National Parks

Harold J. Cook Homestead Cabin, more commonly known as Bone Cabin, located on south side of Niobrara River
Ammodramus, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

National Parks Travel Guide

Federally protected natural areas preserving diverse landscapes, ecosystems, wildlife, and geologic features for conservation, recreation, and public enjoyment.

Top Locations
Utah Bryce Canyon

Statue of Liberty

Rating 5.0
Utah Bryce Canyon

Brooklyn Bridge

Rating 5.0
Utah Bryce Canyon

Central Park

Rating 5.0
Utah Bryce Canyon

Times Square

Rating 5.0
Utah Bryce Canyon

Rockefeller Center

Rating 4.5
Utah Bryce Canyon

Edge NYC

Rating 5.0
Central Park

PortableNYCTours, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Acadia National Park

Rating 5.0

Cathedral in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan is the world's sixth-largest church by area

Central Park

Anthony Quintano from Hillsborough, NJ, United States, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Shenandoah National Park

Rating 5.0

Most visited urban park in the United States, with an estimated 42 million visitors annually as of 2016, and is the most filmed location in the world

Central Park

Jean-Christophe BENOIST, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

New River Gorge National Park

Rating 5.0

National park that offers opportunities for hiking, biking, and wildlife viewing along the New River

Central Park

Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Rating 5.0

16.3-acre complex of buildings houses nationally and internationally renowned performing arts organizations including the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera, and the New York City Ballet

Central Park

TomasEE, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Congaree National Park

Rating 5.0

Largest art museum in the United States. Its permanent collection contains over 2 million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments

Central Park

Jdforrester, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Biscayne National Park

Rating 5.0

Aerial tramway in New York City that spans the East River and connects Roosevelt Island to the Upper East Side of Manhattan

Central Park

Jean-Christophe BENOIST, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Everglades National Park

Rating 5.0

Art museum that is home of a continuously expanding collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, early Modern, and contemporary art

Central Park

Jean-Christophe BENOIST, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Dry Tortugas National Park

Rating 5.0

Art museum that is home of a continuously expanding collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, early Modern, and contemporary art

NYC Edge

Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Rating 5.0

National park that encompasses the Cuyahoga River and its tributaries, offering opportunities for hiking, biking, and wildlife viewing

NYC Edge

ajay_suresh, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Indiana Dunes National Park

Rating 5.0

9.6-acre (39,000 m2) public park in Midtown Manhattan where the eastern half is occupied by the Main Branch of the New York Public Library and the western half contains a lawn, and shaded walkways

NYC Edge

Misterweiss at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Isle Royale National Park

Rating 5.0

Art Deco skyscraper in the Turtle Bay neighborhood on the East Side of Manhattan is the tallest brick building in the world with a steel framework

NYC Edge

Hypnotoad78, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Voyageurs National Park

Rating 5.0

Outdoor terrace jutting 80 feet outward south, providing panoramic views of Manhattan and the Hudson River

NYC Edge

Hypnotoad78, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Gateway Arch National Park

Rating 5.0

Outdoor terrace jutting 80 feet outward south, providing panoramic views of Manhattan and the Hudson River

Badlands National Park

Rating 5.0

Commuter rail terminal in Midtown Manhattan known for its distinctive architecture and interior design that have earned it several landmark designations

NYC Edge

ajay_suresh, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Wind Cave National Park

Rating 5.0

Art museum located in Midtown Manhattan is often identified as one of the largest and most influential museums of modern art in the world

NYC Edge

Ingfbruno, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Rating 5.0

Flagship building in the New York Public Library system and a landmark in Midtown Manhattan

The High Line

MusikAnimal, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Mammoth Cave National Park

Rating 5.0

Food hall, shopping mall, office building and television production facility located in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan

Hot Springs National Park

Rating 5.0

Neighborhood in Lower Manhattan is the home to the highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere and is one of the oldest Chinese ethnic enclaves

The High Line

Sam valadi, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Rating 5.0

102-story Art Deco skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan

The High Line

PortableNYCTours, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Big Bend National Park

Rating 5.0

Triangular 22-story, 285-foot-tall (86.9 m) steel-framed landmarked building located in the eponymous Flatiron District neighborhood of Manhattan

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Rating 5.0

Memorial and museum in New York City commemorating the September 11, 2001 attacks

White Sands National Park

Rating 5.0

25-acre public park located at the southern tip of Manhattan Island facing New York Harbor containing multiple monuments

Mesa Verde National Park

Rating 5.0

Oldest public park in New York City

Great Sand Dunes National Park

Rating 5.0

Bronze sculpture depicting a bull, the symbol of aggressive financial optimism and prosperity

Rocky Mountain National Park

Rating 5.0

Island in New York Harbor that was the busiest immigrant inspection station in the United States and is now a national museum of immigration

Arches National Park

Rating 5.0

Historic building in the Financial District where the colonial Stamp Act Congress met to draft its message to King George III claiming entitlement to the same rights as the residents of Britain and other historcial events

Federal Hall

Jim.henderson, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Canyonlands National Park

Rating 5.0

Museum and restaurant in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan that played a prominent role in history before, during, and after the American Revolution

Federal Hall

Momos, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Capitol Reef National Park

Rating 5.0

Located at the center of City Hall Park in the Civic Center area of Lower Manhattan, the building is the oldest city hall in the United States that still houses its original governmental functions

Federal Hall

Gh9449, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Bryce Canyon National Park

Rating 5.0

Rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and opened on October 27, 1904, is one of the world's oldest public transit systems

Federal Hall

Andy C, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Zion National Park

Rating 5.0

The world's largest stock exchange and is the leading US money center for international financial activities

Federal Hall

Armando Olivo Martín del Campo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Grand Canyon National Park

Rating 5.0

Main building of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan, is the tallest building in the United States and in the Western Hemisphere

Staten Island Ferry

Tdorante10, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Petrified Forest National Park

Rating 5.0

Busy ferry service operating 24-hours a day connecting Manhattan with Staten Island with view of Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and New York Skyline

Saguaro National Park

Rating 5.0

Colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor within New York City

Trinity Church

Jean-Christophe BENOIST, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Great Basin National Park

Rating 5.0

Historic Episcopal church & cemetery where Alexander Hamilton & other early Americans are buried

Joshua Tree National Park

Rating 5.0

Southernmost bridge connecting Manhattan Island and Long Island is a major tourist attraction since its opening and an icon of New York City

Death Valley National Park

Rating 5.0

85-acre park on the Brooklyn side of the East River includes Main Street Parks, historic Fulton Ferry Landing, Piers 1-6, Empire Stores and the Tobacco Warehouse

Brooklyn Bridge

MusikAnimal, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Channel Islands National Park

Rating 5.0

Peninsular neighborhood and entertainment area in the southwestern section of Brooklyn

Pinnacles National Park

Rating 5.0

Short for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, a neighborhood of Brooklyn remade into an upscale residential and commercial community for art galleries, and currently a center for technology startups

DUMBO

Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Sequoia National Park

Rating 5.0

Chain of fast food restaurants specializing in hot dogs. The original Nathan's restaurant stands at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in the Coney Island neighborhood of the Brooklyn

DUMBO

The All-Nite Images from NY, NY, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Kings Canyon National Park

Rating 5.0

Museum displaying historical artifacts of the New York City Subway, bus, and commuter rail systems in the greater New York City metropolitan region

DUMBO

King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Yosemite National Park

Rating 5.0

Urban park in Brooklyn including 90-acre (36 ha) Long Meadow, the Picnic House, Litchfield Villa, Prospect Park Zoo, the Boathouse, and Concert Grove

DUMBO

King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Lassen Volcanic National Park

Rating 5.0

Urban park in Brooklyn including 90-acre (36 ha) Long Meadow, the Picnic House, Litchfield Villa, Prospect Park Zoo, the Boathouse, and Concert Grove

DUMBO

King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Redwood National and State Parks

Rating 5.0

Urban park in Brooklyn including 90-acre (36 ha) Long Meadow, the Picnic House, Litchfield Villa, Prospect Park Zoo, the Boathouse, and Concert Grove

Brooklyn Bridge

Postdlf, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Grand Teton National Park

Rating 5.0

One of the largest zoos in the United States by area and is the largest metropolitan zoo in the United States by area

Brooklyn Bridge

Joyofmuseums, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Yellowstone National Park

Rating 5.0

Museum in Upper Manhattan, specializing in European medieval art and architecture, with a focus on the Romanesque and Gothic periods

Brooklyn Bridge

Joyofmuseums, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Glacier National Park

Rating 5.0

Museum in Upper Manhattan, specializing in European medieval art and architecture, with a focus on the Romanesque and Gothic periods

Brooklyn Bridge

Joyofmuseums, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Crater Lake National Park

Rating 5.0

Museum in Upper Manhattan, specializing in European medieval art and architecture, with a focus on the Romanesque and Gothic periods

Brooklyn Bridge

Joyofmuseums, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

North Cascades National Park

Rating 5.0

Museum in Upper Manhattan, specializing in European medieval art and architecture, with a focus on the Romanesque and Gothic periods

Brooklyn Bridge

Joyofmuseums, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Olympic National Park

Rating 5.0

Museum in Upper Manhattan, specializing in European medieval art and architecture, with a focus on the Romanesque and Gothic periods

Brooklyn Bridge

Joyofmuseums, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Mount Rainier National Park

Rating 5.0

Museum in Upper Manhattan, specializing in European medieval art and architecture, with a focus on the Romanesque and Gothic periods

Brooklyn Bridge

Eden, Janine and Jim, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Denali National Park and Preserve

Rating 5.0

Public park in the northern part of Queens is the fourth-largest public park in New York City

Brooklyn Bridge

Eden, Janine and Jim, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Kenai Fjords National Park

Rating 5.0

Public park in the northern part of Queens is the fourth-largest public park in New York City

Brooklyn Bridge

Eden, Janine and Jim, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve

Rating 5.0

Public park in the northern part of Queens is the fourth-largest public park in New York City

Brooklyn Bridge

Eden, Janine and Jim, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

Rating 5.0

Public park in the northern part of Queens is the fourth-largest public park in New York City

Brooklyn Bridge

Eden, Janine and Jim, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve

Rating 5.0

Public park in the northern part of Queens is the fourth-largest public park in New York City

Brooklyn Bridge

Eden, Janine and Jim, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Kobuk Valley National Park

Rating 5.0

Public park in the northern part of Queens is the fourth-largest public park in New York City

Brooklyn Bridge

Eden, Janine and Jim, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Katmai National Park and Preserve

Rating 5.0

Public park in the northern part of Queens is the fourth-largest public park in New York City

Brooklyn Bridge

Eden, Janine and Jim, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve

Rating 5.0

Public park in the northern part of Queens is the fourth-largest public park in New York City

Brooklyn Bridge

Eden, Janine and Jim, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Haleakala National Park

Rating 5.0

Public park in the northern part of Queens is the fourth-largest public park in New York City

Brooklyn Bridge

Eden, Janine and Jim, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Rating 5.0

Public park in the northern part of Queens is the fourth-largest public park in New York City

Brooklyn Bridge

Eden, Janine and Jim, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Virgin Islands National Park

Rating 5.0

Public park in the northern part of Queens is the fourth-largest public park in New York City

Brooklyn Bridge

Eden, Janine and Jim, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

American Samoa National Park

Rating 5.0

Public park in the northern part of Queens is the fourth-largest public park in New York City

The United States National Parks form a sweeping network of protected lands that showcase some of the most breathtaking natural wonders on Earth. From towering granite cliffs and ancient forests to vast deserts and geothermal marvels, these preserved landscapes invite travelers into environments shaped over millions of years. Visitors can walk beneath the giant sequoias, gaze into colorful canyon depths, or witness geysers erupting with raw power, each park offering a vivid encounter with nature’s artistry and scale. Wildlife thrives across these regions, where herds, predators, and birdlife coexist in ecosystems largely untouched by modern development.

Established to safeguard natural beauty and cultural heritage, the park system also tells stories of Indigenous history, exploration, and conservation. Scenic drives, hiking trails, and ranger-led programs allow travelers to experience both adventure and education, while carefully managed facilities ensure access without diminishing the landscapes themselves. Whether seeking solitude beneath a starlit sky or the thrill of rugged terrain, visitors find that these protected areas deliver immersive journeys that highlight the enduring relationship between people and the natural world.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles and official tourism pages for the National Park Service, which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.