What is the most new national park?

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.



As of early 2026, the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia remains the most recent addition to the "National Park" designation (the 63rd), having been redesignated from a National River in December 2020. However, in terms of the most recent "Make America Beautiful" conservation growth, the American Prairie in Montana has made headlines in February 2026 for surpassing the size of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, though it is a private-public conservation project rather than a formal new NPS unit. Many travelers in 2026 are also focused on Ocmulgee Mounds in Georgia, which has been a top candidate for elevation to National Park status. While no new 64th park has been officially inaugurated by Congress in the first two months of 2026, the modernization of the park system—including the Jan 1, 2026 launch of fully digital America the Beautiful passes—marks the newest era of how these lands are managed and accessed by the public.

As of 2024, the newest national park in the United States is New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia. It was redesignated from a national river to a national park and preserve on December 27, 2020, making it the 63rd U.S. national park.

Key Facts About New River Gorge:

  • Location: Southern West Virginia
  • Features: Deep canyons, whitewater rapids, sandstone cliffs, and historic coal-mining sites.
  • Activities: Whitewater rafting, rock climbing, hiking, and bridge walking (on the New River Gorge Bridge, one of the world’s longest single-span bridges).

Other Recent Additions:

  • Indiana Dunes National Park (upgraded from a national lakeshore in February 2019).
  • White Sands National Park (New Mexico, upgraded from a national monument in December 2019).

Would you like details on potential future national park proposals?

People Also Ask

Many current national parks had been previously protected as national monuments by the president under the Antiquities Act or as other designations created by Congress before being redesignated by Congress; the newest national park is New River Gorge, previously a National River, and the most recent entirely new park ...

MORE DETAILS

California has the most national parks with nine total in the state. The next state with the most parks is Alaska, which has eight national parks.

MORE DETAILS

Utah is home to 5 of the best national parks—Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion—collectively known as the Mighty Five. Established between 1919 and 1971, these parks are famous for their spectacular red-rock formations, desert solitude, and more than 1,000 miles of hiking & trekking trails.

MORE DETAILS

Delaware is the only state in the country that does not have anational park, national monument, national historic site or anyother unit of the National Park Service.

MORE DETAILS

The largest national park is Wrangell–St. Elias in Alaska: at over 8 million acres (32,375 km2), it is larger than each of the nine smallest states. The next three largest parks are also in Alaska.

MORE DETAILS

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is an American national park of the badlands in western North Dakota comprising three geographically separated areas. Honoring U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, it is the only American national park named directly after a single person.

MORE DETAILS

The Grand Canyon is known for its breathtaking vistas and being one of the seven natural wonders of the world. A New York Post investigation recently found it is also the deadliest national park in the country, with the most number of missing persons in the nation.

MORE DETAILS

Yellowstone National Park - 1872 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.

MORE DETAILS

The second largest national park is Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska at 7,523,897.45 acres (30,448.1 km2). If you thought Denali was massive (it is) Gates of the Arctic is a whopping 30% larger.

MORE DETAILS