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.
Some states are known for their scenic landscapes — like Utah, home of the big five national parks. California has incredible forests, and Wyoming has the prettiest national park in the country.
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.
California is the state with the most national parks including Channel Islands, Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Kings Canyon, Lassen Volcanic, Pinnacles, Redwood, Sequoia, and Yosemite, offering diverse landscapes ranging from pristine islands, vast deserts, iconic trees, dramatic canyons, volcanic peaks, and majestic ...
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).
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.
Great Smoky Mountains remains America's most visited national park by a long shot. Nearly 13 million people visited the park straddling North Carolina and Tennessee last year, according to newly released National Park Service numbers.
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.
Fires (including charcoal) are prohibited unless approved by the Superintendent. Hunting and trapping are prohibited at the park in its effort to protect wildlife. The viewing of wildlife with artificial light is also prohibited.
Remember the criteria to become a National Park. Of all the land in the Adirondack Park, only 2.6 million acres are owned by New York State. With more than half of the land privately owned (105 towns and villages exist in the Park), it could likely never live up to rule #3 under the National Park Service.