California has the most state parks in the country, with 270. There are a total of 3,729 state parks in the United States, with 11 states having more than 100 state parks each. Rhode Island comes in last with just 15 state parks.
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Florida, Arizona, and Washington boast three national parks each, while Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Texas are proud owners of two.
Hawaii's 2 national parks showcase its unique volcanic landscapes and pristine tropical ecosystems. Montana, Nevada, and New Mexico each have 2 national parks, featuring stunning mountain ranges, desert landscapes, and cultural heritage sites.
Biggest of Them AllThe uncontested heavyweight champion of the National Park System is Alaska's Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve. At 13.2 million acres, it's larger than Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, and Switzerland combined.
The smallest park is Gateway Arch National Park, Missouri, at 192.83 acres (0.7804 km2). The total area protected by national parks is approximately 52.4 million acres (212,000 km2), for an average of 833 thousand acres (3,370 km2) but a median of only 220 thousand acres (890 km2).
Map of the U.S. showing the 2023 ParkScore for the 100 biggest metro areas. D.C. has the highest ParkScore at 85 out of 100, followed by St.Paul, Minn.
Alaska is the state with the highest percent of its area protected. Over a third of U.S. protected lands are federally protected wilderness areas, a network of over 170,000 square miles larger than California. WASH. MONT.
Yosemite National Park, USA (1890)Located in California's Sierra Nevada, it is one of the oldest, largest, and best-known national parks in the United States.
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.
National Park of American Samoa: The least-visited US national park in 2022 saw just 1,887 visits. Most visitors will need a passport to travel to American Samoa. 2. Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Alaska: This vast park contains no roads or trails.
1. Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Alaska: America's least-visited national park contains no roads or trails. It's a true wilderness experience.
American Samoa National Park – South PacificWhile not located in the United States, the US territories of American Samoa National Park are arguably the most remote.