From the bustling, record-breaking trails of Great Smoky Mountains to the vast, ancient landscapes of Yellowstone, America's national parks drew tens of millions of visitors last year, fueling local economies and offering unparalleled access to wildlife and wilderness.
Key Takeaways
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park welcomed 12,095,194 recreational visitors in 2023
- Grand Canyon National Park had 4,733,049 visitors in 2023
- Zion National Park recorded 4,353,983 visitors in 2023
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park covers 522,419 acres
- Grand Canyon National Park spans 1,217,262 acres
- Zion National Park encompasses 147,040 acres
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park hosts 67 native mammal species
- Grand Canyon National Park is home to 355 bird species
- Zion National Park features 289 bird species
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established on June 15, 1934
- Grand Canyon National Park was designated on February 26, 1919
- Zion National Park was created on November 19, 1919
- National parks generated $50.3 billion in economic output in 2022
- Visitor spending in national parks supported 378,400 jobs in 2022
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park contributed $2.3 billion to economy in 2022
The blog post details record visitor numbers, vast sizes, and major economic benefits of America's national parks.
Biodiversity
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park hosts 67 native mammal species
- Grand Canyon National Park is home to 355 bird species
- Zion National Park features 289 bird species
- Yellowstone National Park has 67 native mammals including wolves and grizzlies
- Rocky Mountain National Park supports 62 mammal species
- Yosemite National Park boasts over 400 vertebrate species
- Acadia National Park has 33 mammal species
- Olympic National Park hosts 65 mammal species
- Grand Teton National Park features 61 mammal species
- Joshua Tree National Park is home to 57 mammal species
- Bryce Canyon National Park has over 170 bird species
- Arches National Park supports 33 mammal species
- Glacier National Park boasts 71 mammal species
- Mount Rainier National Park has 65 mammal species
- New River Gorge National Park features over 60 bird species
- Shenandoah National Park hosts 36 mammal species
- Capitol Reef National Park has 74 bird species
- Mammoth Cave National Park supports 47 mammal species
- Carlsbad Caverns National Park is home to over 400 insect species
- Haleakalā National Park features 18 bird species including nēnē
- Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park has 1 endangered bird species
- Crater Lake National Park boasts 200 bird species
- Lassen Volcanic National Park supports 300 wildlife species
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park has 190 bird species
- Mesa Verde National Park features 70 bird species
- Petrified Forest National Park hosts 23 mammal species
- Saguaro National Park is home to 53 mammal species
- Sequoia National Park has 400 vertebrate species
- Kings Canyon National Park supports over 300 bird species
Biodiversity Interpretation
While it seems America's national parks have declared a mostly friendly and fur-covered competition, the real winner is anyone who realizes that biodiversity, not just visitor numbers, is the true measure of their majesty.
Economic
- National parks generated $50.3 billion in economic output in 2022
- Visitor spending in national parks supported 378,400 jobs in 2022
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park contributed $2.3 billion to economy in 2022
- Grand Canyon National Park generated $1 billion in visitor spending in 2022
- Yellowstone National Park's visitor spending totaled $600 million in 2022
- NPS budget for 2023 was $3.5 billion
- Rocky Mountain National Park supports 10,000 local jobs
- Yosemite National Park visitor spending $500 million annually
- Zion National Park contributes $400 million to economy yearly
- Olympic National Park generated $300 million in spending
- Grand Teton National Park supports $400 million economy impact
- Joshua Tree National Park visitor spending $200 million
- Glacier National Park contributes $250 million annually
- Arches National Park economic output $150 million
- Bryce Canyon National Park supports 5,000 jobs indirectly
- Shenandoah National Park visitor spending $150 million
- Acadia National Park generates $400 million impact
- Mount Rainier National Park $200 million spending
- Mammoth Cave National Park supports $100 million economy
- Carlsbad Caverns National Park $50 million visitor spending
- Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park $200 million impact
- Crater Lake National Park $100 million economy boost
- NPS manages 85 million acres of land
- National parks collect $500 million in fees annually
- Visitor spending in gateway communities totals $15 billion yearly
Economic Interpretation
While our national parks are often praised as priceless treasures, their robust financial statements—proving they're also economic powerhouses generating billions and supporting countless jobs—reveal that preserving nature is, quite literally, a spectacular investment.
History
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established on June 15, 1934
- Grand Canyon National Park was designated on February 26, 1919
- Zion National Park was created on November 19, 1919
- Yellowstone National Park was the first established on March 1, 1872
- Rocky Mountain National Park was established January 26, 1915
- Yosemite National Park granted on October 1, 1890
- Acadia National Park established February 26, 1919
- Olympic National Park created June 29, 1938
- Grand Teton National Park designated February 26, 1929
- Joshua Tree National Park established October 31, 1994
- Bryce Canyon National Park created February 25, 1928
- Arches National Park established November 12, 1971
- Glacier National Park proclaimed May 11, 1910
- Mount Rainier National Park established March 2, 1899
- New River Gorge National Park designated December 27, 2020
- Shenandoah National Park created May 22, 1926
- Capitol Reef National Park established December 31, 1971
- Mammoth Cave National Park created July 1, 1941
- Carlsbad Caverns National Park designated October 14, 1923
- Haleakalā National Park established August 1, 1916
- Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park created August 1, 1916
- Crater Lake National Park established May 22, 1902
- Lassen Volcanic National Park designated August 9, 1916
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park created October 24, 1999
- Mesa Verde National Park established June 29, 1906
- Petrified Forest National Park designated December 9, 1962
- Saguaro National Park created October 14, 1994
- Sequoia National Park established September 25, 1890
- Kings Canyon National Park created March 2, 1940
History Interpretation
America seems to have declared every February 26th and early 20th-century summer as a mandatory “National Park Day,” showing a delightful bureaucratic flair for penciling in paradise between meetings.
Size
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park covers 522,419 acres
- Grand Canyon National Park spans 1,217,262 acres
- Zion National Park encompasses 147,040 acres
- Yellowstone National Park measures 2,219,791 acres
- Rocky Mountain National Park covers 265,769 acres
- Yosemite National Park includes 748,542 acres
- Acadia National Park comprises 49,000 acres
- Olympic National Park spans 922,649 acres
- Grand Teton National Park covers 310,000 acres
- Joshua Tree National Park measures 795,155 acres
- Bryce Canyon National Park encompasses 35,835 acres
- Arches National Park spans 76,519 acres
- Glacier National Park covers 1,013,572 acres
- Mount Rainier National Park includes 236,381 acres
- New River Gorge National Park comprises 70,000 acres
- Shenandoah National Park spans 199,017 acres
- Capitol Reef National Park covers 241,904 acres
- Mammoth Cave National Park measures 52,830 acres
- Carlsbad Caverns National Park encompasses 46,766 acres
- Haleakalā National Park spans 33,265 acres
- Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park covers 344,828 acres
- Crater Lake National Park includes 183,224 acres
- Lassen Volcanic National Park comprises 106,372 acres
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park spans 30,000 acres
- Mesa Verde National Park covers 52,485 acres
- Petrified Forest National Park measures 146,000 acres
- Saguaro National Park encompasses 92,000 acres
- Sequoia National Park spans 404,863 acres
- Kings Canyon National Park covers 461,901 acres
Size Interpretation
From the vast, sprawling majesty of Yellowstone to the intimate grandeur of Bryce Canyon, each acre in our national park system whispers a different, equally vital, part of America's epic story.
Visitation
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park welcomed 12,095,194 recreational visitors in 2023
- Grand Canyon National Park had 4,733,049 visitors in 2023
- Zion National Park recorded 4,353,983 visitors in 2023
- Yellowstone National Park saw 4,020,288 visitors in 2023
- Rocky Mountain National Park attracted 4,058,378 visitors in 2023
- Yosemite National Park had 3,900,562 visitors in 2023
- Acadia National Park received 3,400,000 visitors in 2023
- Olympic National Park recorded 3,263,402 visitors in 2023
- Grand Teton National Park had 3,416,000 visitors in 2023
- Joshua Tree National Park saw 3,269,589 visitors in 2023
- Bryce Canyon National Park attracted 2,358,129 visitors in 2023
- Arches National Park recorded 2,151,000 visitors in 2023
- Glacier National Park had 3,173,248 visitors in 2023
- Mount Rainier National Park saw 1,647,951 visitors in 2023
- New River Gorge National Park recorded 1,800,000 visitors in 2023
- Shenandoah National Park had 1,497,687 visitors in 2023
- Capitol Reef National Park attracted 1,400,000 visitors in 2023
- Mammoth Cave National Park saw 587,000 visitors in 2023
- Carlsbad Caverns National Park recorded 367,000 visitors in 2023
- Haleakalā National Park had 800,000 visitors in 2023
- Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park attracted 1,800,000 visitors in 2023
- Crater Lake National Park saw 500,000 visitors in 2023
- Lassen Volcanic National Park recorded 500,000 visitors in 2023
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park had 400,000 visitors in 2023
- Mesa Verde National Park attracted 600,000 visitors in 2023
- Petrified Forest National Park saw 500,000 visitors in 2023
- Saguaro National Park recorded 900,000 visitors in 2023
- Sequoia National Park had 1,200,000 visitors in 2023
- Kings Canyon National Park attracted 700,000 visitors in 2023
Visitation Interpretation
While Great Smoky Mountains National Park essentially hosted the entire population of Pennsylvania for a scenic group hike in 2023, the sheer popularity suggests our love for nature might be dangerously close to loving it to death.