Are there 423 or 63 national parks?

While the National Park System comprises 423 national park sites, only 63 of them have the National Park designation in their names. The other sites fall into different National Park System categories like National Historic Sites, National Monuments, National Seashores, National Recreation Areas, and others.



Both numbers are actually correct depending on how you define the term "national park" within the United States. As of 2026, there are exactly 63 sites that hold the specific, prestigious "National Park" designation (such as Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon). These are often considered the "crown jewels" of the system and require an Act of Congress to be established. However, the National Park Service (NPS) actually manages a much larger network of over 430 units in total. This broader count includes national monuments, national historic sites, national battlefields, national preserves, and national seashores. So, while only 63 are strictly "National Parks" by name, the 430+ figure represents the total number of individual "units" or "sites" that make up the entire National Park System. This distinction is important for travelers, as many sites without the "National Park" title, like the Statue of Liberty or the Blue Ridge Parkway, offer equally significant cultural and natural value while falling under the same federal management and protection.

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In a 2019 statement, National Park Service chief spokesman Jeremy Barnum said there's an average of six deaths each week within the considerable National Park System. That's approximately 312 deaths per year, or one death for every 1 million visitors.

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Since the 1960s, West Virginia's New River Gorge has drawn adventure seekers to its rapids and rock walls, and those rafters and climbers have long considered it a hidden gem. But the curtain is being drawn back on the canyon, because part of it has become America's 63rd national park.

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Snowdonia National Park, at 2,142 square kilometres (827 sq mi), is the largest national park in Wales and the third largest in the United Kingdom. The smallest national park in England and Wales, and in the United Kingdom, is The Broads, at 303 square kilometres (117 sq mi).

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The New River Gorge was given National Park Service protection in 1978 as a national river, and was expanded to New River Gorge National Park & Preserve — this country's newest national park — in the plague year of 2020 courtesy of legislation drafted by Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito.

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In 1957, South Dakota's Fossil Cycad National Monument lost its status because so many people — including researchers — had walked off with the plant fossils that inspired the park's designation in the first place.

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The best times to visit the Grand Canyon are March through May and September through November, when daytime temperatures are cool and crowds are thin.

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Cheapest Month to Visit Grand Canyon December, January, and February are the cheapest months to visit the Grand Canyon. However, temperatures drop below freezing, snow is common, and some facilities and services within the park may have reduced hours or be temporarily closed.

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If you want to be close to the best hikes and viewpoints in the park, try to stay in the Grand Canyon Village area. If you're looking for something outside of the park, the town of Tusayan is a great option.

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