| Name | Image | Location | Date established as park | Area (2023) | Recreation visitors (2025) | Description |
| Acadia | | Maine 44°21′N 68°13′W / 44 °N 68 °W / 44 ; -68 (Acadia) | February 26, 1919 | 49,071 acres (198 km2) | 4,079,318 | 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. |
| American Samoa | | American Samoa 14°15′S 170°41′W / 14 °S 170 °W / -14 ; -170 (National Park of American Samoa) | October 31, 1988 | 8,256 acres (33 km2) | 43,258 | 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. |
| Arches | | Utah 38°41′N 109°34′W / 38 °N 109 °W / 38 ; -109 (Arches) | November 12, 1971 | 76,678 acres (310 km2) | 1,511,740 | 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. 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-co |
| Badlands | | South Dakota 43°45′N 102°30′W / 43 °N 102 °W / 43 ; -102 (Badlands) | November 10, 1978 | 242,755 acres (982 km2) | 1,139,361 | 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. Wildlife includes bison, bighorn sheep, black-footed ferrets, and prairie dogs. |
| Big Bend † | | Texas 29°15′N 103°15′W / 29 °N 103 °W / 29 ; -103 (Big Bend) | June 12, 1944 | 801,163 acres (3,242 km2) | 568,104 | Named for the prominent bend in the Rio Grande along the U .–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 Amer |
| Biscayne | | Florida 25°39′N 80°05′W / 25 °N 80 °W / 25 ; -80 (Biscayne) | June 28, 1980 | 172,971 acres (700 km2) | 486,567 | 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. |
| Black Canyon of the Gunnison | | Colorado 38°34′N 107°43′W / 38 °N 107 °W / 38 ; -107 (Black Canyon of the Gunnison) | October 21, 1999 | 30,779 acres (124 km2) | 250,086 | 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. |
| Bryce Canyon | | Utah 37°34′N 112°11′W / 37 °N 112 °W / 37 ; -112 (Bryce Canyon) | February 25, 1928 | 35,835 acres (145 km2) | 1,967,367 | 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. |
| Canyonlands | | Utah 38°12′N 109°56′W / 38 °N 109 °W / 38 ; -109 (Canyonlands) | September 12, 1964 | 337,597 acres (1,366 km2) | 796,057 | 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. |
| Capitol Reef | | Utah 38°12′N 111°10′W / 38 °N 111 °W / 38 ; -111 (Capitol Reef) | December 18, 1971 | 241,904 acres (979 km2) | 1,388,476 | 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. |
| Carlsbad Caverns * | | New Mexico 32°10′N 104°26′W / 32 °N 104 °W / 32 ; -104 (Carlsbad Caverns) | May 14, 1930 | 46,766 acres (189 km2) | 410,778 | 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. (WHS) |
| Channel Islands † | | California 34°01′N 119°25′W / 34 °N 119 °W / 34 ; -119 (Channel Islands) | March 5, 1980 | 249,561 acres (1,009 km2) | 227,186 | 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 t |
| Congaree † | | South Carolina 33°47′N 80°47′W / 33 °N 80 °W / 33 ; -80 (Congaree) | November 10, 2003 | 26,692 acres (108 km2) | 287,833 | 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. (BR) |
| Crater Lake | | Oregon 42°56′N 122°06′W / 42 °N 122 °W / 42 ; -122 (Crater Lake) | May 22, 1902 | 183,224 acres (741 km2) | 632,242 | 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 repleni |
| Cuyahoga Valley | | Ohio 41°14′N 81°33′W / 41 °N 81 °W / 41 ; -81 (Cuyahoga Valley) | October 11, 2000 | 32,571 acres (131 km2) | 3,025,325 | 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, and also offers a scenic train ride. |
| Death Valley † | | California, Nevada 36°14′N 116°49′W / 36 °N 116 °W / 36 ; -116 (Death Valley) | October 31, 1994 | 3,408,395 acres (13,793 km2) | 1,320,134 | 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), This geologic graben also protects numerous canyons, badlands, sand dunes, mountain ranges, histo |
| Denali † | | Alaska 63°20′N 150°30′W / 63 °N 150 °W / 63 ; -150 (Denali) | February 26, 1917 | 4,740,911 acres (19,185 km2) | 543,300 | 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, cari |
| Dry Tortugas † | | Florida 24°38′N 82°52′W / 24 °N 82 °W / 24 ; -82 (Dry Tortugas) | October 26, 1992 | 64,701 acres (261 km2) | 89,355 | 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 Americas. The park is home to undisturbed coral reefs and shipwrecks, and is only accessible by plane or boat. (BR) |
| Everglades ‡ | | Florida 25°19′N 80°56′W / 25 °N 80 °W / 25 ; -80 (Everglades) | May 30, 1934 | 1,508,938 acres (6,106 km2) | 778,198 | 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. (WHS) (B |
| Gates of the Arctic | | Alaska 67°47′N 153°18′W / 67 °N 153 °W / 67 ; -153 (Gates of the Arctic) | December 2, 1980 | 7,523,897 acres (30,448 km2) | 14,923 | 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. |
| Gateway Arch | | Missouri 38°38′N 90°11′W / 38 °N 90 °W / 38 ; -90 (Gateway Arch) | February 22, 2018 | 192 acres (0 km2) | 2,209,028 | 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 a |
| Glacier ‡ | | Montana 48°48′N 114°00′W / 48 °N 114 °W / 48 ; -114 (Glacier) | May 11, 1910 | 1,013,126 acres (4,100 km2) | 3,136,557 | The U . 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. The local mountains, formed by an overthrust, expose Paleozoic fossils including trilobites, mollusks, giant |
| Glacier Bay ‡ | | Alaska 58°30′N 137°00′W / 58 °N 137 °W / 58 ; -137 (Glacier Bay) | December 2, 1980 | 3,223,383 acres (13,044 km2) | 740,044 | 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). (WHS) (BR) |
| Grand Canyon * | | Arizona 36°04′N 112°08′W / 36 °N 112 °W / 36 ; -112 (Grand Canyon) | February 26, 1919 | 1,201,647 acres (4,862 km2) | 4,430,653 | The Grand Canyon, carved by the mighty Colorado River, is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 1 mile (1 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 can |
| Grand Teton † | | Wyoming 43°44′N 110°48′W / 43 °N 110 °W / 43 ; -110 (Grand Teton) | February 26, 1929 | 310,044 acres (1,254 km2) | 3,800,648 | 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. (BR) |
| Great Basin | | Nevada 38°59′N 114°18′W / 38 °N 114 °W / 38 ; -114 (Great Basin) | October 27, 1986 | 77,180 acres (312 km2) | 161,210 | 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 cutthro |
| Great Sand Dunes | | Colorado 37°44′N 105°31′W / 37 °N 105 °W / 37 ; -105 (Great Sand Dunes) | September 24, 2004 | 107,345 acres (434 km2) | 432,498 | 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. |
| Great Smoky Mountains ‡ | | North Carolina, Tennessee 35°41′N 83°32′W / 35 °N 83 °W / 35 ; -83 (Great Smoky Mountains) | June 15, 1934 | 522,426 acres (2,114 km2) | 11,527,939 | 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 fish |
| Guadalupe Mountains | | Texas 31°55′N 104°52′W / 31 °N 104 °W / 31 ; -104 (Guadalupe Mountains) | September 30, 1972 | 86,367 acres (349 km2) | 206,423 | 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. |
| Haleakalā † | | Hawaii 20°43′N 156°10′W / 20 °N 156 °W / 20 ; -156 (Haleakalā) | July 1, 1961 | 33,488 acres (135 km2) | 853,711 | 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 . national park. (BR) |
| Hawaiʻi Volcanoes ‡ | | Hawaii 19°23′N 155°12′W / 19 °N 155 °W / 19 ; -155 (Hawaiʻi Volcanoes) | August 1, 1916 | 344,812 acres (1,395 km2) | 1,877,854 | 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). (WHS) (BR) |
| Hot Springs | | Arkansas 34°31′N 93°03′W / 34 °N 93 °W / 34 ; -93 (Hot Springs) | March 4, 1921 | 5,554 acres (22 km2) | 2,494,611 | 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. Hot Spring |
| Indiana Dunes | | Indiana 41°39′12″N 87°03′09″W / 41 °N 87 °W / 41 ; -87 (Indiana Dunes) | February 15, 2019 | 15,349 acres (62 km2) | 2,629,497 | 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. |
| Isle Royale † | | Michigan 48°06′N 88°33′W / 48 °N 88 °W / 48 ; -88 (Isle Royale) | April 3, 1940 | 571,790 acres (2,314 km2) | 29,091 | 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 miles (7 km) of its shores. There are only 20 mammal species on the island, though the relationship between its wolf and moose populations is especiall |
| Joshua Tree † | | California 33°47′N 115°54′W / 33 °N 115 °W / 33 ; -115 (Joshua Tree) | October 31, 1994 | 795,155 acres (3,217 km2) | 2,932,644 | 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. (BR) |
| Katmai | | Alaska 58°30′N 155°00′W / 58 °N 155 °W / 58 ; -155 (Katmai) | December 2, 1980 | 3,674,529 acres (14,870 km2) | 34,479 | 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. |
| Kenai Fjords | | Alaska 59°55′N 149°39′W / 59 °N 149 °W / 59 ; -149 (Kenai Fjords) | December 2, 1980 | 669,650 acres (2,710 km2) | 425,369 | 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. |
| Kings Canyon † | | California 36°48′N 118°33′W / 36 °N 118 °W / 36 ; -118 (Kings Canyon) | March 4, 1940 | 461,901 acres (1,869 km2) | 779,791 | 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. Although Kings Canyon National Park was designated as such in 1940, it subsumed G |
| Kobuk Valley | | Alaska 67°33′N 159°17′W / 67 °N 159 °W / 67 ; -159 (Kobuk Valley) | December 2, 1980 | 1,750,716 acres (7,084 km2) | 7,786 | 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 bluf |
| Lake Clark | | Alaska 60°58′N 153°25′W / 60 °N 153 °W / 60 ; -153 (Lake Clark) | December 2, 1980 | 2,619,816 acres (10,602 km2) | 19,778 | 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. |
| Lassen Volcanic | | California 40°29′N 121°31′W / 40 °N 121 °W / 40 ; -121 (Lassen Volcanic) | August 9, 1916 | 106,589 acres (431 km2) | 504,777 | 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 heat |
| Mammoth Cave ‡ | | Kentucky 37°11′N 86°06′W / 37 °N 86 °W / 37 ; -86 (Mammoth Cave) | July 1, 1941 | 72,472 acres (293 km2) | 660,734 | 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 sprin |
| Mesa Verde * | | Colorado 37°11′N 108°29′W / 37 °N 108 °W / 37 ; -108 (Mesa Verde) | June 29, 1906 | 52,485 acres (212 km2) | 463,130 | 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. (WHS) |
| Mount Rainier | | Washington 46°51′N 121°45′W / 46 °N 121 °W / 46 ; -121 (Mount Rainier) | March 2, 1899 | 236,381 acres (956 km2) | 1,635,342 | 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 |
| New River Gorge | | West Virginia 38°04′N 81°05′W / 38 °N 81 °W / 38 ; -81 (New River Gorge) | December 27, 2020 | 7,021 acres (28 km2) | 1,958,440 | 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 6 |
| North Cascades | | Washington 48°42′N 121°12′W / 48 °N 121 °W / 48 ; -121 (North Cascades) | October 2, 1968 | 504,780 acres (2,042 km2) | 46,925 | 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 Triu |
| Olympic ‡ | | Washington 47°58′N 123°30′W / 47 °N 123 °W / 47 ; -123 (Olympic) | June 29, 1938 | 922,649 acres (3,733 km2) | 3,584,187 | 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 f |
| Petrified Forest | | Arizona 35°04′N 109°47′W / 35 °N 109 °W / 35 ; -109 (Petrified Forest) | December 9, 1962 | 221,390 acres (895 km2) | 315,951 | 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. |
| Pinnacles | | California 36°29′N 121°10′W / 36 °N 121 °W / 36 ; -121 (Pinnacles) | January 10, 2013 | 26,685 acres (108 km2) | 343,208 | 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. Pi |
