America's National Parks At a Glance. Thomas Crochetiere Crochetiere

Park System, which began with the establishment of Yellowstone National Park in 1872, has since grown to include superlative natural, historic, and recreation areas in every major region of the United States, its territories and island possessions; that these areas, though distinct in character, are united through their interrelated purposes and resources into one National Park System as cumulative expressions of a single national heritage; that, individually and collectively, these areas derive increased national dignity and recognition of their superb environmental quality through their inclusion jointly with each other in one National Park System preserved and managed for the benefit and inspiration of all the people of the United States; and that it is the purpose of this Act to include all such areas in the System and to clarify the authorities applicable to the system.”

      The Department of the Interior’s National Park Service makes every effort to meet its original goals, while filling many other roles as well. The Park Service is the guardian of our diverse cultural and recreational resources; environmental advocate; partner in community revitalization; world leader in parks and preservation of community; and pioneer in the drive to protect America’s open space.

      The founding of Yellowstone National Park began a worldwide National Park movement. Today, more than 100-nations contain some 1,200 National Parks or equivalent Preserves. The National Park Service employs more than 20,000-employees to care for America's National Parks. Along with the help of many volunteers, partners and communities across the nation; these parks help to preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities for all to enjoy.

      As of 2016, the United States National Park Service oversees 410 park units. The number of units can vary and be misleading based on the language of the Congressional legislation when each park was created. For example, Denali National Park & Preserve is counted as two units, since the same name applies to a National Park and an adjacent National Preserve. Yet Jean Lafitte National Historical Park & Preserve is counted as one unit, despite having a similar designation as Denali.

      Another example would be that Rainbow Bridge National Monument is counted as a unit, even though it is adjacent to the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. However, the Grand Canyon-Parashanat National Monument is not counted even though it is adjacent to the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

      Elsewhere, Alcatraz Island National Historic Site is not counted as a unit because it is considered a feature of Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Other units like the Kern River National Wild & Scenic River are not counted at all since it is managed in partnership between the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service.

      National Park units are comprised of National Battlefields; National Battlefield Parks; National Battlefield Site; National Historical Parks; National Historic Sites; National Lakeshores; National Memorials; National Military Parks; National Monuments; National Parks; National Parkways; National Preserves; National Recreation Areas; National Reserves; National Rivers; National Scenic Trails; National Seashores; National Wild and Scenic Rivers and Riverways; an International Historic Site and units of Other Designations. Units are found in all 50 states, including Washington, D.C., and in the U.S. territories of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

      Listed by state and territory, this book gives you a glance at America’s unique and amazing National Park units. With nearly every listing, you will find contact information for each park. For more information about that park, you can write or call them.

      You can also visit their website for additional information. Each parks website starts off with www.nps.gov. This is followed by a / then four (4) letters unique to that park. If there is only one name for the park such as Yellowstone [National Park] you will simply use the first four letters of that parks name to complete the web address. It will look like this; www.nps.gov/yell. Generally, if the park has two names such as Devils Tower [National Monument], you will use the first two letters of the first name and then the first two letters of the second name. It will look like this; www.nps.gov/deto.

      Each park is responsible for maintaining their website and posting any “park alerts.” The site will also give you options to explore that park. It will give you information about planning your visit to their park, directions and maps, camping and lodging, ranger led programs and tours, and things to do. The site will give you an option to learn more about that park, as well as other useful information. It is a good idea to visit each park’s website prior to your visit so you can be better informed for your visit.

      Visiting America’s National Park units can be some of the most enjoyable and least costly alternatives during your next vacation. Most National Park units are open year round and they offer almost every adventure you can imagine.

      Entrance fees are charged by 127 of National Park units. If you are planning a trip that includes multiple National Parks, you might consider purchasing an Interagency Pass (annual pass) that provides entrance to all NPS units. This pass also covers the entry cost to more than 2,000 other federally managed lands such as the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Reclamation. This pass is part of the “America the Beautiful – the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass” series, the cost is $80 and is available to everyone.

      This pass covers entrance and standard amenity fees for a driver and all passengers in a personal vehicle at per vehicle fee areas, or up to four adults at sites that charge per person. Children under the age of 16 are admitted for free. The Interagency Pass does not provide discounts on any other amenity fee charges for facilities and services such as camping, swimming, boat launch, cave tours, parking and interpretive programs. The pass generally does not cover or reduce special recreation permit fees or fees charged by the park concessioners and stores.

      There are a variety of other passes available in this series. Annual passes for U.S. Military members and dependents; the 4^th grade pass; the Senior pass; an Access pass and a Volunteer pass may also be obtained. The military pass is available to U.S. military members and dependents of deployed military in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard and also, Reserve and National Guard members. The 4^th grade pass is available to U.S. 4^th Graders (including home-schooled and free-choice learners 10-years of age) with a valid Every Kid in the Park paper pass. The Senior pass is available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents age 62 or over. The cost of this pass is $10 and is good for the holder’s lifetime. The Access pass is available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities. There is no cost for this pass. The Volunteer pass is available for volunteers with 250 service hours with federal agencies that participate in the Interagency Pass program. The Senior and Access passes do provide a 50% discount for the pass owner only, on some expanded amenity fees charged for facilities and services such as camping, swimming, boat launch and specialized interpretive services, including cave tours.

      The National Parks Service also provides “fee-free” days. Park entrance fees have risen across the country, so planning your visit in advance is a smart way to look for savings. The simplest way to avoid entrance costs is to take advantage of the designated fee-free days. The fee-free days are: Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January; Presidents Day weekend in February; National Park Week in April; National Park Service Birthday on August 25^th; National Public Lands Day on September 26^th and Veterans Day on November 11^th.

      In 1986, the Eastern National Parks Association introduced the “Passport to Your National Parks” program. Today, most parks have one or more National Park Passport Stamps available at their visitor centers and these stamps serve as a record of your park visit. Each park visitor center may have a uniquely different stamp from their other visitor centers and you may wish to collect more than just one for each park.

      National Park Passport Stamps are available at nearly all 410 park units. These stamps are similar to passport stamps stamped in a traveler’s national