National Parks Fun Facts

We’ve created this list of 75 fun facts about National Parks for your enjoyment and for you to share with friends!

Over 75 fun facts about National Parks, fun facts about National Parks for kids, plus more the parks, locations, and much more!

Table of Contents

• National Parks Fun Facts 1-25
• National Parks Fun Facts 25-75
• National Parks Fun Facts for Kids
• What are National Parks
• What are All the National Parks
• What are the Most Popular National Parks
• What are Some National Park Records
• What State has the Most National Parks
• What are the Least Visited National Parks
• Quotes about National Parks

National Parks Fun Facts 1-25

Here are 25 fun facts about National Parks:

1. The first national park was Yellowstone, which was established in 1872.
2. The largest national park in the United States is Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in Alaska.
3. The smallest national park is Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas.
4. The most visited national park is Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
5. The deepest lake in the United States is Crater Lake in Oregon, which is located in Crater Lake National Park.
6. The highest peak in North America, Denali (formerly known as Mount McKinley), is located in Denali National Park in Alaska.
7. The largest living organism in the world, a fungus called Armillaria ostoyae, is found in Oregon’s Malheur National Forest.
8. The Grand Canyon, located in Grand Canyon National Park, is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.
9. Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado is home to the tallest sand dunes in North America.
10. Acadia National Park in Maine is the first national park east of the Mississippi River.
11. Joshua Tree National Park in California is named for the distinctive Joshua trees that grow there.
12. Death Valley National Park in California and Nevada is the hottest and driest place in North America.
13. The highest waterfall in North America, Yosemite Falls, is located in Yosemite National Park in California.
14. Glacier National Park in Montana is home to the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road.
15. The largest concentration of geysers in the world is found in Yellowstone National Park.
16. The world’s largest tree by volume, General Sherman, is located in Sequoia National Park in California.
17. Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado is home to more than 60 peaks over 12,000 feet high.
18. The first national park in Canada was Banff National Park, established in 1885.
19. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is home to two active volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa.
20. The Grand Tetons, located in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, are some of the youngest mountains in North America.
21. Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado is home to some of the best-preserved cliff dwellings in North America.
22. Arches National Park in Utah is home to more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches.
23. Olympic National Park in Washington is home to the only rainforest in North America.
24. The Virgin Islands National Park includes more than 60% of the island of St. John.
25. Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota is named after the 26th President of the United States, who was a conservationist and helped establish the national park system.

National Parks Fun Facts 26-75

Here are another 50 fun facts about National Parks:

26. Zion National Park in Utah is home to the Narrows, a hike through a narrow canyon with walls up to 1,000 feet high.
27. Big Bend National Park in Texas is one of the least-visited national parks in the United States.
28. Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska is home to the largest tidewater glacier in North America, the Margerie Glacier.
29. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in Australia is the largest marine park in the world.
30. Banff National Park in Canada is home to the famous Lake Louise, known for its turquoise waters.
31. Yellowstone National Park was the first area in the world to be designated a national park.
32. The tallest peak in the contiguous United States, Mount Whitney, is located just outside Sequoia National Park.
33. Acadia National Park in Maine is the first place in the United States to see the sunrise each day.
34. Great Basin National Park in Nevada is home to the oldest trees in the world, the bristlecone pines.
35. The Everglades National Park in Florida is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles coexist.
36. Mount Rainier National Park in Washington is home to the largest single-peak glacial system in the United States.
37. Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado has more than 300 miles of hiking trails.
38. Yosemite National Park in California is home to Half Dome, a granite peak that rises more than 4,700 feet above the valley floor.
39. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to more than 1,500 black bears.
40. The Badlands National Park in South Dakota is home to some of the richest fossil beds in North America.
41. Grand Canyon National Park is home to the Colorado River, which carved the Grand Canyon over millions of years.
42. The Redwood National and State Parks in California are home to the tallest trees in the world, the coast redwoods.
43. Congaree National Park in South Carolina is home to some of the tallest hardwood trees in the United States.
44. Shenandoah National Park in Virginia is home to the famous Skyline Drive, a scenic road that runs along the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
45. The Channel Islands National Park in California is home to five islands that are often referred to as the “Galapagos of North America” because of their unique flora and fauna.
46. Glacier National Park in Montana is home to more than 130 named lakes.
47. Katmai National Park in Alaska is home to the world’s largest population of brown bears.
48. The Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida is home to Fort Jefferson, a massive 19th-century fortress built to protect the Gulf of Mexico.
49. Olympic National Park in Washington is home to the only temperate rainforest in North America.
50. The Isle Royale National Park in Michigan is the least-visited national park in the United States.
51. Acadia National Park in Maine is home to Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the East Coast of the United States.
52. Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah is known for its unique rock formations called hoodoos.
53. Denali National Park in Alaska is home to Mount Denali, the highest mountain peak in North America.
54. The Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona is home to one of the world’s largest and most colorful concentrations of petrified wood.
55. Yellowstone National Park was the first national park in the world, established in 1872.
56. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States, with over 11 million visitors annually.
57. The Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming is home to the iconic Teton Range, a group of towering peaks that rise dramatically above the surrounding landscape.
58. Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio is one of the few national parks located in an urban area.
59. Death Valley National Park in California and Nevada is the hottest and driest place in North America.
60. Acadia National Park is one of the best places in the world to see the sunrise.
61. The Grand Canyon National Park is so vast that it can be seen from space.
62. The Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado has the tallest sand dunes in North America.
63. Saguaro National Park in Arizona is home to the saguaro cactus, which can grow up to 50 feet tall.
64. The Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky is home to the world’s longest cave system, with over 400 miles of explored cave passages.
65. The Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii is home to two of the world’s most active volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa.
66. Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska is home to more than 1,000 glaciers.
67. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California are home to the largest trees in the world, the giant sequoias.
68. The Biscayne National Park in Florida is home to the third-largest coral reef system in the world.
69. Arches National Park in Utah is home to over 2,000 natural sandstone arches.
70. The Rocky Mountain National Park is home to over 60 peaks that are over 12,000 feet tall.
71. Zion National Park in Utah is known for its towering sandstone cliffs that attract rock climbers from all over the world.
72. Joshua Tree National Park in California is named after the Joshua tree, a unique and iconic desert plant.
73. Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota is known for its interconnected waterways, which provide excellent opportunities for boating and fishing.
74. The Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska is home to some of the most spectacular coastal scenery in the world, including glaciers, fjords, and towering cliffs.
75. The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado is home to some of the steepest and most dramatic cliffs in North America.

We hope you enjoyed these fun facts about National Parks!

National Parks Fun Facts for Kids

Here are 25 fun facts about National Parks that kids might enjoy:

1. Yellowstone National Park is home to the world’s largest active geyser, Old Faithful.
2. The Grand Canyon is over 270 miles long and up to 18 miles wide.
3. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to over 1,600 black bears.
4. Olympic National Park in Washington is home to a rainforest.
5. Acadia National Park has over 120 miles of hiking trails.
6. The Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona is home to fossils that are over 200 million years old.
7. Zion National Park has a tunnel that’s over a mile long.
8. The Everglades National Park in Florida is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles live together.
9. Rocky Mountain National Park is home to over 300 miles of hiking trails.
10. Glacier National Park is home to over 700 miles of hiking trails.
11. The Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming is home to over 300 species of birds.
12. Death Valley National Park has the hottest recorded temperature in the world, at 134 degrees Fahrenheit.
13. Bryce Canyon National Park has over 50 different types of rock formations.
14. Yosemite National Park has over 400 species of animals.
15. The Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado has sand that can get as hot as 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
16. Joshua Tree National Park is named after a type of tree that only grows in the park.
17. The Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky has over 400 miles of explored cave passages.
18. Denali National Park in Alaska is home to the largest mountain in North America, Mount Denali.
19. Acadia National Park has over 50 miles of carriage roads.
20. Sequoia National Park has the largest trees in the world, the giant sequoias.
21. The Biscayne National Park in Florida has shipwrecks that are over 500 years old.
22. Saguaro National Park in Arizona has cacti that can live to be over 200 years old.
23. The Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park is home to two of the world’s most active volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa.
24. Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio has over 100 waterfalls.
25. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado has some of the steepest cliffs in North America.

We hope you enjoyed these fun facts about National Parks!

What are National Parks

National parks are protected areas of land that are set aside by a national government for the purpose of preserving their natural and cultural resources.

They are typically managed by a national park service or equivalent agency, and are open to the public for recreational, educational, and scientific purposes.

National parks may include features such as mountains, forests, lakes, rivers, canyons, deserts, or other unique natural features, as well as historic or cultural landmarks or monuments.

They are often home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, and may provide important habitat for endangered species. National parks are designed to be enjoyed by visitors, while also being protected from development, pollution, and other threats to their natural and cultural resources.

What are All the National Parks – National Parks Fun Facts

Another fun facts about national parks is that there are 63 designated National Parks in the United States.

1. Acadia National Park
2. American Samoa National Park
3. Arches National Park
4. Badlands National Park
5. Big Bend National Park
6. Biscayne National Park
7. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
8. Bryce Canyon National Park
9. Canyonlands National Park
10. Capitol Reef National Park
11. Carlsbad Caverns National Park
12. Channel Islands National Park
13. Congaree National Park
14. Crater Lake National Park
15. Cuyahoga Valley National Park
16. Death Valley National Park
17. Denali National Park and Preserve
18. Dry Tortugas National Park
19. Everglades National Park
20. Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve
21. Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
22. Glacier National Park
23. Grand Canyon National Park
24. Grand Teton National Park
25. Great Basin National Park
26. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
27. Great Smoky Mountains National Park
28. Guadalupe Mountains National Park
29. Haleakala National Park
30. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
31. Hot Springs National Park
32. Indiana Dunes National Park
33. Isle Royale National Park
34. Joshua Tree National Park
35. Katmai National Park and Preserve
36. Kenai Fjords National Park
37. Kings Canyon National Park
38. Kobuk Valley National Park
39. Lake Clark National Park and Preserve
40. Lassen Volcanic National Park
41. Mammoth Cave National Park
42. Mesa Verde National Park
43. Mount Rainier National Park
44. North Cascades National Park
45. Olympic National Park
46. Petrified Forest National Park
47. Pinnacles National Park
48. Redwood National and State Parks
49. Rocky Mountain National Park
50. Saguaro National Park
51. Sequoia National Park
52. Shenandoah National Park
53. Theodore Roosevelt National Park
54. Virgin Islands National Park
55. Voyageurs National Park
56. Wind Cave National Park
57. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve
58. Yellowstone National Park
59. Yosemite National Park
60. Zion National Park
61. New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
62. White Sands National Park
63. Gateway Arch National Park

What are the Most Popular National Parks – National Parks Fun Facts

Another fun fact about national parks is that, according to the National Park Service, the top 10 most visited National Parks in the United States in 2020 were:

1. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (12.1 million visitors)
2. Yellowstone National Park (3.8 million visitors)
3. Zion National Park (3.6 million visitors)
4. Rocky Mountain National Park (3.3 million visitors)
5. Grand Teton National Park (3.3 million visitors)
6. Grand Canyon National Park (2.9 million visitors)
7. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (2.8 million visitors)
8. Acadia National Park (2.7 million visitors)
9. Olympic National Park (2.5 million visitors)
10. Joshua Tree National Park (2.4 million visitors)

What are some National Park Records – National Parks Fun Facts

In addition to the fun fact about national parks, here are some National Park records:

1. The deepest lake in the United States is Crater Lake in Crater Lake National Park, with a maximum depth of 1,943 feet.
2. The tallest waterfall in the United States is Yosemite Falls in Yosemite National Park, with a total height of 2,425 feet.
3. The largest tree in the world (by volume) is General Sherman, a giant sequoia located in Sequoia National Park. It stands 275 feet tall and has a circumference of over 100 feet.
4. The largest hot spring in the United States is Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park. It has a diameter of 370 feet and a depth of over 120 feet.
5. The oldest tree in the world is Methuselah, a bristlecone pine tree located in Inyo National Forest in California. It is over 4,800 years old.
6. The highest peak in the contiguous United States is Mount Whitney, which is located in Sequoia National Park and stands at 14,505 feet.
7. The largest glacier in North America is the Malaspina Glacier, which is located in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in Alaska. It covers over 1,500 square miles.
8. The largest cave system in the world is Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky, with over 400 miles of explored passageways.
9. The deepest canyon in North America is Hells Canyon, which is located on the border of Oregon and Idaho and is over 7,900 feet deep.
10. The longest cave system in the world is the Jewel Cave National Monument in South Dakota, with over 200 miles of explored passageways.

What State has the Most National Parks

Another fun fact about national parks is that California has the most National Parks of any state, with nine in total. The National Parks in California are:

1. Channel Islands National Park
2. Death Valley National Park
3. Joshua Tree National Park
4. Kings Canyon National Park
5. Lassen Volcanic National Park
6. Pinnacles National Park
7. Redwood National and State Parks
8. Sequoia National Park
9. Yosemite National Park

Alaska comes in second with eight National Parks, followed by Utah with five.

What are the Least Visited National Parks

Another fun fact about national parks is that, according to the National Park Service, the least visited National Parks in the United States in 2020 were:

1. Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve (10,518 visitors)
2. Lake Clark National Park and Preserve (13,862 visitors)
3. Kobuk Valley National Park (20,226 visitors)
4. Isle Royale National Park (25,798 visitors)
5. North Cascades National Park (30,237 visitors)
6. Dry Tortugas National Park (54,281 visitors)
7. Congaree National Park (97,570 visitors)
8. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (166,868 visitors)
9. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (339,026 visitors)
10. Great Basin National Park (44,038 visitors)

These parks may be less visited due to their remote locations, limited accessibility, or lack of name recognition compared to more popular parks. However, they still offer unique and stunning natural landscapes and are worth exploring for those who are interested in off-the-beaten-path destinations.

Quotes about National Parks – National Parks Fun Facts

In addition to the fun facts about national parks, here are some inspiring quotes about National Parks:

1. “The national parks are America’s best idea.” – Wallace Stegner
2. “The parks do not belong to one state or to one section…. The Yosemite, the Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon are national properties in which every citizen has a vested interest.” – Stephen Mather
3. “National parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst.” – Wallace Stegner
4. “National parks are the spacious skies and mountain majesties of elementary school choirs. They are living postcards from adventurers who had the foresight to preserve natural wonders for those who followed.” – Ken Burns
5. “The national park idea has been nurtured by each succeeding generation of Americans. Today, across our land, the National Park System represents America at its best. Each park contributes to a deeper understanding of the history of the United States and our way of life; of the natural processes which have given form to our land, and to the enrichment of the environment in which we live.” – George B. Hartzog, Jr.
6. “The national park system is arguably America’s greatest contribution to the world.” – Jim Rogers
7. “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” – John Muir
8. “The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.” – John Muir
9. “The national parks are a treasure for all Americans, and they belong to each of us.” – Jimmy Carter
10. “Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.” – Edward Abbey

We hope you enjoyed these fun facts about National Parks!

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