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National Park Service

Which state has the most national parks? Get to know the 63 national parks in the US

In 1916, the National Parks Service was founded to protect and maintain the national parks and monuments in the U.S. From Zion to Yosemite, each park has its own rich history. 

But how many national parks are there and which state has the most? Here is what you need to know. 

How many national parks are there?

There are 63 national parks in the U.S., according to the National Park Service.

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Which state has the most national parks? 

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. 

Utah comes in third place with a total of five national parks, while Colorado is in fourth with four national parks. 

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What was the first national park?

Yellowstone National Park is the world's first national park, according to the National Park Service.

"The Yellowstone National Park Protection Act" was signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872. The act protected the land from private development and declared it "a public park or pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people." 

On Aug. 25, 1916, the National Parks Service was founded after "The National Park Service Organic Act" was passed by Congress and approved by President Woodrow Wilson. 

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National parks by state 

Here are the national parks by state and U.S. territory: 

Alaska

  • Denali National Park 
  • Gates of the Arctic National Park 
  • Glacier Bay National Park 
  • Katmai National Park 
  • Kenai Fjords National Park 
  • Kobuk Valley National Park
  • Lake Clark National Park 
  • Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
Steller Sea Lions are seen at Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in Alaska.

American Samoa 

  • National Park of American Samoa

Arizona 

  • Grand Canyon National Park 
  • Petrified Forest National Park 
  • Saguaro National Park 
Grand Canyon National Park

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Arkansas 

  • Hot Springs National Park
Hot Springs National Park

California 

  • Channel Islands National Park 
  • Death Valley National Park (California and Nevada)
  • Joshua Tree National Park 
  • Kings Canyon National Park 
  • Lassen Volcanic National Park 
  • Pinnacles National Park 
  • Redwood National Park 
  • Sequoia National Park 
  • Yosemite National Park 
Yosemite Valley, August 18, 2022.

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Colorado 

  • Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park 
  • Great Sand Dunes National Park 
  • Mesa Verde National Park
  • Rocky Mountain National Park 
Rocky Mountain National Park

Florida 

  • Biscayne National Park 
  • Dry Tortugas National Park 
  • Everglades National Park
Florida's iconic Everglades National Park, at the state's southern tip, is experiencing an increased movement of salt water into its freshwater interior, and increased salinity in its coastal soils.

Hawaii 

  • Haleakala National Park 
  • Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
Haleakala National Park

Idaho 

  • Yellowstone National Park (Idaho, Montana and Wyoming)
Yellowstone National Park spans across Wyoming and parts of Montana and Idaho.

Kentucky 

  • Mammoth Cave National Park
Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky includes the world's largest cave system, making it a natural for the World Heritage list.

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Indiana 

  • Indiana Dunes National Park
Indiana Dunes National Park

Maine 

  • Acadia National Park
Number two: Maine's Acadia National Park
-Total number of RV nights booked in 2020: 14,363
-Located about 160 miles from Portland along the coast of Maine, Acadia National Park offers 47,000 acres filled with summits, hiking trails and great views.

Michigan 

  • Isle Royale National Park
Isle Royale National Park

Minnesota 

  • Voyageurs National Park
Voyageurs National Park

Missouri 

  • Gateway Arch National Park
Gateway Arch National Park

Montana 

  • Glacier National Park 
  • Yellowstone National Park (Idaho, Montana and Wyoming)
Glacier National Park

Nevada 

  • Death Valley National Park (California and Nevada)
  • Great Basin National Park
Death Valley National Park

New Mexico

  • Carlsbad Caverns National Park 
  • White Sands National Park 

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North Carolina

  • Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina and Tennessee)

North Dakota 

  • Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Ohio 

  • Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Oregon 

  • Crater Lake National Park
Crater Lake National Park

South Carolina 

  • Congaree National Park
Congaree National Park

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South Dakota 

  • Badlands National Park 
  • Wind Cave National Park
Badlands National Park

Tennessee 

  • Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina and Tennessee)

Texas 

  • Big Bend National Park 
  • Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Big Bend National Park

Utah 

  • Arches National Park
  • Bryce Canyon National Park 
  • Canyonlands National Park 
  • Capitol Reef National Park
  • Zion National Park
Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah.

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Virgin Islands

  • Virgin Islands National Park
Virgin Islands National Park

Virginia 

  • Shenandoah National Park
Fall colors are in full bloom in Shenandoah National Park, parts of which are along the Appalachian Trail.

Washington 

  • Mount Rainier National Park
  • North Cascades National Park
  • Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park

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West Virginia 

  • New River Gorge National Park
Said to be a hidden gem amongst the over 200 waterfalls across the state by West Virginia's Department of Tourism, Finn's Falls is pictured along the Waterfall Trail in New River Gorge National Park & Preserve.

Wyoming 

  • Grand Teton National Park
  • Yellowstone National Park (Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming)
Grand Teton National Park
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