It’s National Park Week!

Happy Humpday, Travelers!

Did you know that this week is officially dedicated to honoring the incredible national park system in the United States?

It’s true! Many parks offer discounted or free entry during National Park Week. To celebrate, here are 5 fast facts about the National Parks of the USA.

1. Yellowstone National Park was the very first “national park” in the world! It was founded in 1872 and remains one of the most popular national parks on earth. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

   

2. National Parks have been called “America’s Greatest Gift to the World.”Indeed, most nations have their own national parks these days, each a testament to conservation and preservation of the gifts of nature.

   

3. America has a whopping 59 national parks! Within our National Park System, there are 407 sites covering more than 84 million acres of land. That includes 124 historical parks or sites, 78 national monuments, 59 national parks, 25 battlefields or military parks, 18 preserves, 18 recreational areas, 10 seashores, 4 parkways, 4 lakeshores and 2 reserves.

   

4. You can find the largest living plant – the Sequoia tree – and the largest living carnivore – the Alaskan Brown Bear – in US National Parks.

   

5. Many endangered species have only escaped extinction due to these protected lands. Our continued support of the National Park system and visits to these parks will help fund and support efforts for years to come.

   

Find your nearest National Park here
Get involved with the National Park Service here
Show our nation’s park rangers some love on facebook here