Is Yosemite or Yellowstone older?

Yosemite National Park | October 1, 1890 Yellowstone is the official first national park in the U.S., but the idea to create the park originally came from President Abraham Lincoln when he signed the Yosemite Land Grant, back in 1864.



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Here, you'll find the best historical exhibits of Yellowstone, the world's oldest national park, founded in 1872. But that's not all — this family-friendly destination is home to one of the country's largest dinosaur exhibits, second only to the Smithsonian.

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Get closer to America's Oldest State Park at Niagara Falls State Park! Find out for yourself why millions of visitors are drawn to this magnificent natural wonder every year.

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These Are The 10 Oldest National Parks In The United States
  • Yellowstone National Park - 1872. On March 1, 1872, President Ulysses S. ...
  • Sequoia National Park - 1890. ...
  • Yosemite National Park - 1890. ...
  • Mount Rainier National Park - 1899. ...
  • Crater Lake National Park - 1902.


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According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest national park is Northeast Greenland National Park, which is an impressive 972,000 km, or 375,000 square miles, making it 77 times bigger than Yellowstone.

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The winner: The opportunities for wilderness adventure in Yellowstone are many, but Yosemite has it all, from gentle trails along the floor of the valley to spine-tingling ascents of its rock faces. Plus, Yosemite remains open to many activities through the winter, while Yellowstone goes into bear-like hibernation.

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Yellowstone National Park - 1872 On March 1, 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant designated Yellowstone as the first national park in the United States and the world. Today, the park is home to the world's largest collection of geysers, including the iconic Old Faithful.

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The Yellowstone supervolcano last erupted about 640,000 years ago. A sleeping giant is nestled in the western part of the United States. Though it stirs occasionally, it has not risen from slumber in nearly 70,000 years.

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Yellowstone National Park Act, 1872 - The Act signed into law on March 1, 1872, established the world's first true national park.

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Instead, the name was attributed as early as 1805 to Native Americans who were referring to yellow sandstones along the banks of the Yellowstone River in eastern Montana, several hundred miles downstream and northeast of the Park.

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But one site points out that a group of trappers traveled through the area in the 1800s and came across a French-speaking tribe who said the river's name was “Mi tse a-da-zi,” which translates to “Rock Yellow River.”

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Boston Common was purchased for public use grazing cows and as a military parade ground and dump in 1634. It first started to get recreational elements in 1728, arguably making it the first municipal park in the United States and the world, though cow grazing did not end until the 1830s.

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Significance: Considered the oldest public park in the United States, Boston Common played an important role in the history of conservation, landscape architecture, military and political history, and recreation in Massachusetts.

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