, 1916 106,589.02 acres (431.4 km2) 446,291 Lassen Peak, the largest lava dome volcano in the world, is joined by all three other types of volcanoes in this park: shield, cinder cone, and composite. Though Lassen itself last erupted in 1915, most of the rest of the park is continuously active. Numerous hydrothermal features, including fumaroles, boiling pools, and bubbling mud pots, are heated by molten rock from beneath the peak.[83]
Mammoth Cave ‡   Kentucky
37°11′N 86°06′W / 37.18°N 86.10°W / 37.18; -86.10 (Mammoth Cave) 		July 1, 1941 72,472.87 acres (293.3 km2) 663,147 With more than 400 miles (640 km) of passageways explored, Mammoth Cave is the world's longest known cave system. Subterranean wildlife includes eight bat species, Kentucky cave shrimp, Northern cavefish, and cave salamanders. Above ground, the park provides recreation on the Green River, 70 miles of hiking trails, and plenty of sinkholes and springs.[84] (WHS)[85] (BR)[86]
Mesa Verde *   Colorado
37°11′N 108°29′W / 37.18°N 108.49°W / 37.18; -108.49 (Mesa Verde) 		June 29, 1906 52,485.17 acres (212.4 km2) 499,790 This area constitutes over 4,000 archaeological sites of the Ancestral Puebloan people, who lived here and elsewhere in the Four Corners region for at least 700 years. Cliff dwellings built in the 12th and 13th centuries include Cliff Palace, which has 150 rooms and 23 kivas, and the Balcony House, with its many passages and tunnels.[87] (WHS)[88]
Mount Rainier   Washington
46°51′N 121°45′W / 46.85°N 121.75°W / 46.85; -121.75 (Mount Rainier) 		March 2, 1899 236,381.64 acres (956.6 km2) 1,622,395 Mount Rainier, an active stratovolcano, is the most prominent peak in the Cascades and is covered by 26 named glaciers including Carbon Glacier and Emmons Glacier, the longest and largest in the contiguous United States respectively. The mountain is popular for climbing, and more than half of the park is covered by subalpine and alpine forests and meadows seasonally in bloom with wildflowers. Paradise on the south slope is among the snowiest places on Earth.[89] The Longmire visitor center is the start of the Wonderland Trail, which encircles the mountain.[90]
New River Gorge   West Virginia
38°04′N 81°05′W / 38.07°N 81.08°W / 38.07; -81.08 (New River Gorge) 		December 27, 2020 7,021 acres (28.4 km2)[91] 1,593,523 The New River Gorge is the deepest river gorge east of the Mississippi River. The park primarily covers the lower gorge area around the New River Gorge Bridge, which features some of the country's best whitewater rafting. Smaller noncontiguous sections showcase the ghost town of Thurmond, the scenic Grandview vista, and Sandstone Falls. The other 65,165 acres (263.71 km2) of the redesignated national river is now a national preserve, spanning 53 mi (85 km) of the New River.[92][93]
North Cascades   Washington
48°42′N 121°12′W / 48.70°N 121.20°W / 48.70; -121.20 (North Cascades) 		October 2, 1968 504,780.94 acres (2,042.8 km2) 30,154 The highly glaciated mountains of the North Cascades Range exhibit a spectacular and complex geologic history. Between the river valleys and high peaks there are eight diverse life zones with 75 mammal and 1,600 vascular plant species. Popular hiking and climbing areas of the Stephen Mather Wilderness include Cascade Pass, Mount Shuksan, Mount Triumph, and Eldorado Peak. Ross Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation Areas adjoin the two segments of the park and are all administered together.[94]
Olympic ‡   Washington
47°58′N 123°30′W / 47.97°N 123.50°W / 47.97; -123.50 (Olympic) 		June 29, 1938 922,649.41 acres (3,733.8 km2) 2,432,972 This park on the Olympic Peninsula includes a wide range of ecosystems from Pacific shoreline to temperate rainforests to the glaciated alpine peaks of the Olympic Mountains, the tallest of which is Mount Olympus. The Hoh and Quinault Rainforests are the wettest areas in the contiguous United States, with the Hoh receiving an average of almost 12 ft (3.7 m) of rain every year.[95][96] (WHS)[97] (BR)[98]
Petrified Forest   Arizona
35°04′N 109°47′W / 35.07°N 109.78°W / 35.07; -109.78 (Petrified Forest) 		December 9, 1962 221,390.21 acres (895.9 km2) 505,209 This portion of the Chinle Formation has a large concentration of 225-million-year-old petrified wood. The surrounding Painted Desert features eroded cliffs of red-hued volcanic rock called bentonite. Dinosaur fossils and over 350 Native American sites are also protected in this park.[99]
Pinnacles   California
36°29′N 121°10′W / 36.48°N 121.16°W / 36.48; -121.16 (Pinnacles) 		January 10, 2013 26,685.73 acres (108.0 km2) 275,023 Named for the eroded leftovers of a portion of an extinct volcano, the park's massive black and gold monoliths of andesite and rhyolite are a popular destination for rock climbers. Hikers have access to trails crossing the Coast Range wilderness. The park is one of the few locations where the endangered California condor can be seen in the wild. Pinnacles also supports a dense population of prairie falcons and more than 13 species of bat that populate its talus caves.[100]
Redwood *   California
41°18′N 124°00′W / 41.30°N 124.00°W / 41.30; -124.00 (Redwood) 		October 2, 1968 138,999.37 acres (562.5 km2) 458,400 This park and the co-managed state parks protect almost half of all remaining coastal redwoods, the tallest trees on earth. There are three large river systems in this very seismically active area, and 37 miles (60 km) of protected coastline reveal tide pools and seastacks. The prairie, estuary, coast, river, and forest ecosystems contain a wide variety of animal and plant species.[101] (WHS)[102]
Rocky Mountain †   Colorado
40°24′N 105°35′W / 40.40°N 105.58°W / 40.40; -105.58 (Rocky Mountain) 		January 26, 1915 265,847.74 acres (1,075.8 km2) 4,300,424 Bisected north to south by the Continental Divide, this portion of the Rockies has ecosystems varying from over 150 riparian lakes to montane and subalpine forests to treeless alpine tundra. Wildlife including elk, moose, mule deer, bighorn sheep, black bears, and cougars inhabit its igneous mountains and glacial valleys. Longs Peak, a classic Colorado fourteener, and the scenic Bear Lake are popular destinations, as well as the historic Trail Ridge Road, which reaches an elevation of more than 12,000 feet (3,700 m).[103] (BR)[104]
Saguaro   Arizona
32°15′N 110°30′W / 32.25°N 110.50°W / 32.25; -110.50 (Saguaro) 		October 14, 1994 92,876.75 acres (375.9 km2) 908,194 Split into the separate Rincon Mountain and Tucson Mountain districts, this park is evidence that the dry Sonoran Desert is still home to a great variety of life spanning six biotic communities. Beyond the namesake giant saguaro cacti, there are barrel cacti, chollas, and prickly pears, as well as lesser long-nosed bats, spotted owls, and javelinas.[105]
Sequoia †   California
36°26′N 118°41′W / 36.43°N 118.68°W / 36.43; -118.68 (Sequoia) 		September 25, 1890 404,062.63 acres (1,635.2 km2) 1,153,198 This park protects the Giant Forest, which boasts some of the world's largest trees, the General Sherman being the largest measured tree in the park. Other features include over 240 caves, a long segment of the Sierra Nevada including the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States, and Moro Rock, a large granite dome.[106] (BR)[80]
Shenandoah   Virginia
38°32′N 78°21′W / 38.53°N 78.35°W / 38.53; -78.35 (Shenandoah) 		December 26, 1935 200,445.92 acres (811.2 km2) 1,449,300 Shenandoah's Blue Ridge Mountains are covered by hardwood forests that teem with a wide variety of wildlife. The Skyline Drive and Appalachian Trail run the entire length of this narrow park, along with more than 500 miles (800 km) of hiking trails passing scenic overlooks and cataracts of the Shenandoah River.[107]
Theodore Roosevelt   North Dakota
46°58′N 103°27′W / 46.97°N 103.45°W / 46.97; -103.45 (Theodore Roosevelt) 		November 10, 1978 70,446.89 acres (285.1 km2) 668,679 This region that enticed and influenced President Theodore Roosevelt consists of a park of three units in the northern badlands. Besides Roosevelt's historic cabin, there are numerous scenic drives and backcountry hiking opportunities. Wildlife includes American bison, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, and wild horses.[108]
Virgin Islands   U.S. Virgin Islands
18°20′N 64°44′W / 18.33°N 64.73°W / 18.33; -64.73 (Virgin Islands) 		August 2, 1956 15,052.33 acres (60.9 km2) 196,752 This island park on Saint John preserves pristine beaches surrounded by mangrove forests, seagrass beds, and coral reefs. It also has Taíno archaeological sites and the ruins of sugar plantations from Columbus's time.[109]
Voyageurs   Minnesota
48°30′N 92°53′W / 48.50°N 92.88°W / 48.50; -92.88 (Voyageurs) 		April 8, 1975 218,222.35 acres (883.1 km2) 221,434 This park protecting four lakes near the Canada–US border is a site for canoeing, kayaking, and fishing. The park also preserves a history populated by Ojibwe Native Americans, French fur traders called voyageurs, and gold miners. Formed by glaciers, the region features tall bluffs, rock gardens, islands, bays, and several historic buildings.[110]
White Sands   New Mexico
32°47′N 106°10′W / 32.78°N 106.17°W / 32.78; -106.17 (White Sands) 		December 20, 2019[111] 146,344.31 acres (592.2 km2) 705,127 Located in the mountain-ringed Tularosa Basin, White Sands consists of the southern part of a 275-square-mile (710 km2) field of white sand dunes composed of gypsum crystals—the world's largest gypsum dunefield. The park is completely within the White Sands Missile Range and is subject to closure when tests are conducted.[112]
Wind Cave   South Dakota
43°34′N 103°29′W / 43.57°N 103.48°W / 43.57; -103.48 (Wind Cave) 		January 9, 1903 33,970.84 acres (137.5 km2) 607,418 Wind Cave is distinctive for its calcite fin formations called boxwork, a unique formation rarely found elsewhere, and needle-like growths called frostwork. It is one of the longest caves in the world and creates a wind as air pressure changes. Above ground is a mixed-grass prairie with animals such as bison, black-footed ferrets, and prairie dogs and ponderosa pine forests home to cougars and elk.[113] The cave is culturally significant to the Lakota people as a creation site.[114]
Wrangell–St. Elias *   Alaska
61°00′N 142°00′W / 61.00°N 142.00°W / 61.00; -142.00 (Wrangell – St. Elias) 		December 2, 1980 8,323,146.48 acres (33,682.6 km2) 65,236 The largest national park in the system protects the convergence of the Alaska, Chugach, Wrangell, and Saint Elias Ranges, which include many of the continent's tallest mountains and volcanoes, including the 18,008-foot Mount Saint Elias. More than a quarter of the park is covered with glaciers, including the tidewater Hubbard Glacier, piedmont Malaspina Glacier, and valley Nabesna Glacier.[115] (WHS)[53]
Yellowstone ‡   Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
44°36′N 110°30′W / 44.60°N 110.50°W / 44.60; -110.50 (Yellowstone) 		March 1, 1872 2,219,790.71 acres (8,983.2 km2) 3,290,242 Situated on the Yellowstone Caldera, the park has an expansive network of geothermal areas including boiling mud pots, vividly colored hot springs such as Grand Prismatic Spring, and regularly erupting geysers, the best-known being Old Faithful. The yellow-hued Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River contains several high waterfalls, and four mountain ranges traverse the park. More than 60 mammal species including timber wolves, grizzly bears, black bears, lynxes, bison, and elk make this park one of the best wildlife viewing spots in the country.[116] (WHS)[117] (BR)[118]
Yosemite *   California
37°50′N 119°30′W / 37.83°N 119.50°W / 37.83; -119.50 (Yosemite) 		October 1, 1890 761,747.50 acres (3,082.7 km2) 3,667,550 Yosemite features sheer granite cliffs, exceptionally tall waterfalls, and old-growth forests at a unique intersection of geology and hydrology. Half Dome and El Capitan rise from the park's centerpiece, the glacier-carved Yosemite Valley, and from its vertical walls drop Yosemite Falls, one of North America's tallest waterfalls at 2,425 feet (739 m) high. Three giant sequoia groves, along with a pristine wilderness in the heart of the Sierra Nevada, are home to a wide variety of rare plant and animal species.[119] (WHS)[120]
Zion   Utah
37°18′N 113°03′W / 37.30°N 113.05°W / 37.30; -113.05 (Zion) 		November 19, 1919 147,242.66 acres (595.9 km2) 4,692,417 Located at the junction of the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin, and Mojave Desert, this park contains sandstone features such as mesas, rock towers, and canyons, including the Virgin River Narrows. The various sandstone formations and the forks of the Virgin River create a wilderness divided into four ecosystems: desert, riparian, woodland, and coniferous forest.[121]

Parks by state or territory edit

The following table includes the 30 states and two territories that have national parks. Exclusive parks refer to parks entirely within one state or territory. Shared parks refer to parks in multiple states.

Territories are set in italics.

State Total parks Exclusive parks Shared parks
California 9 8 1
Alaska 8 8 —
Utah 5 5 —
Colorado 4 4 —
Arizona 3 3 —
Florida 3 3 —
Washington 3 3 —
Hawaii 2 2 —
New Mexico 2 2 —
South Dakota 2 2 —
Texas 2 2 —
Montana 2 1 1
Nevada 2 1 1
Wyoming 2 1 1
American Samoa 1 1 —
Arkansas 1 1 —
Indiana 1 1 —
Kentucky 1 1 —
Maine 1 1 —
Michigan 1 1 —
Minnesota 1 1 —
Missouri 1 1 —
North Dakota 1 1 —
Ohio 1 1 —
Oregon 1 1 —
South Carolina 1 1 —
U.S. Virgin Islands 1 1 —
Virginia 1 1 —
West Virginia 1 1 —
Idaho 1 — 1
North Carolina 1 — 1
Tennessee 1 — 1

See also edit

References edit

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External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to National parks of the United States.
 
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for United States National Parks.
  • Official website of the National Park Service (NPS)
  • Find a park (NPS)
  • Visitor use statistics (NPS)
  • The National Parks: America's Best Idea by PBS
  • America's Natural Heritage - The Essential Guide to the National Parks by The Washington Post

February 15, 2024
list, national, parks, united, states, united, states, national, parks, which, congressionally, designated, protected, areas, operated, national, park, service, agency, department, interior, national, parks, designated, their, natural, beauty, unique, geologic. The United States has 63 national parks which are congressionally designated protected areas operated by the National Park Service an agency of the Department of the Interior 1 National parks are designated for their natural beauty unique geological features diverse ecosystems and recreational opportunities typically because of some outstanding scenic feature or natural phenomena 2 While legislatively all units of the National Park System are considered equal with the same mission national parks are generally larger and more of a destination and hunting and extractive activities are prohibited 3 National monuments on the other hand are also frequently protected for their historical or archaeological significance Eight national parks including six in Alaska are paired with a national preserve areas with different levels of protection that are administered together but considered separate units and whose areas are not included in the figures below The 428 units of the National Park System can be broadly referred to as national parks but most have other formal designations 4 1938 poster promoting Yellowstone National Park the first national park in the worldInteractive map of the National Parks of the United States A bill creating the first national park Yellowstone was signed into law by President Ulysses S Grant in 1872 followed by Mackinac National Park in 1875 decommissioned in 1895 and then Rock Creek Park later merged into National Capital Parks Sequoia and Yosemite in 1890 The Organic Act of 1916 created the National Park Service to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations 5 Many current national parks had been previously protected as national monuments by the president under the Antiquities Act or as other designations created by Congress before being redesignated by Congress the newest national park is New River Gorge previously a National River and the most recent entirely new park is National Park of American Samoa A few former national parks are no longer designated as such or have been disbanded Fourteen national parks are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites WHS 6 and 21 national parks are named UNESCO Biosphere Reserves BR 7 with eight national parks in both programs Thirty states have national parks as do the territories of American Samoa and the U S Virgin Islands The state with the most national parks is California with nine followed by Alaska with eight Utah with five and Colorado with four The largest national park is Wrangell St Elias in Alaska at over 8 million acres 32 375 km2 it is larger than each of the nine smallest states The next three largest parks are also in Alaska The smallest park is Gateway Arch National Park Missouri at 192 83 acres 0 7804 km2 The total area protected by national parks is approximately 52 4 million acres 212 000 km2 for an average of 833 thousand acres 3 370 km2 but a median of only 220 thousand acres 890 km2 8 The national parks set a visitation record in 2021 with more than 92 million visitors 9 Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee has been the most visited park since 1944 10 and had almost 13 million visitors in 2022 11 In contrast only about 9 500 people visited the remote Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve in Alaska in 2022 11 Contents 1 National parks 1 1 Parks by state or territory 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksNational parks editMap all coordinates using OpenStreetMapDownload coordinates as KML GPX all coordinates GPX primary coordinates GPX secondary coordinates Legend Green UNESCO designated World Heritage Sites WHS Blue UNESCO designated Biosphere Reserves BR Purple parks designated in both UNESCO programsList of U S national parks Name Image Location Date established as park 12 Area 2023 8 Recreation visitors 2022 11 DescriptionAcadia nbsp Maine44 21 N 68 13 W 44 35 N 68 21 W 44 35 68 21 Acadia February 26 1919 49 071 40 acres 198 6 km2 3 970 260 Covering most of Mount Desert Island and other coastal islands Acadia features the tallest mountain on the Atlantic coast of the United States granite peaks ocean shoreline woodlands and lakes There are freshwater estuary forest and intertidal habitats 13 14 American Samoa nbsp American Samoa14 15 S 170 41 W 14 25 S 170 68 W 14 25 170 68 National Park of American Samoa October 31 1988 8 256 67 acres 33 4 km2 1 887 The southernmost national park is on three Samoan islands in the South Pacific It protects coral reefs rainforests volcanic mountains and white beaches The area is also home to flying foxes brown boobies sea turtles and 900 species of fish 15 Arches nbsp Utah38 41 N 109 34 W 38 68 N 109 57 W 38 68 109 57 Arches November 12 1971 76 678 98 acres 310 3 km2 1 460 652 This site features more than 2 000 natural sandstone arches with some of the most popular arches in the park being Delicate Arch Landscape Arch and Double Arch 16 Millions of years of erosion have created these structures in a desert climate where the arid ground has life sustaining biological soil crusts and potholes that serve as natural water collecting basins Other geologic formations include stone pinnacles fins and balancing rocks 17 Badlands nbsp South Dakota43 45 N 102 30 W 43 75 N 102 50 W 43 75 102 50 Badlands November 10 1978 242 755 94 acres 982 4 km2 1 006 809 The Badlands are a collection of buttes pinnacles spires and mixed grass prairies within the drainage basin of the White River in southwestern South Dakota They contain the largest known assemblage of late Eocene and Oligocene mammal fossils 18 Wildlife includes bison bighorn sheep black footed ferrets and prairie dogs 19 Big Bend nbsp Texas29 15 N 103 15 W 29 25 N 103 25 W 29 25 103 25 Big Bend June 12 1944 801 163 21 acres 3 242 2 km2 514 107 Named for the prominent bend in the Rio Grande along the U S Mexico border this park encompasses a large and remote part of the Chihuahuan Desert Its main attraction is backcountry recreation in the arid Chisos Mountains and in canyons along the river A wide variety of Cretaceous and Tertiary fossils as well as cultural artifacts of Native Americans also exist within its borders 20 BR 21 Biscayne nbsp Florida25 39 N 80 05 W 25 65 N 80 08 W 25 65 80 08 Biscayne June 28 1980 172 971 11 acres 700 0 km2 701 023 The central part of Biscayne Bay this mostly underwater park at the north end of the Florida Keys has four interrelated marine ecosystems mangrove forest the Bay the Keys and coral reefs Threatened animals include the West Indian manatee American crocodile various sea turtles and the peregrine falcon 22 Black Canyon of the Gunnison nbsp Colorado38 34 N 107 43 W 38 57 N 107 72 W 38 57 107 72 Black Canyon of the Gunnison October 21 1999 30 779 83 acres 124 6 km2 297 257 The park protects a quarter of the Gunnison River which slices sheer canyon walls from dark Precambrian era rock The canyon features some of the steepest cliffs and oldest rock in North America and is a popular site for river rafting and rock climbing The deep narrow canyon is composed of gneiss and schist which appears black when in shadow 23 Bryce Canyon nbsp Utah37 34 N 112 11 W 37 57 N 112 18 W 37 57 112 18 Bryce Canyon February 25 1928 35 835 08 acres 145 0 km2 2 354 660 Bryce Canyon is a geological amphitheater on southern Utah s Paunsaugunt Plateau with hundreds of tall multicolored sandstone hoodoos formed by erosion The region was originally settled by Native Americans and later by Mormon pioneers 24 Canyonlands nbsp Utah38 12 N 109 56 W 38 2 N 109 93 W 38 2 109 93 Canyonlands September 12 1964 337 597 83 acres 1 366 2 km2 779 147 This landscape was eroded into a maze of canyons buttes and mesas by the combined efforts of the Colorado River Green River and their tributaries which divide the park into three districts The park contains thousands of rock pinnacles and arches as well as artifacts from Ancient Pueblo peoples 25 Capitol Reef nbsp Utah38 12 N 111 10 W 38 20 N 111 17 W 38 20 111 17 Capitol Reef December 18 1971 241 904 50 acres 979 0 km2 1 227 608 The park s Waterpocket Fold is a 100 mile 160 km monocline that exhibits the earth s diverse geologic layers Other natural features include monoliths eroded buttes and sandstone domes including one shaped like the United States Capitol 26 Carlsbad Caverns nbsp New Mexico32 10 N 104 26 W 32 17 N 104 44 W 32 17 104 44 Carlsbad Caverns May 14 1930 46 766 45 acres 189 3 km2 390 932 Carlsbad Caverns has 117 caves the longest of which is over 120 miles 190 km long The Big Room is almost 4 000 feet 1 200 m long and the caves are home to over 400 000 Mexican free tailed bats and sixteen other species Above ground are the Chihuahuan Desert and Rattlesnake Springs 27 WHS 28 Channel Islands nbsp California34 01 N 119 25 W 34 01 N 119 42 W 34 01 119 42 Channel Islands March 5 1980 249 561 00 acres 1 009 9 km2 323 245 Five of the eight Channel Islands are protected with half of the park s area underwater The islands have a unique Mediterranean ecosystem originally settled by the Chumash people They are home to over 2 000 species of land plants and animals 145 endemic to them including the island fox Ferry services offer transportation to the islands from the mainland 29 BR 30 Congaree nbsp South Carolina33 47 N 80 47 W 33 78 N 80 78 W 33 78 80 78 Congaree November 10 2003 26 692 60 acres 108 0 km2 204 522 On the Congaree River this park is the largest portion of old growth floodplain forest left in North America Some of the trees are the tallest in the eastern United States An elevated walkway called the Boardwalk Loop guides visitors through the swamp 31 BR 32 Crater Lake nbsp Oregon42 56 N 122 06 W 42 94 N 122 1 W 42 94 122 1 Crater Lake May 22 1902 183 224 05 acres 741 5 km2 527 259 Crater Lake lies in the caldera of an ancient volcano called Mount Mazama that collapsed 7 700 years ago The lake is the deepest in the United States and is noted for its vivid blue color and water clarity Wizard Island and the Phantom Ship are more recent volcanic formations within the caldera As the lake has no inlets or outlets it is replenished only by precipitation 33 Cuyahoga Valley nbsp Ohio41 14 N 81 33 W 41 24 N 81 55 W 41 24 81 55 Cuyahoga Valley October 11 2000 32 571 89 acres 131 8 km2 2 913 312 This park along the Cuyahoga River has waterfalls hills trails and exhibits on early rural living The Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail follows the Ohio and Erie Canal where mules towed canal boats The park has numerous historic homes bridges and structures 34 and also offers a scenic train ride 35 Death Valley nbsp California Nevada36 14 N 116 49 W 36 24 N 116 82 W 36 24 116 82 Death Valley October 31 1994 3 408 395 63 acres 13 793 3 km2 1 128 862 Death Valley is the hottest lowest and driest place in the United States with daytime temperatures that have exceeded 130 F 54 C The park protects Badwater Basin and its vast salt flats at the lowest elevation in North America 282 ft 86 m 36 This geologic graben also protects numerous canyons badlands sand dunes mountain ranges historic mines springs and more than 1 000 species of plants that grow 37 BR 38 Denali nbsp Alaska63 20 N 150 30 W 63 33 N 150 50 W 63 33 150 50 Denali February 26 1917 4 740 911 16 acres 19 185 8 km2 427 562 Centered on Denali the tallest and most prominent mountain in North America the park is serviced by a single road leading to Wonder Lake most of which can only be accessed via scheduled tour buses Denali and other peaks of the Alaska Range are covered with long glaciers and boreal forest Wildlife includes grizzly bears Dall sheep moose caribou and wolves 39 BR 40 Dry Tortugas nbsp Florida24 38 N 82 52 W 24 63 N 82 87 W 24 63 82 87 Dry Tortugas October 26 1992 64 701 22 acres 261 8 km2 78 488 The islands of the Dry Tortugas at the westernmost end of the Florida Keys are the site of Fort Jefferson a Civil War era fort that is the largest masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere The park is home to undisturbed coral reefs and shipwrecks and is only accessible by plane or boat 41 BR 42 Everglades nbsp Florida25 19 N 80 56 W 25 32 N 80 93 W 25 32 80 93 Everglades May 30 1934 1 508 938 57 acres 6 106 5 km2 1 155 193 The Everglades are the largest tropical wilderness in the United States This mangrove and tropical rainforest ecosystem and marine estuary is home to 36 protected species including the Florida panther American crocodile and West Indian manatee Some areas have been drained and developed restoration projects aim to restore the ecology 43 WHS 44 BR 42 Gates of the Arctic nbsp Alaska67 47 N 153 18 W 67 78 N 153 30 W 67 78 153 30 Gates of the Arctic December 2 1980 7 523 897 45 acres 30 448 1 km2 9 457 The country s northernmost park protects an expanse of pure wilderness in Alaska s Brooks Range and has no park facilities The land is home to Alaska Natives who have relied on the land and caribou for 11 000 years 45 Gateway Arch nbsp Missouri38 38 N 90 11 W 38 63 N 90 19 W 38 63 90 19 Gateway Arch February 22 2018 46 192 83 acres 0 8 km2 1 618 774 The Gateway Arch is a 630 foot 192 m both high and wide catenary arch built in the 1960s to commemorate the Lewis and Clark Expedition initiated by Thomas Jefferson and the subsequent westward expansion of the country The nearby Old Courthouse across a greenway to the west of the arch was the original site of the landmark Dred Scott case about slavery An underground museum describes the arch s construction and the country s westward expansion 47 Glacier nbsp Montana48 48 N 114 00 W 48 80 N 114 00 W 48 80 114 00 Glacier May 11 1910 1 013 126 39 acres 4 100 0 km2 2 908 458 The U S half of Waterton Glacier International Peace Park this park includes 26 rapidly receding glaciers and 130 named lakes surrounded by Rocky Mountain peaks Historic hotels and the landmark Going to the Sun Road accommodate visitors 48 The local mountains formed by an overthrust expose Paleozoic fossils including trilobites mollusks giant ferns and dinosaurs The park is also home to Triple Divide Peak which forms the boundary between the watersheds of the Atlantic Pacific and Arctic Oceans 49 WHS 50 BR 51 Glacier Bay nbsp Alaska58 30 N 137 00 W 58 50 N 137 00 W 58 50 137 00 Glacier Bay December 2 1980 3 223 383 43 acres 13 044 6 km2 545 758 Glacier Bay contains tidewater glaciers mountains fjords and a temperate rainforest and is home to large populations of grizzly bears mountain goats whales seals and eagles When discovered in 1794 by George Vancouver the entire bay was covered by ice but the glaciers have since receded more than 65 miles 105 km 52 WHS 53 BR 54 Grand Canyon nbsp Arizona36 04 N 112 08 W 36 06 N 112 14 W 36 06 112 14 Grand Canyon February 26 1919 1 201 647 03 acres 4 862 9 km2 4 732 101 The Grand Canyon carved by the mighty Colorado River is 277 miles 446 km long up to 1 mile 1 6 km deep and up to 15 miles 24 km wide Millions of years of erosion have resulted in a massive three tiered canyon exposing the multicolored layers of the Colorado Plateau in mesas and canyon walls visible from trails that descend into the canyon from the north and south rims 55 WHS 56 Grand Teton nbsp Wyoming43 44 N 110 48 W 43 73 N 110 80 W 43 73 110 80 Grand Teton February 26 1929 310 044 36 acres 1 254 7 km2 2 806 223 Grand Teton is the tallest mountain in the scenic Teton Range The park s historic Jackson Hole and reflective piedmont lakes teem with endemic wildlife with a backdrop of craggy mountains that rise abruptly from the sage covered valley below 57 BR 7 Great Basin nbsp Nevada38 59 N 114 18 W 38 98 N 114 30 W 38 98 114 30 Great Basin October 27 1986 77 180 00 acres 312 3 km2 142 115 Based around Nevada s second tallest mountain Wheeler Peak Great Basin National Park protects 5 000 year old bristlecone pines a rock glacier and the limestone Lehman Caves Due to its remote location the park is home to some of the country s darkest night skies Wildlife includes the Townsend s big eared bat pronghorn and Bonneville cutthroat trout 58 Great Sand Dunes nbsp Colorado37 44 N 105 31 W 37 73 N 105 51 W 37 73 105 51 Great Sand Dunes September 24 2004 107 345 73 acres 434 4 km2 493 428 The tallest sand dunes in North America up to 750 feet 230 m tall were formed by deposits of the ancient Rio Grande in the San Luis Valley Abutting a variety of grasslands shrublands and wetlands the park also features alpine lakes six 13 000 foot mountains and old growth forests 59 Great Smoky Mountains nbsp North Carolina Tennessee35 41 N 83 32 W 35 68 N 83 53 W 35 68 83 53 Great Smoky Mountains June 15 1934 522 426 88 acres 2 114 2 km2 12 937 633 The Great Smoky Mountains part of the Appalachian Mountains span a wide range of elevations making them home to over 400 vertebrate species 100 tree species and 5 000 plant species Hiking is the park s main attraction with over 800 miles 1 300 km of trails including 70 miles 110 km of the Appalachian Trail Other activities include fishing horseback riding and touring nearly 80 historic structures 60 WHS 61 BR 62 Guadalupe Mountains nbsp Texas31 55 N 104 52 W 31 92 N 104 87 W 31 92 104 87 Guadalupe Mountains September 30 1972 86 367 10 acres 349 5 km2 219 987 This park contains Guadalupe Peak the highest point in Texas as well as the scenic McKittrick Canyon filled with bigtooth maples a corner of the arid Chihuahuan Desert and a fossilized coral reef from the Permian era 63 Haleakala nbsp Hawaii20 43 N 156 10 W 20 72 N 156 17 W 20 72 156 17 Haleakala July 1 1961 33 488 98 acres 135 5 km2 1 087 616 The Haleakala volcano on Maui features a very large crater with numerous cinder cones a grove of non native trees the Kipahulu section s scenic pools of freshwater fish and the endemic Hawaiian goose The park protects the greatest number of endangered species within a U S national park 64 BR 65 Hawaiʻi Volcanoes nbsp Hawaii19 23 N 155 12 W 19 38 N 155 20 W 19 38 155 20 Hawaiʻi Volcanoes August 1 1916 344 812 18 acres 1 395 4 km2 1 580 961 This park on the Big Island protects the Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes two of the world s most active geological features Diverse ecosystems range from tropical forests at sea level to barren lava beds at more than 13 000 feet 4 000 m 66 WHS 67 BR 65 Hot Springs nbsp Arkansas34 31 N 93 03 W 34 51 N 93 05 W 34 51 93 05 Hot Springs March 4 1921 5 554 15 acres 22 5 km2 2 646 133 Hot Springs was originally established by Congress as a federal reserve on April 20 1832 making it the oldest area managed by the National Park Service Natural thermal springs flow out of the Ouachita Mountains providing opportunities for relaxation in a historic setting Bathhouse Row preserves examples of 19th century architecture 68 Hot Springs is the first national park within a city and was the smallest national park until 2018 69 Indiana Dunes nbsp Indiana41 39 12 N 87 03 09 W 41 6533 N 87 0524 W 41 6533 87 0524 Indiana Dunes February 15 2019 15 349 08 acres 62 1 km2 2 834 180 Previously designated a national lakeshore parts of this 20 mile 32 km stretch of the southern shore of Lake Michigan have sandy beaches and tall dunes The park includes grassy prairies peat bogs and marsh wetlands home to over 2 000 species 70 Isle Royale nbsp Michigan48 06 N 88 33 W 48 10 N 88 55 W 48 10 88 55 Isle Royale April 3 1940 571 790 30 acres 2 314 0 km2 25 454 The largest island in Lake Superior is a place of isolation and wilderness Along with its many shipwrecks waterways and hiking trails the park also includes over 400 smaller islands within 4 5 miles 7 2 km of its shores There are only 20 mammal species on the island though the relationship between its wolf and moose populations is especially unique 71 BR 72 Joshua Tree nbsp California33 47 N 115 54 W 33 79 N 115 90 W 33 79 115 90 Joshua Tree October 31 1994 795 155 85 acres 3 217 9 km2 3 058 294 Covering large areas of the Colorado and Mojave Deserts and the Little San Bernardino Mountains this desert landscape is populated by vast stands of Joshua trees Large changes in elevation reveal various contrasting environments including bleached sand dunes dry lakes rugged mountains and maze like clusters of monzogranite monoliths 73 BR 38 Katmai nbsp Alaska58 30 N 155 00 W 58 50 N 155 00 W 58 50 155 00 Katmai December 2 1980 3 674 529 33 acres 14 870 3 km2 33 908 This park on the Alaska Peninsula protects the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes an ash flow formed by the 1912 eruption of Novarupta and the stratovolcano Mount Katmai Over 2 000 grizzly bears come here each year to catch spawning salmon Other wildlife includes caribou wolves moose and wolverines 74 Kenai Fjords nbsp Alaska59 55 N 149 39 W 59 92 N 149 65 W 59 92 149 65 Kenai Fjords December 2 1980 669 650 05 acres 2 710 0 km2 389 943 Near Seward on the Kenai Peninsula this park protects the Harding Icefield and at least 38 glaciers and fjords stemming from it The only area accessible to the public by road is the rapidly shrinking Exit Glacier Boat and kayak tours offer views of tidewater glaciers whales sea lions and marine birds 75 Kings Canyon nbsp California36 48 N 118 33 W 36 80 N 118 55 W 36 80 118 55 Kings Canyon March 4 1940 461 901 20 acres 1 869 2 km2 640 986 Home to several giant sequoia groves and the General Grant Tree the world s second largest measured tree this park also features part of the Kings River sculptor of the dramatic granite canyon that is its namesake and the San Joaquin River as well as Boyden Cave 76 Although Kings Canyon National Park was designated as such in 1940 it subsumed General Grant National Park which had been established on October 1 1890 as the United States fourth national park 77 78 79 BR 80 Kobuk Valley nbsp Alaska67 33 N 159 17 W 67 55 N 159 28 W 67 55 159 28 Kobuk Valley December 2 1980 1 750 716 16 acres 7 084 9 km2 16 925 Kobuk Valley protects 61 miles 98 km of the Kobuk River and three regions of sand dunes Created by glaciers the Great Kobuk Little Kobuk and Hunt River Sand Dunes can reach 100 feet 30 m high and 100 F 38 C and they are the largest dunes in the Arctic Twice a year half a million caribou migrate through the dunes and across river bluffs that expose well preserved ice age fossils 81 Lake Clark nbsp Alaska60 58 N 153 25 W 60 97 N 153 42 W 60 97 153 42 Lake Clark December 2 1980 2 619 816 49 acres 10 602 0 km2 18 187 The region around Lake Clark features four active volcanoes including Mount Redoubt as well as an abundance of rivers glaciers and waterfalls Temperate rainforests a tundra plateau and three mountain ranges complete the landscape 82 Lassen Volcanic nbsp California40 29 N 121 31 W 40 49 N 121 51 W 40 49 121 51 Lassen Volcanic August 9 1916 106 589 02 acres 431 4 km2 446 291 Lassen Peak the largest lava dome volcano in the world is joined by all three other types of volcanoes in this park shield cinder cone and composite Though Lassen itself last erupted in 1915 most of the rest of the park is continuously active Numerous hydrothermal features including fumaroles boiling pools and bubbling mud pots are heated by molten rock from beneath the peak 83 Mammoth Cave nbsp Kentucky37 11 N 86 06 W 37 18 N 86 10 W 37 18 86 10 Mammoth Cave July 1 1941 72 472 87 acres 293 3 km2 663 147 With more than 400 miles 640 km of passageways explored Mammoth Cave is the world s longest known cave system Subterranean wildlife includes eight bat species Kentucky cave shrimp Northern cavefish and cave salamanders Above ground the park provides recreation on the Green River 70 miles of hiking trails and plenty of sinkholes and springs 84 WHS 85 BR 86 Mesa Verde nbsp Colorado37 11 N 108 29 W 37 18 N 108 49 W 37 18 108 49 Mesa Verde June 29 1906 52 485 17 acres 212 4 km2 499 790 This area constitutes over 4 000 archaeological sites of the Ancestral Puebloan people who lived here and elsewhere in the Four Corners region for at least 700 years Cliff dwellings built in the 12th and 13th centuries include Cliff Palace which has 150 rooms and 23 kivas and the Balcony House with its many passages and tunnels 87 WHS 88 Mount Rainier nbsp Washington46 51 N 121 45 W 46 85 N 121 75 W 46 85 121 75 Mount Rainier March 2 1899 236 381 64 acres 956 6 km2 1 622 395 Mount Rainier an active stratovolcano is the most prominent peak in the Cascades and is covered by 26 named glaciers including Carbon Glacier and Emmons Glacier the longest and largest in the contiguous United States respectively The mountain is popular for climbing and more than half of the park is covered by subalpine and alpine forests and meadows seasonally in bloom with wildflowers Paradise on the south slope is among the snowiest places on Earth 89 The Longmire visitor center is the start of the Wonderland Trail which encircles the mountain 90 New River Gorge nbsp West Virginia38 04 N 81 05 W 38 07 N 81 08 W 38 07 81 08 New River Gorge December 27 2020 7 021 acres 28 4 km2 91 1 593 523 The New River Gorge is the deepest river gorge east of the Mississippi River The park primarily covers the lower gorge area around the New River Gorge Bridge which features some of the country s best whitewater rafting Smaller noncontiguous sections showcase the ghost town of Thurmond the scenic Grandview vista and Sandstone Falls The other 65 165 acres 263 71 km2 of the redesignated national river is now a national preserve spanning 53 mi 85 km of the New River 92 93 North Cascades nbsp Washington48 42 N 121 12 W 48 70 N 121 20 W 48 70 121 20 North Cascades October 2 1968 504 780 94 acres 2 042 8 km2 30 154 The highly glaciated mountains of the North Cascades Range exhibit a spectacular and complex geologic history Between the river valleys and high peaks there are eight diverse life zones with 75 mammal and 1 600 vascular plant species Popular hiking and climbing areas of the Stephen Mather Wilderness include Cascade Pass Mount Shuksan Mount Triumph and Eldorado Peak Ross Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation Areas adjoin the two segments of the park and are all administered together 94 Olympic nbsp Washington47 58 N 123 30 W 47 97 N 123 50 W 47 97 123 50 Olympic June 29 1938 922 649 41 acres 3 733 8 km2 2 432 972 This park on the Olympic Peninsula includes a wide range of ecosystems from Pacific shoreline to temperate rainforests to the glaciated alpine peaks of the Olympic Mountains the tallest of which is Mount Olympus The Hoh and Quinault Rainforests are the wettest areas in the contiguous United States with the Hoh receiving an average of almost 12 ft 3 7 m of rain every year 95 96 WHS 97 BR 98 Petrified Forest nbsp Arizona35 04 N 109 47 W 35 07 N 109 78 W 35 07 109 78 Petrified Forest December 9 1962 221 390 21 acres 895 9 km2 505 209 This portion of the Chinle Formation has a large concentration of 225 million year old petrified wood The surrounding Painted Desert features eroded cliffs of red hued volcanic rock called bentonite Dinosaur fossils and over 350 Native American sites are also protected in this park 99 Pinnacles nbsp California36 29 N 121 10 W 36 48 N 121 16 W 36 48 121 16 Pinnacles January 10 2013 26 685 73 acres 108 0 km2 275 023 Named for the eroded leftovers of a portion of an extinct volcano the park s massive black and gold monoliths of andesite and rhyolite are a popular destination for rock climbers Hikers have access to trails crossing the Coast Range wilderness The park is one of the few locations where the endangered California condor can be seen in the wild Pinnacles also supports a dense population of prairie falcons and more than 13 species of bat that populate its talus caves 100 Redwood nbsp California41 18 N 124 00 W 41 30 N 124 00 W 41 30 124 00 Redwood October 2 1968 138 999 37 acres 562 5 km2 458 400 This park and the co managed state parks protect almost half of all remaining coastal redwoods the tallest trees on earth There are three large river systems in this very seismically active area and 37 miles 60 km of protected coastline reveal tide pools and seastacks The prairie estuary coast river and forest ecosystems contain a wide variety of animal and plant species 101 WHS 102 Rocky Mountain nbsp Colorado40 24 N 105 35 W 40 40 N 105 58 W 40 40 105 58 Rocky Mountain January 26 1915 265 847 74 acres 1 075 8 km2 4 300 424 Bisected north to south by the Continental Divide this portion of the Rockies has ecosystems varying from over 150 riparian lakes to montane and subalpine forests to treeless alpine tundra Wildlife including elk moose mule deer bighorn sheep black bears and cougars inhabit its igneous mountains and glacial valleys Longs Peak a classic Colorado fourteener and the scenic Bear Lake are popular destinations as well as the historic Trail Ridge Road which reaches an elevation of more than 12 000 feet 3 700 m 103 BR 104 Saguaro nbsp Arizona32 15 N 110 30 W 32 25 N 110 50 W 32 25 110 50 Saguaro October 14 1994 92 876 75 acres 375 9 km2 908 194 Split into the separate Rincon Mountain and Tucson Mountain districts this park is evidence that the dry Sonoran Desert is still home to a great variety of life spanning six biotic communities Beyond the namesake giant saguaro cacti there are barrel cacti chollas and prickly pears as well as lesser long nosed bats spotted owls and javelinas 105 Sequoia nbsp California36 26 N 118 41 W 36 43 N 118 68 W 36 43 118 68 Sequoia September 25 1890 404 062 63 acres 1 635 2 km2 1 153 198 This park protects the Giant Forest which boasts some of the world s largest trees the General Sherman being the largest measured tree in the park Other features include over 240 caves a long segment of the Sierra Nevada including the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States and Moro Rock a large granite dome 106 BR 80 Shenandoah nbsp Virginia38 32 N 78 21 W 38 53 N 78 35 W 38 53 78 35 Shenandoah December 26 1935 200 445 92 acres 811 2 km2 1 449 300 Shenandoah s Blue Ridge Mountains are covered by hardwood forests that teem with a wide variety of wildlife The Skyline Drive and Appalachian Trail run the entire length of this narrow park along with more than 500 miles 800 km of hiking trails passing scenic overlooks and cataracts of the Shenandoah River 107 Theodore Roosevelt nbsp North Dakota46 58 N 103 27 W 46 97 N 103 45 W 46 97 103 45 Theodore Roosevelt November 10 1978 70 446 89 acres 285 1 km2 668 679 This region that enticed and influenced President Theodore Roosevelt consists of a park of three units in the northern badlands Besides Roosevelt s historic cabin there are numerous scenic drives and backcountry hiking opportunities Wildlife includes American bison pronghorn bighorn sheep and wild horses 108 Virgin Islands nbsp U S Virgin Islands18 20 N 64 44 W 18 33 N 64 73 W 18 33 64 73 Virgin Islands August 2 1956 15 052 33 acres 60 9 km2 196 752 This island park on Saint John preserves pristine beaches surrounded by mangrove forests seagrass beds and coral reefs It also has Taino archaeological sites and the ruins of sugar plantations from Columbus s time 109 Voyageurs nbsp Minnesota48 30 N 92 53 W 48 50 N 92 88 W 48 50 92 88 Voyageurs April 8 1975 218 222 35 acres 883 1 km2 221 434 This park protecting four lakes near the Canada US border is a site for canoeing kayaking and fishing The park also preserves a history populated by Ojibwe Native Americans French fur traders called voyageurs and gold miners Formed by glaciers the region features tall bluffs rock gardens islands bays and several historic buildings 110 White Sands nbsp New Mexico32 47 N 106 10 W 32 78 N 106 17 W 32 78 106 17 White Sands December 20 2019 111 146 344 31 acres 592 2 km2 705 127 Located in the mountain ringed Tularosa Basin White Sands consists of the southern part of a 275 square mile 710 km2 field of white sand dunes composed of gypsum crystals the world s largest gypsum dunefield The park is completely within the White Sands Missile Range and is subject to closure when tests are conducted 112 Wind Cave nbsp South Dakota43 34 N 103 29 W 43 57 N 103 48 W 43 57 103 48 Wind Cave January 9 1903 33 970 84 acres 137 5 km2 607 418 Wind Cave is distinctive for its calcite fin formations called boxwork a unique formation rarely found elsewhere and needle like growths called frostwork It is one of the longest caves in the world and creates a wind as air pressure changes Above ground is a mixed grass prairie with animals such as bison black footed ferrets and prairie dogs and ponderosa pine forests home to cougars and elk 113 The cave is culturally significant to the Lakota people as a creation site 114 Wrangell St Elias nbsp Alaska61 00 N 142 00 W 61 00 N 142 00 W 61 00 142 00 Wrangell St Elias December 2 1980 8 323 146 48 acres 33 682 6 km2 65 236 The largest national park in the system protects the convergence of the Alaska Chugach Wrangell and Saint Elias Ranges which include many of the continent s tallest mountains and volcanoes including the 18 008 foot Mount Saint Elias More than a quarter of the park is covered with glaciers including the tidewater Hubbard Glacier piedmont Malaspina Glacier and valley Nabesna Glacier 115 WHS 53 Yellowstone nbsp Wyoming Montana Idaho44 36 N 110 30 W 44 60 N 110 50 W 44 60 110 50 Yellowstone March 1 1872 2 219 790 71 acres 8 983 2 km2 3 290 242 Situated on the Yellowstone Caldera the park has an expansive network of geothermal areas including boiling mud pots vividly colored hot springs such as Grand Prismatic Spring and regularly erupting geysers the best known being Old Faithful The yellow hued Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River contains several high waterfalls and four mountain ranges traverse the park More than 60 mammal species including timber wolves grizzly bears black bears lynxes bison and elk make this park one of the best wildlife viewing spots in the country 116 WHS 117 BR 118 Yosemite nbsp California37 50 N 119 30 W 37 83 N 119 50 W 37 83 119 50 Yosemite October 1 1890 761 747 50 acres 3 082 7 km2 3 667 550 Yosemite features sheer granite cliffs exceptionally tall waterfalls and old growth forests at a unique intersection of geology and hydrology Half Dome and El Capitan rise from the park s centerpiece the glacier carved Yosemite Valley and from its vertical walls drop Yosemite Falls one of North America s tallest waterfalls at 2 425 feet 739 m high Three giant sequoia groves along with a pristine wilderness in the heart of the Sierra Nevada are home to a wide variety of rare plant and animal species 119 WHS 120 Zion nbsp Utah37 18 N 113 03 W 37 30 N 113 05 W 37 30 113 05 Zion November 19 1919 147 242 66 acres 595 9 km2 4 692 417 Located at the junction of the Colorado Plateau Great Basin and Mojave Desert this park contains sandstone features such as mesas rock towers and canyons including the Virgin River Narrows The various sandstone formations and the forks of the Virgin River create a wilderness divided into four ecosystems desert riparian woodland and coniferous forest 121 Parks by state or territory edit The following table includes the 30 states and two territories that have national parks Exclusive parks refer to parks entirely within one state or territory Shared parks refer to parks in multiple states Territories are set in italics State Total parks Exclusive parks Shared parksCalifornia 9 8 1Alaska 8 8 Utah 5 5 Colorado 4 4 Arizona 3 3 Florida 3 3 Washington 3 3 Hawaii 2 2 New Mexico 2 2 South Dakota 2 2 Texas 2 2 Montana 2 1 1Nevada 2 1 1Wyoming 2 1 1American Samoa 1 1 Arkansas 1 1 Indiana 1 1 Kentucky 1 1 Maine 1 1 Michigan 1 1 Minnesota 1 1 Missouri 1 1 North Dakota 1 1 Ohio 1 1 Oregon 1 1 South Carolina 1 1 U S Virgin Islands 1 1 Virginia 1 1 West Virginia 1 1 Idaho 1 1North Carolina 1 1Tennessee 1 1See also editNational Park Service History of the National Park Service List of areas in the United States National Park System List of the United States National Park System official units List of national monuments of the United States List of National Wildlife Refuges of the United States List of U S National Forests Lists of state parks by U S state List of World Heritage Sites in the United StatesReferences edit National Park System U S National Park Service March 15 2018 Yard Robert Sterling 1931 Difference Between a National Park and a National Monument The National Parks Portfolio Sachs Andrea August 24 2016 What does the National Park Service consider a national park The Washington Post Lower Rocio October 17 2016 How many national parks are there nationalparks org National Park Foundation Archived from the original on February 22 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 The National Park System encompasses 417 national parks in the United States Within the system 59 sites include National Park as part of their proper name NPS Organic Act Overview nature nps gov National Park Service January 17 2007 Archived from the original on February 6 2017 Retrieved February 26 2017 World Heritage List United States of America whc unesco org UNESCO World Heritage Centre Archived from the original on February 25 2017 Retrieved February 25 2017 a b UNESCO Biosphere Reserves United States of America unesco org UNESCO November 2015 Archived from the original on February 22 2017 Retrieved February 22 2017 a b National Park Service Acreage Reports nps gov National Park Service March 31 2023 Retrieved May 15 2023 Gross Area Acres data retrieved from Listing of Acreage sheet Annual Visitation by Park Type or Region for 2021 By Park Type Irma NPS gov Retrieved July 9 2023 National Parks Hosted 237 Million Visitors in 2020 Office of Communications U S National Park Service www nps gov Retrieved February 26 2021 a b c Annual Park Ranking Report for Recreation Visits in 2022 NPS Stats National Park Service U S Department of the Interior Retrieved May 15 2023 National Park System Areas Listed in Chronological Order of Date Authorized under DOI PDF National Park Service June 27 2005 Archived from the original on March 11 2012 Retrieved January 18 2010 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint unfit URL link Acadia National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Acadia National Park Places To Go National Park Service Retrieved January 28 2014 National Park of American Samoa National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Arches National Park Arches Rock Stars National Park Service Retrieved February 25 2017 Arches National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Badlands National Park Fossils National Park Service Retrieved February 25 2017 Badlands National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Big Bend National Park National Park Service December 8 2009 Big Bend Biosphere Reserve and National Park unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Biscayne National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Bryce Canyon National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Canyonlands National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Capitol Reef National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Carlsbad Caverns National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 World Heritage List Carlsbad Caverns National Park unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Channel Islands National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Channel Islands Biosphere Reserve unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Congaree National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 South Atlantic Coastal Plain Biosphere Reserve unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Crater Lake National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Cuyahoga Valley National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Cuyahoga Valley National Park Scenic Railroad National Park Service Retrieved November 4 2012 Must See Highlights Badwater Basin National Park Service Retrieved March 4 2018 Death Valley National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 a b Mojave and Colorado Deserts Biosphere Reserve unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Denali National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Denali Biosphere Reserve and National Park unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Dry Tortugas National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 a b Everglades amp Dry Tortugas Biosphere Reserve unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Everglades National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 World Heritage List Everglades National Park unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Gates of the Arctic National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 President Donald J Trump Signs S 1438 into Law whitehouse gov February 22 2018 Archived from the original on January 20 2021 Retrieved November 19 2018 via National Archives Gateway Arch National Park National Park Service Retrieved February 23 2018 Glacier National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Glacier National Park Fossils National Park Service Retrieved February 25 2017 World Heritage List Waterton Glacier International Peace Park unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Glacier Biosphere Reserve and National Park unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Glacier Bay National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 a b World Heritage List Kluane Wrangell St Elias Glacier Bay Tatshenshini Alsek unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Glacier Bay and Admiralty Island Biosphere Reserve unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Grand Canyon National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 World Heritage List Grand Canyon National Park unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Grand Teton National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Great Basin National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Great Sand Dunes National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Great Smoky Mountains National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 World Heritage List Great Smoky Mountains National Park unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Southern Appalachian Biosphere Reserve unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Guadalupe Mountains National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Haleakala National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 a b Hawaiian Islands Biosphere Reserve unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Hawaii Volcanoes National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 World Heritage List Hawaii Volcanoes National Park unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Hot Springs National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 President Donald J Trump Signs S 1438 into Law whitehouse gov via National Archives Indiana Dunes National Park National Park Service Retrieved February 16 2019 Isle Royale National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Isle Royale Biosphere Reserve and National Park unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Joshua Tree National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Katmai National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Kenai Fjords National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Kings Canyon National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Kings Canyon National Park National Park Service Retrieved July 13 2018 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Final General Management Plan and Comprehensive River Management Plan Environmental Impact Statement U S National Park Service 2006 p 35 Retrieved July 13 2018 Dilsaver Lary M Tweed William C 1990 Expansion of Sequoia and Creation of General Grant Challenge of the Big Trees U S National Park Service Retrieved July 13 2018 a b Sequoia and Kings Canyon Biosphere Reserve and National Parks unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Kobuk Valley National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Lake Clark National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Lassen Volcanic National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Mammoth Cave National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 World Heritage List Mammoth Cave National Park unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Mammoth Cave Area Biosphere Reserve and National Park unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Mesa Verde National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 World Heritage List Mesa Verde National Park unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Mount Rainier National Park Frequently Asked Questions National Park Service Retrieved February 28 2017 Mount Rainier National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 New River Gorge America s newest national park is one of West Virginia s hidden gems The Washington Post Retrieved August 10 2022 New River Gorge National Park and Preserve National Park Service Retrieved December 27 2020 Averill Graham December 22 2020 West Virginia s New River Gorge Will Be Our 63rd National Park Outside Online Retrieved December 28 2020 North Cascades National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Olympic National Park Weather and Climate PDF National Park Service Retrieved February 28 2017 Olympic National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 World Heritage List Olympic National Park unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Olympic Biosphere Reserve and National Park unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Petrified Forest National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Pinnacles National Park National Park Service January 11 2013 Retrieved January 12 2013 Redwood National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 World Heritage List Redwood National and State Parks unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Rocky Mountain National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Rocky Mountain Biosphere Reserve and National Park unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Saguaro National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Sequoia National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Shenandoah National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Theodore Roosevelt National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Virgin Islands National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Voyageurs National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 H R 2500 116th Congress 2019 2020 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 www congress gov Retrieved December 21 2019 Subtitle E White Sands National Park and White Sands Missile Range SEC 2851 approximately 2 826 acres of land identified as To NPS lands inside current boundary plus approximately 5 766 acres of land identified as To NPS new additions minus approximately 3 737 acres of land identified as To DOA White Sands National Park National Park Service December 26 2019 Retrieved December 27 2019 Wind Cave National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Wind Cave s Early Days National Park Service Retrieved February 28 2017 Wrangell St Elias National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 Yellowstone National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 World Heritage List Yellowstone National Park unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Yellowstone Biosphere Reserve and National Park unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Yosemite National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 World Heritage List Yosemite National Park unesco org UNESCO Archived from the original on February 24 2017 Retrieved February 24 2017 Zion National Park National Park Service Retrieved March 23 2010 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to National parks of the United States nbsp Wikivoyage has a travel guide for United States National Parks Official website of the National Park Service NPS Find a park NPS Visitor use statistics NPS The National Parks America s Best Idea by PBS America s Natural Heritage The Essential Guide to the National Parks by The Washington Post Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title List of national parks of the United States amp oldid 1199281925, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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