America’s national parks are one of the country’s most important natural treasures. The 63 parks cover a remarkable variety of biomes and offer some of the most spectacular views the country has to offer. Here’s what you need to know about The United States’ sprawling network of national parks.
297 million
Visitors to the country’s national parks in 2021. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park along the Tennessee–North Carolina border was the most popular, with 14.1 million visitors.
63
Total national parks in the US as of 2022. The latest, New River Gorge in West Virginia, known for its excellent whitewater rafting, was granted national park status in December 2020.
5.34 million hectares
Size of Wrangell-St Elias National Park & Preserve in Alaska, making it the largest national park in the US. Conversely, Missouri’s Gateway Arch National Park, one of the smallest, measures just 36.8 hectares.
28,970km
Total length of trails within the US National Park System. The longest is the North Country Trail, which crosses from New York to North Dakota and spans 7,400km.
86m
Depth, below sea level, of Badwater Basin in California’s Death Valley National Park, making it the lowest point in all of North America.
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This article was originally published in the April 2020 issue of SilverKris magazine
