U.S. National Parks Explorer - An Interactive Comparison Guide

Compare location, visitor numbers, size, and history across
all 63 of the United States' national parks!

Overview

Discover and compare key statistics about America's national parks. Use this interactive guide to explore visitor trends, park sizes, and historical information. Hover over data points and click through examples to learn what makes each park unique.Whether you're planning your next adventure or simply curious about these natural treasures, this data can help you choose which park to visit next.

National parks preserve America's most extraordinary landscapes, ecosystems, and wildlife for future generations. These protected spaces provide crucial habitats for endangered species, protect clean water sources, and offer educational opportunities for millions of visitors each year. By learning about and visiting our national parks, we help ensure these natural and cultural resources receive the attention and support they need to thrive.


Support America's national parks by donating to the National Park Foundation here!






Click on any park name to reveal information...


Data Table (Click on headers for more information)

Park Name Primary Location Date established as park Area in km² Recreation visitors (2021)
Acadia Maine February 26, 1919 198.6 4,069,098
American Samoa American Samoa October 31, 1988 33.4 8,495
Arches Utah November 12, 1971 310.3 1,806,865
Badlands South Dakota November 10, 1978 982.4 1,224,226
Big Bend Texas June 12, 1944 3,242.2 581,220
Biscayne Florida June 28, 1980 700.0 705,655
Black Canyon of the Gunnison Colorado October 21, 1999 124.6 308,910
Bryce Canyon Utah February 25, 1928 145.0 2,104,600
Canyonlands Utah September 12, 1964 1,366.2 911,594
Capitol Reef Utah December 18, 1971 979.0 1,405,353
Carlsbad Caverns New Mexico May 14, 1930 189.3 349,244
Channel Islands California March 5, 1980 1,009.9 319,252
Congaree South Carolina November 10, 2003 108.0 215,181
Crater Lake Oregon May 22, 1902 741.5 647,751
Cuyahoga Valley Ohio October 11, 2000 131.8 2,575,275
Death Valley California October 31, 1994 13,793.3 1,146,551
Denali Alaska February 26, 1917 19,185.8 229,521
Dry Tortugas Florida October 26, 1992 261.8 83,817
Everglades Florida May 30, 1934 6,106.5 942,130
Gates of the Arctic Alaska December 2, 1980 30,448.1 7,362
Gateway Arch Missouri February 22, 2018 0.4 1,145,081
Glacier Montana May 11, 1910 4,100.0 3,081,656
Glacier Bay Alaska December 2, 1980 13,044.6 89,768
Grand Canyon Arizona February 26, 1919 4,862.9 4,532,677
Grand Teton Wyoming February 26, 1929 1,254.7 3,885,230
Great Basin Nevada October 27, 1986 312.3 144,875
Great Sand Dunes Colorado September 24, 2004 434.4 602,613
Great Smoky Mountains North Carolina June 15, 1934 2,114.2 14,161,548
Guadalupe Mountains Texas September 30, 1972 349.5 243,291
Haleakalā Hawaii July 1, 1961 134.6 853,181
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes Hawaii August 1, 1916 1,317.7 1,262,747
Hot Springs Arkansas March 4, 1921 22.5 2,162,884
Indiana Dunes Indiana February 15, 2019 62.1 3,177,210
Isle Royale Michigan April 3, 1940 2,314.0 25,844
Joshua Tree California October 31, 1994 3,217.9 3,064,400
Katmai Alaska December 2, 1980 14,870.3 24,764
Kenai Fjords Alaska December 2, 1980 2,710.0 411,782
Kings Canyon California March 4, 1940 1,869.2 562,918
Kobuk Valley Alaska December 2, 1980 7,084.9 11,540
Lake Clark Alaska December 2, 1980 10,602.0 18,278
Lassen Volcanic California August 9, 1916 431.4 359,635
Mammoth Cave Kentucky July 1, 1941 218.6 515,774
Mesa Verde Colorado June 29, 1906 212.4 548,477
Mount Rainier Washington March 2, 1899 956.6 1,670,063
New River Gorge West Virginia December 27, 2020 28.4 1,682,720
North Cascades Washington October 2, 1968 2,042.8 17,855
Olympic Washington June 29, 1938 3,733.8 2,718,925
Petrified Forest Arizona December 9, 1962 895.9 590,334
Pinnacles California January 10, 2013 108.0 348,857
Redwood California October 2, 1968 562.5 435,879
Rocky Mountain Colorado January 26, 1915 1,075.7 4,434,848
Saguaro Arizona October 14, 1994 375.8 1,079,786
Sequoia California September 25, 1890 1,635.2 1,059,548
Shenandoah Virginia December 26, 1935 810.1 1,592,312
Theodore Roosevelt North Dakota November 10, 1978 285.1 796,085
Virgin Islands U.S. Virgin Islands August 2, 1956 60.9 323,999
Voyageurs Minnesota April 8, 1975 883.1 243,042
White Sands New Mexico December 20, 2019 592.2 782,469
Wind Cave South Dakota January 9, 1903 137.5 709,001
Wrangell–St. Elias Alaska December 2, 1980 33,682.6 50,189
Yellowstone Wyoming March 1, 1872 8,983.2 4,860,242
Yosemite California October 1, 1890 3,082.7 3,287,595
Zion Utah November 19, 1919 595.9 5,039,835

Glossary of Terms

Park Name
The official name of the national park as designated by the U.S. government.
Primary Location
The state where the national park is primarily located, as some parks are located between several states.
Date Established as Park
The official date when the area was designated as a national park by Congress.
Area in km²
The total size of the park measured in square kilometers (km²).
Recreation Visitors (2021)
The total number of people who visited the park for recreation, based on data from the 2021 census.