The U.S. National Park System protects some of the country’s most esteemed landscapes, wildlife, and cultural sites. These scenic open spaces attract visitors for sightseeing, day-hiking, backpacking, paddling, stargazing, and more.
Consider this a quick reference guide to all 63 National Parks, with notes on their unique natural features and cultural sites. Some national parks are better to visit at different times of year due to extreme climates or crowds. When it comes time to plan a trip or visit a park, be sure to check the National Park Service website for updated information.
The 63 US National Parks
Acadia (Maine)
A mix of coastal and forest trails, as well as 45 miles of carriage roads that criss-cross the park. Acadia is also popular with paddlers, either on the inland ponds and lakes on Mount Desert Island or ocean kayaking around its coast for the more experienced.
American Samoa (American Samoa)
The remote park consists of three volcanic islands with tropical biodiversity and coral sand beaches. Like other island parks, the marine environment is worth exploring for snorkelers and divers. American Samoa National Park is more untamed than most U.S. national parks, so don’t expect the typical facilities. The more adventurous can take the Mount ‘Alava Adventure Trail, which includes 56 ladders and 783 steps. Plan your visit, as transportation options are limited.
Arches (Utah)
This popular park is home to more than 2,000 sandstone arches, including the iconic Delicate Arch, and most are accessible by short trails. Arches is a Dark Sky Park.
Badlands (South Dakota)
The badlands’ layered rock formations, steep canyons, and tall spires contrast with the park’s mixed-grass prairie, where you can see bison, bighorn sheep, and black-footed ferrets. The park has been instrumental in the study of vertebrate fossils and contains the largest assemblage of known late Eocene and Oligocene mammal fossils. A 20-mile Sage Creek Wilderness Loop takes hikers deep into the badlands backcountry (off-trail). Badlands is a Dark Sky Park
Big Bend (Texas)
Known for its remote desert and mountain trails, Big Bend’s 801,163 acres include an elevation range from 1,850 to 7,832 feet. The Rio Grande Wild and Scenic rivers combine for 196 miles of water. The park’s mix of river, desert, and mountain areas reflects the Chihuahuan Desert ecosystem with more than 1,206 plant species, 3,600 insect species, and more than 450 bird species.
Visitors can check out fossils and Native American cultural artifacts in the park, too. Big Bend is a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve and a Dark Sky Park.
Biscayne (Florida)
Roughly 95% of the park’s 172,000 acres is underwater and best experienced by boat, kayak, or snorkel. Located just south of Miami, this subtropical marine sanctuary has mangrove forests, shallow bay waters, and a portion of a giant coral reef. The waters are home to over 600 native fish species, sea turtles, American crocodiles, and West Indian manatees. Visitors can snorkel or dive among the coral reef or swim the Maritime Heritage Trail to see six historic shipwrecks.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison (Colorado)
The park contains a 12-mile stretch of the Gunnison River that creates the deepest canyon. Eroded by the river for more than 2 million years, the park includes some of the steepest cliffs, oldest rock, and narrowest canyons in North America. Some sections are so steep and deep that the canyon floor receives just 30 minutes of sunlight a day. Note that there is no bridge connecting the canyon sides within the park. Black Canyon is a Dark Sky Park.
Bryce Canyon (Utah)
Bryce Canyon is home to the world’s largest concentration of hoodoos. Surrounding trails provide access to several amphitheaters of the otherworldly spires with views from above and below. Just be ready for the elevation gains, even on shorter trails. Backcountry trails wind into surrounding forests and meadows. Bryce is a Dark Sky Park.
Canyonlands (Utah)
Rugged high desert canyon country with four distinct districts for 337,598 acres full of mesas, buttes, arches, spires, and rivers that turn to whitewater. Island in the Sky is the most visited area with scenic drives offering plenty of access to overlooks and trails. The Needles offers a backcountry experience, while The Maze is even more remote (and visitors should be self-sufficient).
Two rivers, the Colorado and Green, have carved deep canyons through the park, forming a fourth district that is much more shaded, green, and vibrant than the desert above. Canyonlands is a Dark Sky Park.
Capitol Reef (Utah)
The nearly 100-mile Waterpocket Fold landform truly shapes the park’s landscape and geological features. It is a textbook monocline whose tilt exposes millions of years of geologic history visible on foot. Visitors can loop around the fold in a 125-mile driving tour, or take the 7.9-mile Scenic Drive for highlights.
The park also contains cultural petroglyphs and historic Fruita orchards easily accessible near the northern entrance. The park’s southern region is much more remote and allows primitive camping. Capitol Reef is a Dark Sky Park.
Carlsbad Caverns (New Mexico)
The park is a mix of desert backcountry and 117 caves, the longest of which is over 120 miles long. The Big Room cave chamber is North America’s largest of its kind by volume, measuring nearly 4,000 feet long. The caves are home to over 400,000 Mexican free-tailed bats.
Explore surface trails and a 9.5-mile drive through the varied ecosystems of the Chihuahuan Desert. Rattlesnake Springs is a spring-fed riparian oasis for picnics and birdwatching. Carlsbad Caverns is a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site.
Channel Islands (California)
This park preserves five of the eight Channel Islands and the surrounding coastal waters. The biologically unique islands are dubbed the “Galapagos of North America” for their variety of plants and animals, 145 of which can be found only there (such as the Island Fox).
Half of the park’s area is underwater, and kelp forests shelter 1,000 marine species from plankton to blue whales. The islands are accessible by ferry service (or seaplane) from the mainland, and camping requires a reservation. The Channel Islands are a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve.
Congaree (South Carolina)
The largest portion of old-growth floodplain forest left in North America, with some of the tallest in the eastern United States. The Boardwalk Loop guides visitors through the swamp. Congaree is a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve.
Crater Lake (Oregon)
Located in the caldera of an ancient volcano, this is the deepest lake in the United States. The clear waters are replenished by precipitation. Inside the caldera are two relatively recent volcanic formations, Wizard Island and the Phantom Ship.
Cuyahoga Valley (Ohio)
This urban park highlights a section of the Cuyahoga River where hikers can tackle hilly trails and find waterfalls. Cultural attractions include the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail, which follows the route where mules towed boats along the canal. There are also several historic homes, bridges, and structures, as well as a scenic train ride.
Death Valley (California, Nevada)
The largest park in the lower 48 states (spanning over 3.4 million acres across eastern California and Nevada), it is famous for its extreme, otherworldly landscapes — including the Badwater Basin, which sits at 282 feet below sea level. Death Valley is a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve and a Dark Sky Park.
Denali (Alaska)
Home to the tallest and most prominent mountain in North America. Denali and other peaks of the Alaska Range are great examples of long glaciers and boreal forest. The forest and lowland taiga are home to abundant wildlife like grizzly bears, Dall sheep, moose, caribou, and wolves.
Denali’s 6 million acres of land has just one 92-mile road. In summer, the first 15 miles of paved road are open to the public, while bus tours are required beyond that. Denali is a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve.
Dry Tortugas (Florida)
This remote part of the Florida Keys is only accessible by boat or seaplane. Visitors can enjoy its diverse marine life and coral reef system. Since 99% of the park is water, snorkeling and diving are great ways to experience the park.
The seven islands of Dry Tortugas National Park amount to 100 square miles of land, with Fort Jefferson its most prominent attraction, along with its teeming bird life. Dry Tortugas is a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve.
Everglades (Florida)
This mangrove and tropical rainforest ecosystem and marine estuary is the largest tropical wilderness in the United States. The park is home to 36 protected species, including the Florida panther, American crocodile, and West Indian manatee. Access includes wetland trails and boardwalks. The Everglades are a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site.
Gates of the Arctic (Alaska)
No roads, no maintained trails — just pure wilderness. The northernmost park protects a portion of Alaska’s Brooks Range and has no facilities. The land is home to Alaska Natives who have lived off the land and caribou for 11,000 years.
Gateway Arch (Missouri)
The 630-foot stainless-steel Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Mo., commemorates the westward expansion of the United States. Some claim that this, the smallest National Park located in an urban greenspace, is unworthy of its national park status. It is, however, a significant landmark and an icon of St. Louis.
Glacier (Montana)
The Crown of the Continent is a shared park with Canada, where Glacier forms the U.S. half of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. It contains 26 (rapidly) receding glaciers, alpine meadows, and alpine lakes flanked by Rocky Mountain peaks. The mountains expose fossils from trilobites to giant ferns to dinosaurs.
Triple Divide Peak marks the watershed of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans. Seasonal highlights include Going-to-the-Sun Road and wildlife viewing at lower elevations. Glacier is a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site as well as a Dark Sky Park.
Glacier Bay (Alaska)
Accessible mainly by boat, Glacier Bay contains tidewater glaciers, fjords, and a temperate rainforest. The glaciers have receded more than 65 miles since first documented in 1794 by George Vancouver. It hosts large populations of grizzly bears, mountain goats, whales, seals, and eagles. Glacier Bay is a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site.
Grand Canyon (Arizona)
This iconic gorge is 277 miles long, up to 1 mile deep, and up to 15 miles wide. For millions of years, the Colorado River and winds have eroded the canyon, exposing multicolored layers of sandstone, limestone, schist, and granite rock from the Colorado Plateau.
Hikers can stick to trails with overlooks or see strata up close as they descend trails from the north or south rims. The Grand Canyon is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Dark Sky Park.
Grand Teton (Wyoming)
Grand Teton is the most prominent mountain in the scenic Teton Range, which often serves as a backdrop to the Jackson Hole valley’s meadows and pristine piedmont lakes. The park is home to large wildlife and several regionally endemic species. It attracts mountaineers, anglers, and backcountry campers in the summer. It is linked to Yellowstone by the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. Grand Teton is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Great Basin (Nevada)
A remote park with 5,000-year-old bristlecone pines, a rock glacier, and the limestone Lehman Caves. A popular drive leads to Wheeler Peak, Nevada’s second-tallest mountain. Its unique wildlife includes the Townsend’s big-eared bat, pronghorn, and Bonneville cutthroat trout. Great Basin is a Dark Sky Park.
Great Sand Dunes (Colorado)
Home to the tallest dunes in North America (up to 750 feet tall) and open for hiking and backcountry camping with a permit. Beyond the dunes, the park includes grasslands and wetlands and six mountains that top out over 13,000 feet. Great Sand Dunes is a Dark Sky Park.
Great Smoky Mountains (Tennessee, North Carolina)
Perennially the most visited national park (and it’s not even close), Great Smoky Mountains also boasts the most dedicated trail mileage — including a section of the Appalachian Trail. The park’s vast landscape includes forests and wildflowers that bloom year-round. The changing elevation makes it easy to hike along streams, rivers, and waterfalls.
Kuwohi (formerly Clingmans Dome) is the tallest peak in the Smokies, and an observation tower provides scenic views of the surrounding mountains. The Great Smoky Mountains is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site.
Guadalupe Mountains (Texas)
This park includes a portion of the Guadalupe Mountains, including the state’s four highest peaks. Another highlight is Capitan Reef, the largest exposed fossil reef on Earth, which dates back to the Permian Period. Visitors can explore the mountains, desert, dunes, and canyons filled with bigtooth maples to experience the park’s diverse flora and fauna.
Haleakala (Hawaiʻi)
This volcanic crater on Maui has numerous cinder cones and dominates the landscape. In contrast, the Kīpahulu District has freshwater pools with fish and shrimp, tall waterfalls, ocean vistas, and offers Hawaiian cultural experiences. It is home to the greatest number of endangered species within a U.S. national park, including the Nēnē, or Hawaiian goose (the state bird). Haleakala is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaiʻi)
The park measures 354,461 acres and includes two of the world’s most active volcanoes. The park’s biological diversity ranges from tropical forest to barren lava beds. The archipelago is the most geographically isolated group of islands on Earth and home to plants and animals that began evolving over 70 million years ago. More than 90% of the native terrestrial flora and fauna in Hawaiʻi are endemic to the Hawaiian islands, an unmatched level of endemism. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site.
Hot Springs (Arkansas)
The main attraction is its natural thermal springs, which originate in the Ouachita Mountains. Long a source of relaxation, Bathhouse Row preserves examples of 19th-century architecture. Hot Springs is the second-smallest park and was the first to be located within a city.
Indiana Dunes (Indiana)
A 20-mile stretch of sandy beaches and dunes on the southern shore of Lake Michigan. The park’s prairies, peat bogs, and wetlands are a sanctuary for more than 2,000 species.
Isle Royale (Michigan)
The largest island in Lake Superior is a remote wilderness with only 20 mammal species, including wolves and moose. While Isle Royale is the largest island, the park includes more than 400 smaller islands within 5 miles of its shores. Paddlers, boaters, and divers can explore the surrounding waters and shipwrecks.
Hikers and backpackers come for the isolation, but there is some lodging available on the island. It is only accessible by ferry, private boat, or seaplane. Isle Royale is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Joshua Tree (California)
The park’s 795,155 acres include large areas of the Colorado and Mojave Deserts as well as the Little San Bernardino Mountains. The namesake Joshua trees are typical of this desert landscape, while the Cholla Cactus Garden’s clusters of teddybear cholla are more unusual. Joshua Tree is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and a Dark Sky Park.
Katmai (Alaska)
Home to the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, an ash flow formed in 1912, and the stratovolcano Mount Katmai. It is known for its population of grizzly bears (roughly 2,000) that feast on spawning salmon. Other park wildlife includes caribou, wolves, moose, and wolverines.
Kenai Fjords (Alaska)
The 700-square-mile Harding Icefield feeds at least 38 glaciers and surrounding fjords. Exit Glacier is accessible by road (for now) for hiking. However, boat cruises are a popular way for visitors to watch tidewater glaciers calve into the sea and view marine mammals, such as orcas, humpback whales, and sea otters.
Kings Canyon (California)
With giant sequoias, glacial canyons, and lush glacial valleys, Kings Canyon is often cited as a less crowded alternative to Sequoia and Yosemite. The Grant Grove of ancient sequoias includes the General Grant Tree (the “Nation’s Christmas Tree”), Zumwalt Meadow offers lush scenery framed by granite walls, and a scenic byway takes drivers down into the namesake canyon. Kings Canyon is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and is run as a single unit with Sequoia National Park.
Kobuk Valley (Alaska)
The park protects 30 square miles of Arctic dunes and a wild tundra where 250,000 western Arctic caribou migrate. Culturally, the Onion Portage is an archaeological site with a 9,000-year history of hunting. The park is pure wilderness and one of the least visited.
Lake Clark (Alaska)
Another of the most remote and least-visited parks, Lake Clark is only accessible by small plane. The 4 million undeveloped, wild acres are big on scenery with turquoise lakes, huge waterfalls, glaciers, and two active volcanoes. Visitors enjoy watching brown bears forage for salmon and clams at several hotspots. Backcountry hikers and paddlers can easily find solitude.
Lassen Volcanic (California)
This park includes deep blue lakes and hydrothermal features like mud pots and steam vents, without the crowds of Yellowstone. Lassen is the only park to contain all four types of volcanoes (shield, composite, cinder cone, and plug dome). The namesake peak is widely cited as the largest plug dome volcano in the world, while Cinder Cone is a popular hike with a double-rimmed crater at its summit. Plant and wildlife highlights include Lassen paintbrush, whitebark pine, California Tortoiseshell butterfly migrations, and larger mammals like mountain lions.
Mammoth Cave (Kentucky)
Home to the world’s longest cave system (426 miles) and praised for its ranger-guided tours. Above ground, the park has more than 80 miles of wooded trails, while paddlers and anglers recreate on the Green and Nolin rivers. Mammoth Cave is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site as well as a Dark Sky Park.
Mesa Verde (Colorado)
Well-preserved Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings and a museum detailing the area’s ancient Native American culture. Petroglyph Point Trail also has several rock carvings. The park is also home to more than 1,000 plant and animal species, with several endemic species adapted to the area’s dry canyon habitat and woodland soils. Mesa Verde is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Dark Sky Park.
Mount Rainier (Washington)
The quite active Mount Rainier volcano towers over the park, whose land it has shaped through eruptions and mudflows. It is the highest (14,410 feet) volcanic peak in the contiguous United States. It also has the largest alpine glacial system and water source for the Puget Sound region. Other highlights include wildflower meadows, evergreen forests, alpine lakes, and a wide range of hiking opportunities. The 93-mile Wonderland Trail encircles Mt. Rainier.
New River Gorge (West Virginia)
The newest national park (est. 2020) covers 70,000 acres and includes a portion of the New River (one of the world’s oldest rivers). Hikers can explore rugged highland trails and deep canyons. Paddlers can take on 53 miles of river, including the Lower Gorge’s huge Class III-V rapids. Climbers will find over 1,500 established climbing routes among its sandstone cliffs. Cultural highlights include abandoned coal towns and displays of recent Appalachian history.
North Cascades (Washington)
A rugged alpine wilderness featuring jagged peaks and thick evergreen forests in its valleys. The park contains more than 300 active glaciers, which feed the turquoise waters of Diablo Lake and waterfalls, such as Colonial Falls. Among the least-visited national parks, backpackers can enjoy hundreds of miles of remote hiking or take in its vistas from the North Cascades Highway. The park is home to a wide range of animals, including over 200 bird species, and its fall foliage is a popular seasonal attraction.
Olympic (Washington)
The park contains several distinct ecosystems on the Olympic Peninsula, including old-growth forests and iconic views of Mt. Olympus and its many glaciers. Backpackers can explore its peaks, temperate rainforests, and more than 70 miles of undeveloped Pacific coastline in one trip. Olympic is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site.
Petrified Forest (Arizona)
The park protects a massive concentration of petrified wood; logs transformed into colorful quartz and jasper wood over 225 million years ago. Highlights include the Painted Desert badlands and the blue-purple-banded hills of Blue Mesa, as well as ancient Puebloan sites and even a segment of Route 66. Petrified Forest is a Dark Sky Park.
Pinnacles (California)
This park is known for its large volcanic rock spires and cool talus caves. It is also the main release site for California Condors. Climbers can find hundreds of specialized routes among its rock formations.
Redwood (California)
The park helps protect coastal redwoods, the tallest trees on Earth. The 200 miles of trails will let you explore prairies and forest ecosystems as well as the three river systems and 37 miles of coastline with tide pools, estuaries, and seastacks. The park is located in one of the most seismically active zones in the U.S. Redwood is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Rocky Mountain (Colorado)
An alpine park with prominent mountain peaks, summer wildflower blooms, and ample wildlife viewing — including the fall elk rut. Trail Ridge Road is the highest (12,183 feet) continuous paved road on the continent, taking visitors into the alpine tundra and over the Continental Divide. Rocky Mountain is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Saguaro (Arizona)
This park is split into two districts (Rincon Mountain and Tucson Mountain) to the west and east of Tucson. The iconic giant saguaro cacti, often a symbol of the West, only grow in the Sonoran Desert. The park includes six biotic communities where visitors can find barrel cacti, chollas, and prickly pears, as well as wildlife like lesser long-nosed bats, spotted owls, and javelinas. Saguaro is a Dark Sky Park.
Sequoia (California)
Known for its iconic giant sequoia trees and views of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Highlights include seeing the enormous General Sherman Tree (the largest living tree on Earth by volume) and climbing the 350 granite steps of Moro Rock.
Visitors can drive through the famous Tunnel Log (a fallen sequoia with an archway cutout) while hikers can have a similar experience on several trails. Sequoia is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and is run as a single unit with Kings Canyon National Park.
Shenandoah (Virginia)
A long, narrow park that follows the Blue Ridge Mountains across Virginia, including a 101-mile section of the Appalachian Trail. The park is covered in hardwood forests, with hikers enjoying mountain views and the occasional waterfall, and the river is a popular recreation spot in the summer. Skyline Drive also runs through the park and has 75 overlooks, making it especially popular in the fall.
Theodore Roosevelt (North Dakota)
The park consists of three units in northern badlands (and prairie) with several scenic drives, trails, and backcountry hiking areas where visitors can see American bison, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, and wild horses. This land inspired Theodore Roosevelt to create five national parks, though not this one, and his cabin is preserved on site.
Virgin Islands (U.S. Virgin Islands)
Beyond its white-sand beaches, the park contains mangrove forests, seagrass beds, and coral reefs to explore. Culturally, the park houses Taíno petroglyphs and archaeological sites as well as ruins of sugar plantations dating back to the Danish colonial era.
Voyageurs (Minnesota)
This water-based park consists of 84,000 acres of interconnected lakes, hundreds of forested islands, and backcountry campsites accessible only by boat. Paddlers, boaters, and anglers are welcome and can find guides or rentals from local outfitters. Voyageurs is a Dark Sky Park.
White Sands (New Mexico)
The White Sands park protects a significant portion of the world’s largest gypsum dunefield (275 square miles). The White Sands Missile Range surrounds it and can cause temporary closures when tests are underway.
Wind Cave (South Dakota)
Wind Cave combines a unique cave formation underground with mixed-grass prairie and ponderosa pine forests above it. The dry cave is famous for its calcite fin formations called boxwork. This honeycomb-shaped mineral structure is so rare that it is estimated that Wind Cave houses 95% of the world’s known boxwork.
The cave is one of the longest in the world and gets its name from the whistling winds caused when barometric pressure changes force air in and out of the cave’s entrance. It is also considered a creation site among the Lakota. The park includes several trails and opportunities to see bison, ferrets, prairie dogs, cougars, and elk.
Wrangell–St. Elias (Alaska)
The largest national park protects the convergence of the Alaska, Chugach, Wrangell, and Saint Elias mountain ranges, some of the continent’s tallest mountains and volcanoes. Mount Saint Elias rises 18,008 feet from sea level. The park has the highest concentration of glaciers (more than 100), and they cover more than a quarter of its 13.2 million acres.
The trail system gives way to backcountry exploration, but visitors should note that this extreme landscape is full of hazards. Wrangell–St. Elias is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Yellowstone (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
The first national park, Yellowstone, is known for its geothermal features and as one of the best areas for wildlife viewing. Located on the Yellowstone Caldera, the park contains boiling mud pots, brightly colored hot springs, and erupting geysers like Old Faithful. The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River has several high waterfalls, and there are four mountain ranges across the park.
Nature lovers can see more than 60 mammal species here, including timber wolves, grizzly bears, black bears, lynxes, bison, and elk. Yellowstone is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site.
Yosemite (California)
The glacier-carved Yosemite Valley is full of extreme geological features. It is perhaps best known for its iconic granite cliffs, Half Dome and El Capitan, as well as waterfalls like Yosemite Falls (one of the continent’s tallest). There are old-growth forests in the park, including three giant sequoia groves, and a wide variety of plants and animals adapted to the microclimates within the Sierra Nevada. Yosemite is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Zion (Utah)
Often the second-most-visited park, Zion is known for its stunning red rock canyons and sandstone formations. Forks of the Virgin River create a wilderness divided into four ecosystems: desert, riparian, woodland, and coniferous forest. It is arguably a two-in-one park as the Main Zion Canyon and Kolob Canyons have separate entrances and are not connected by roads. Zion is a Dark Sky Park.
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