National Parks

Overview

America's National Park System includes roughly 85 million acres of US territory, equal to the size of Germany, which are set aside by federal law for preservation. There are 63 areas officially designated as national parks—including the Grand Canyon, the Great Smoky Mountains, and Acadia—and more than 400 additional smaller units, including monuments, rivers, trails, battlefields, and more.

In 1872, Yellowstone was established as the first national park dedicated to public enjoyment and recreation, though its foundation also displaced several Native American tribes. By 1916, the growing system required the creation of the National Park Service to preserve its lands for future generations. Eventually, hunting and logging were banned in the parks, though regulated extractive activity is still permitted in national preserves.

In 2025, roughly 323 million people visited America's national parks, a decrease of roughly 3% from 2024—a dip attributed in part to a 43-day partial government shutdown, the longest in US history. Those visits generate an estimated $29B in local economic activity per year. Federal cost-cutting efforts in recent years have prompted debate over whether the agency can sustain its current operations.

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