List of National Parks in the United States 2024
List of U.S. National Parks: There are almost 63 sites, that are designated as the “National Park” like Acadia and Yellowstone. The National Park Service (NPS) was created in 1916 by Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Stephen Mather, and Horace M. Albright. But NPS oversees more than just these famous parks. It is part of the Department of the Interior and is based in Washington, DC.
In this article, we are going to discuss the National Parks of the U.S. in detail.
Table of Content
- List of U.S. National Parks
- National Parks by State or Territory in the U.S.
- Largest National Park in The U.S.
- Smallest National Park in The U.S.
List of U.S. National Parks
There are 63 national parks in the United States. Some national parks are not national parks anymore. Of these parks, there are Fourteen as such which are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 21 are UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, and, 8 parks fall under both programs.
Here is the detailed list of them as mentioned below with their details:
List of Major U.S. National Parks |
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
National Park Name |
Location |
Date Of Establishment |
Area (2023) |
Major Facts |
Acadia |
Maine |
February 26, 1919 |
49,071.40 acres |
|
American Samoa |
American Samoa |
October 31, 1988 |
8,256.67 acres |
|
Arches |
Utah |
November 12, 1971 |
76,678.98 acres |
|
Badlands |
South Dakota |
November 10, 1978 |
242,755.94 acres |
|
Big Bend |
Texas |
June 12, 1944 |
801,163.21 acres |
|
Biscayne |
Florida |
June 28, 1980 |
172,971.11 acres |
|
Black Canyon of the Gunnison |
Colorado |
October 21, 1999 |
30,779.83 acres |
|
Bryce Canyon |
Utah |
February 25, 1928 |
35,835.08 acres |
|
Canyonlands |
Utah |
September 12, 1964 |
337,597.83 acres |
|
Capitol Reef |
Utah |
December 18, 1971 |
241,904.50 acres |
|
Carlsbad Caverns |
New Mexico |
May 14, 1930 |
46,766.45 acres |
|
Channel Islands |
California |
March 5, 1980 |
249,561.00 acres |
|
Congaree |
South Carolina |
November 10, 2003 |
26,692.60 acres |
|
Crater Lake |
Oregon |
May 22, 1902 |
183,224.05 acres |
|
Cuyahoga Valley |
Ohio |
October 11, 2000 |
32,571.89 acres |
|
Death Valley |
California, Nevada |
October 31, 1994 |
3,408,395.63 acres |
|
Denali |
Alaska |
February 26, 1917 |
4,740,911.16 acres |
|
Dry Tortugas |
Florida |
October 26, 1992 |
64,701.22 acres |
|
Everglades |
Florida |
May 30, 1934 |
1,508,938.57 acres |
|
Gates of the Arctic |
Alaska |
December 2, 1980 |
7,523,897.45 acres |
|
Gateway Arch |
Missouri |
February 22, 2018 |
192.83 acres |
|
Glacier |
Montana |
May 11, 1910 |
1,013,126.39 acres |
|
Glacier Bay |
Alaska |
December 2, 1980 |
3,223,383.43 acres |
|
Grand Canyon |
Arizona |
February 26, 1919 |
1,201,647.03 acres |
|
Grand Teton |
Wyoming |
February 26, 1929 |
310,044.36 acres |
|
Haleakalā |
Hawaii |
August 1, 1916 |
33,265.62 acres |
|
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes |
Hawaii |
August 1, 1916 |
323,431.38 acres |
|
Hot Springs |
Arkansas |
March 4, 1921 |
5,549.75 acres |
|
Indiana Dunes |
Indiana |
February 15, 2019 |
15,349.08 acres |
|
Joshua Tree |
California |
October 31, 1994 |
790,635.74 acres |
|
Katmai |
Alaska |
December 2, 1980 |
3,674,529.33 acres |
|
Kenai Fjords |
Alaska |
December 2, 1980 |
669,984.38 acres |
|
Kings Canyon |
California |
March 4, 1940 |
461,901.20 acres |
|
Lake Clark |
Alaska |
December 2, 1980 |
4,030,015.00 acres |
|
Mammoth Cave |
Kentucky |
July 1, 1941 |
54,011.91 acres |
|
North Cascades |
Washington |
October 2, 1968 |
504,780.94 acres |
|
Olympic |
Washington |
June 29, 1938 |
922,649.41 acres |
|
Petrified Forest |
Arizona |
December 9, 1962 |
221,390.21 acres |
|
Redwood |
California |
October 2, 1968 |
138,999.37 acres |
|
Saguaro |
Arizona |
October 14, 1994 |
76,015.81 acres |
|
Theodore Roosevelt |
North Dakota |
November 10, 1978 |
70,446.89 acres |
|
Voyageurs |
Minnesota |
January 8, 1971 |
218,200.17 acres |
|
Wind Cave |
South Dakota |
January 9, 1903 |
33,970.84 acres |
|
Yellowstone |
Wyoming, Montana, Idaho |
March 1, 1872 |
2,219,790.71 acres |
|
Zion |
Utah |
November 19, 1919 |
147,242.66 acres |
|
National Parks by State or Territory in the U.S.
There are 30 states in the USA and 2 territories. Here is the counting table of the National Parks of the USA as mentioned below:
National Parks By State or Territory In U.S. |
|||
---|---|---|---|
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 |
Largest National Park in The U.S.
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve is the largest national park in the U.S., stretching from sea level to over 18,000 feet. It covers 13.2 million acres, equal to the size of Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Switzerland combined. Situated in Alaska, it is one of seven massive parks in the state. Despite its vastness, people have lived off its land for centuries, making it a haven for adventure seekers amidst its rugged beauty.
Smallest National Park in The U.S.
Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis, Missouri, is the smallest national park in the U.S. It covers about 192.83 acres, roughly equivalent to 0.7804 square kilometers. Formerly known as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, the park commemorates the historic starting point of the Lewis and Clark Expedition into the Louisiana Territory.
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FAQs on List of U.S. National Parks
How many national parks are in USA?
There are 63 sites that include “National Park” as part of their proper name such as Acadia, Everglades, Grand Canyon, and Yellowstone. Though world-renowned for their grandeur and beauty, our national treasures encompass far more than these 63 sites.
What is the No 1 national park in USA?
The most parks popular are nearly all household names like Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree and America’s first national Park, Yellowstone, but there are two that may surprise casual fans. Cuyahoga Valley and Indiana Dunes both saw more visitors last year than places like Arches and Everglades, which didn’t make the top 15.
How many US national parks are there 2024?
The National Park Service manages over 400 sites, including national parks, monuments, seashores, battlefields, recreation areas, historic sites, and more. Technically, all of these areas are “national parks” because they are managed by the National Park Service.
What is the largest US national park?
The uncontested heavyweight champion of the National Park System is Alaska’s Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve. At 13.2 million acres, it’s larger than Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, and Switzerland combined.
What is America’s smallest national park?
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, for an average of 833 thousand acres (3,370 km2) but a median of only 220 thousand acres.
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