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Did you know that the US National Park System is over 100 years old? It was actually established by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916. Over the years, the system has grown to include nearly 400 parks and monuments! In honor of #NationalParkWeek, we want to share 10 fascinating facts about the National Park System with you.
1) The first national park in the US was actually Yellowstone National Park, which was established all the way back in 1872. It's located in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, and it's home to some of the most iconic animals in America, like bison and grizzly bears.
2) Did you know that there are actually 16 different types of national parks? In addition to the National Parks, there are also National Seashores, National Lakeshores, National Preserves, National Recreation Areas, National Rivers, National Monument, National Historic Site, National Historical Park, National Memorial, National Battlefield, National Cemetery, National Recreation Area, National Parkway, National Trail, Affiliated Areas and Other Designations
3) The National Park Service is actually responsible for caring for and protecting over 84 million acres of land! That's a lot of ground to cover, but they do an amazing job.
4) One of the most popular national parks is Yosemite National Park in California. It's famous for its massive granite cliffs, waterfalls, and sequoia trees. It's also home to one of the oldest environmental organizations in the country, the Sierra Club.
5) Did you know that Yellowstone National Park is actually home to more geysers than any other place in the world? There are over 300 geysers in the park, and they're constantly erupting!
6) One of the newest national parks is the Pinnacles National Park in California. It was established in 2013, and it's home to a unique landscape of towering rock formations
Photo Credit: Jpledia
7) The Grand Canyon is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the US, and it's easy to see why. It's massive, it's beautiful, and it has a long and rich history.
8) If you're ever in Hawaii, be sure to visit Haleakala National Park. It's home to the tallest mountain in Hawaii, Mauna Kea. And it's also a great place to see the stars at night.
9) The largest national park in the US is actually Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in Alaska. It's nearly twice the size of the state of Rhode Island!
10) If you're looking for something a little more unusual, you might want to check out the National Park of American Samoa. It's actually the only US National Park that is located south of the equator.
Do you have a favorite national park? We'd love to hear about it in the comments! And if you're looking for more fun facts about America's National Parks, be sure to check out our list of the 100 best things to do in the parks. Thanks for reading!
