Afforded the highest level of protection, all National Parks are managed by the National Park Service (NPS) which was created by the Organic Act of 1916 with the mandate “to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wildlife therein, and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.”
National Parks can only be established through an act approved into law by the United States Congress.
There are 62 parks designated as National Parks.
Yellowstone National Park was the first national park (both in the United States and in the world) established in 1872.
| Park Name | Established | State/Territory | Photo Gallery Region | Ecoregion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | YELLOWSTONE National Park | 1872 03|March 02 | Wyoming Montana Idaho | Rocky Mountains | Arid |
 | SEQUOIA National Park | 1890 09|September 25 | California | California | Humid Temperate |
 | YOSEMITE National Park | 1890 10|October 01 | California | California | Humid Temperate |
 | MOUNT RAINIER National Park | 1899 03|March 02 | Washington | Pacific Northwest | Humid Temperate |
 | CRATER LAKE National Park | 1902 05|May 22 | Oregon | Pacific Northwest | Humid Temperate |
 | WIND CAVE National Park | 1903 01|January 09 | South Dakota | Great Plains | Arid |
 | MESA VERDE National Park | 1906 06|June 29 | Colorado | Colorado Plateau | Arid |
 | GLACIER National Park | 1910 05|May 11 | Montana | Rocky Mountains | Arid |
 | ROCKY MOUNTAIN National Park | 1915 01|January 26 | Colorado | Rocky Mountains | Arid |
 | HALEAKALA National Park | 1916 08|August 01 | Hawaii | Tropical West - Pacific Islands | Humid Tropical |
 | HAWAI’I VOLCANOES National Park | 1916 08|August 01 | Hawaii | Tropical West - Pacific Islands | Humid Tropical |
 | LASSEN VOLCANIC National Park | 1916 08|August 09 | California | California | Humid Temperate |
 | DENALI National Park | 1917 02|February 26 | Alaska | Alaska | Polar |
 | ACADIA National Park | 1919 02|February 26 | Maine | Atlantic East Coast | Humid Temperate |
 | GRAND CANYON National Park | 1919 02|February 26 | Arizona | Colorado Plateau | Arid |
 | ZION National Park | 1919 11|November 19 | Utah | Colorado Plateau | Arid |
 | HOT SPRINGS National Park | 1921 03|March 04 | Arkansas | Central Interior | Humid Temperate |
 | BRYCE CANYON National Park | 1928 02|February 25 | Utah | Colorado Plateau | Arid |
 | GRAND TETON National Park | 1929 02|February 26 | Wyoming | Rocky Mountains | Arid |
 | CARLSBAD CAVERNS National Park | 1930 05|May 14 | New Mexico | American Southwest | Arid |
 | EVERGLADES National Park | 1934 05|May 30 | Florida | American Southeast & Gulf Coast | Humid Tropical |
 | GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS National Park | 1934 06|June 15 | Tennessee North Carolina | Appalachian Mountains | Humid Temperate |
 | SHENANDOAH National Park | 1935 12|December 26 | Virginia | Appalachian Mountains | Humid Temperate |
 | OLYMPIC National Park | 1938 06|June 29 | Washington | Pacific Northwest | Humid Temperate |
 | KINGS CANYON National Park | 1940 03|March 04 | California | California | Humid Temperate |
 | ISLE ROYALE National Park | 1940 04|April 03 | Michigan | Great Lakes | Humid Temperate |
 | MAMMOTH CAVE National Park | 1941 07|July 01 | Kentucky | Central Interior | Humid Temperate |
 | BIG BEND National Park | 1944 06|June 12 | Texas | American Southwest | Arid |
 | VIRGIN ISLANDS National Park | 1956 08|August 02 | United States Virgin Islands | Tropical East - US Virgin Islands | Humid Tropical |
 | PETRIFIED FOREST National Park | 1962 12|December 09 | Arizona | Colorado Plateau | Arid |
 | CANYONLANDS National Park | 1964 09|September 12 | Utah | Colorado Plateau | Arid |
 | GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS National Park | 1966 10|October 15 | Texas | American Southwest | Arid |
 | NORTH CASCADES National Park | 1968 10|October 02 | Washington | Pacific Northwest | Humid Temperate |
 | REDWOOD National Park | 1968 10|October 02 | California | California | Humid Temperate |
 | VOYAGEURS National Park | 1971 01|January 08 | Minnesota | Great Lakes | Humid Temperate |
 | ARCHES National Park | 1971 11|November 12 | Utah | Colorado Plateau | Arid |
 | CAPITOL REEF National Park | 1971 12|December 18 | Utah | Colorado Plateau | Arid |
 | BADLANDS National Park | 1978 11|November 10 | South Dakota | Great Plains | Arid |
 | THEODORE ROOSEVELT National Park | 1978 11|November 10 | North Dakota | Great Plains | Arid |
 | CHANNEL ISLANDS National Park | 1980 03|March 05 | California | California | Humid Temperate |
 | BISCAYNE National Park | 1980 06|June 28 | Florida | Atlantic East Coast | Humid Tropical |
 | GATES OF THE ARCTIC National Park | 1980 12|December 02 | Alaska | Alaska | Polar |
 | GLACIER BAY National Park | 1980 12|December 02 | Alaska | Alaska | Humid Temperate & Polar |
 | KATMAI National Park | 1980 12|December 02 | Alaska | Alaska | Polar |
 | KENAI FJORDS National Park | 1980 12|December 02 | Alaska | Alaska | Humid Temperate & Polar |
 | KOBUK VALLEY National Park | 1980 12|December 02 | Alaska | Alaska | Polar |
 | LAKE CLARK National Park | 1980 12|December 02 | Alaska | Alaska | Polar |
 | WRANGELL - ST. ELIAS National Park | 1980 12|December 02 | Alaska | Alaska | Polar |
 | GREAT BASIN National Park | 1986 10|October 27 | Nevada | Basin & Range / Columbia Plateau | Arid |
 | National Park of AMERICAN SAMOA | 1988 10|October 31 | American Samoa | Tropical West - Pacific Islands | Humid Tropical |
 | DRY TORTUGAS National Park | 1992 10|October 26 | Florida | American Southeast & Gulf Coast | Humid Tropical |
 | SAGUARO National Park | 1994 10|October 14 | Arizona | American Southwest | Arid |
 | DEATH VALLEY National Park | 1994 10|October 31 | California Nevada | California | Arid |
 | JOSHUA TREE National Park | 1994 10|October 31 | California | California | Arid |
 | BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON National Park | 1999 10|October 21 | Colorado | Colorado Plateau | Arid |
 | CUYAHOGA VALLEY National Park | 2000 10|October 11 | Ohio | Great Lakes | Humid Temperate |
 | CONGAREE National Park | 2003 11|November 10 | South Carolina | Atlantic East Coast | Humid Temperate |
 | GREAT SAND DUNES National Park | 2004 09|September 13 | Colorado | Rocky Mountains | Arid |
 | PINNACLES National Park | 2013 01|January 10 | California | California | Humid Temperate |
 | GATEWAY ARCH National Park | 2018 02|February 22 | Missouri | Central Interior | Humid Temperate |
 | INDIANA DUNES National Park | 2019 02|February 15 | Indiana | Great Lakes | Humid Temperate |
 | WHITE SANDS National Park | 2019 12|December 20 | New Mexico | American Southwest | Arid |