National Parks by State [Updated May 2023]

A national park is a scenic or historically important area of land protected by the federal government to preserve wildlife living there or for the enjoyment of the general public. Because the government protects national parks, exploitation of the natural resources contained in them is illegal.

The United States has 61 national parks in 29 different states. The state with the highest number of national parks is California, with nine. Unsurprisingly, California is considered the most beautiful U.S. state. Alaska follows with eight.

The first national park in the United States was Yellowstone, which was signed to its status in 1872 by President Ulysses S. Grant. The newest national park is Indiana Dunes, which changed its name to a “national park” on February 15, 2019.

The largest national park in the United States is Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve in Alaska. Wrangell-St. Elias is 13.2 million acres, roughly six times larger than Yellowstone National Park. Wrangell-St. Elias is home to some of the highest mountains in North America and the largest glacial system in the United States.

The most-visited national park in the United States is Smoky Mountains National Park, which straddles the state line of North Carolina and Tennessee. Great Smoky Mountains National Park was made a national park by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940 and sees over 11 million people per year.

Grand Canyon National Park is one of the most well-known national parks in the world. Located in Arizona, this canyon was formed over millions of years and covered 1.2 million acres, making it the largest in existence. It is also considered to be one of the Seven Naturals Wonders of the World. The Grand Canyon became a national park on February 26, 1919, and celebrated its 100th anniversary this year.

Number of National Parks by State

Alaska: 8

• Denali National Park
• Gates of the Arctic National Park
• Glacier Bay National Park
• Katmai National Par
• Kenai National Park
• Kobuk National Park
• Lake Clark National Park
• Wrangell-Elias National Park & Preserve

Arizona: 3

• Grand Canyon National Park
• Petrified Forest National Park
• Saguaro National Park

Arkansas: 1

• Hot Springs National Park

California: 9

• Channel Islands National Park
• Death Valley National Park (California and Nevada)
• Joshua Tree National Park
• Kings Canyon National Park
• Lassen Volcanic National Park
• Pinnacles National Park
• Redwood National Park
• Sequoia National Park
• Yosemite National Park

Colorado: 4

• Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
• Great Sand Dunes National Park
• Mesa Verde National Park
• Rocky Mountain National Park

Florida: 3

• Biscayne National Park
• Dry Tortugas National Park
• Everglades National Park

Hawaii: 2

• Haleakala National Park
• Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park

Idaho: 1

• Yellowstone National Park (Idaho, Montana, Wyoming)

Illinois: 1

• Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri and Illinois)

Indiana: 1

• Indiana Dunes National Park

Kentucky: 1

• Mammoth Cave National Park

Maine: 1

• Acadia National Park

Michigan: 1

• Isle Royale National Park

Minnesota: 1

• Voyageurs National Park

Missouri: 1

• Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri and Illinois)

Montana: 2

• Glacier National Park
• Yellowstone National Park (Idaho, Montana, Wyoming)

Nevada: 2

• Death Valley National Park (California and Nevada)
• Great Basin National Park

North Dakota: 1

• Theodore Roosevelt National Park

North Carolina: 1

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina and Tennessee)

Ohio: 1

• Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Oregon: 1

• Crater Lake National Park

South Carolina: 1

• Congaree National Park

South Dakota: 1

• Badlands National Park
• Wind Cave National Park

Tennessee: 1

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina and Tennessee)

Texas: 2

• Big Bend National Park
• Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Utah: 5

• Arches National Park
• Bryce Canyon National Park
• Canyonlands National Park
• Capitol Reef National Park
• Zion National Park

Virginia: 1

• Shenandoah National Park

Washington: 3

• Mount Rainier National Park
• North Cascades National Park
• Olympic National Park

Wyoming: 2

• Grand Teton National Park
• Yellowstone National Park (Idaho, Montana, Wyoming)