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National Parks

National Parks

Most units of the National Park Service have been established by an act of Congress, with the president confirming the action by signing the act into law.

A potential park should meet all four of the following standards:

  1. It is an outstanding example of a particular type of resource.
  2. It possesses exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the natural or cultural themes of our Nation’s heritage.
  3. It offers superlative opportunities for recreation, for public use and enjoyment, or for scientific study.
  4. It retains a high degree of integrity as a true, accurate, and relatively unspoiled example of the resource.

Zion National Park

National Parks

The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations.

The NPS is charged with a dual role of preserving the ecological and historical integrity of the places entrusted to its management, while also making them available and accessible for public use and enjoyment.

As of 2018, the NPS employs approximately 27,000 employees who oversee 419 units, of which 61 are designated national parks.

Yellowstone National Park was the first national park in the United States. In 1872, there was no state government to manage it, so the federal government assumed direct control. Yosemite National Park began as a state park; the land for the park was donated by the federal government to the state of California in 1864 for perpetual conservation. Yosemite was later returned to federal ownership.

Below is a list of the National Parks, National Monuments, National Historic Sites, National Wildlife Refuges, and National Recreations Areas located within the states in the Southwest, which include Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.

Arizona National Parks and Sites

Related Content >> Arizona State Parks

Arizona National Heritage Areas

Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area

Arizona National Historic Sites

Fort Bowie National Historic Site
Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site
Tumacacori National Historical Park

Arizona National Monuments

Agua Fria National Monument
Canyon De Chelly National Monument
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
Chiricahua National Monument
Coronado National Memorial
Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument
Hohokam Pima National Monument
Ironwood Forest National Monument
Montezuma Castle National Monument
Navajo National Monument
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
Pipe Spring National Monument
Sonoran Desert National Monument
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
Tonto National Monument
Tuzigoot National Monument
Vermilion Cliffs National Monument
Walnut Canyon National Monument
Wupatki National Monument

Arizona National Parks

Grand Canyon National Park
Petrified Forest National Park
Saguaro National Park

Arizona National Recreation Areas

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Lake Mead National Recreation Area (see Nevada too)

Arizona Wildlife Refuges

Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge
Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge
Cabeza Peieta National Wildlife Refuge
Havasu National Wildlife Refuge
Imperial National Wildlife Refuge
Kofa National Wildlife Refuge
Leslie Canyon National Wildlife Refuge
San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge

Half Dome at Yosemite

California National Parks and Sites

Related Content >> California State Parks

California National Historic Sites

Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site
Fort Point National Historic Site
John Muir National Historic Site
Manzanar National Historic Site
California National Historical Park
Rosie the Riveter World War II Home Front National Historical Park
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

California National Memorial

Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial

California National Monuments

Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument
Cabrillo National Monument
California Coastal National Monument
Carrizo Plain National Monument
Castle Mountains National Monument
César E Chávez National Monument
Devils Postpile National Monument
Fort Ord National Monument
Giant Sequoia National Monument
Lava Beds National Monument
Mojave Trails National Monument
Muir Woods National Monument
San Gabriel Mountains National Monument
Sand to Snow National Monument
Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument

California National Parks

Channel Islands National Park
Death Valley National Park
Joshua Tree National Park
Kings Canyon National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Pinnacles National Park
Redwood National and State Parks
Sequoia National Park
Yosemite National Park

California National Preserve

Mojave National Preserve

California Recreation Seashore

Point Reyes National Seashore

California Recreation Areas

Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
Smith River National Recreation Area
Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area

Colorado National Parks and Sites

Colorado National Historic Sites

Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site
Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site

Colorado National Monuments

Browns Canyon National Monument
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument
Chimney Rock National Monument
Colorado National Monument
Dinosaur National Monument
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
Hovenweep National Monument
Yucca House National Monument

Colorado National Parks

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
Mesa Verde National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park

Colorado National Recreation Areas

Arapaho National Recreation Area
Curecanti National Recreation Area

Idaho National Parks and Sites

Idaho National Historic Park

Nez Perce National Historical Park

Idaho National Historic Site

Minidoka National Historic Site

Idaho National Monument

Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve
Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument

Idaho National Recreation Area

Hells Canyon National Recreation Area

Idaho National Reserve

City of Rocks National Reserve

Nevada National Parks and Sites

Nevada is home to 3 National Monuments, 2 National Parks, and 1 Recreation Area.

RELATED ARTICLE >>> Nevada State Parks

National Monuments in Nevada

Basin and Range National Monument
Gold Butte National Monument
Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument

National Parks in Nevada

Death Valley National Park (see California too)
Great Basin National Park

National Recreation Area in Nevada

Lake Mead National Recreation Area (see Arizona too)

National Wildlife Refuge in Nevada

Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge
Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
Desert National Wildlife Refuge
Fallon National Wildlife Refuge
Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge
Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge
Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge

New Mexico National Parks and Sites

New Mexico National Heritage Area

Northern Rio Grand National Heritage Area

New Mexico National Monument

Aztec Ruins National Monument
Bandelier National Monument
Capulin Volcano National Monument
El Malpais National Monument
El Morro National Monument
Fort Union National Monument
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument
Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument
Petroglyph National Monument
Prehistoric Trackways National Monument
Rio Grande del Norte National Monument
Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument
White Sands National Monument

New Mexico National Historic Parks

Chaco Culture National Historical Park
Pecos National Historical Park

New Mexico National Park

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Oregon National Parks and Sites

Oregon National Historic Site

Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
Lewis and Clark National Historical Park

Oregon National Monument

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
Newberry National Volcanic Monument
Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve

Oregon National Parks

Crater Lake National Park

Oregon National Recreation Area

Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

Texas National Parks and Sites

Texas National Historic Site and Parks

Fort Davis National Historic Site
Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park
Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

Texas National Memorial

Chamizal National Memorial

Texas National National Monument

Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument
Waco Mammoth National Monument

Texas National Parks

Big Bend National Park
Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Texas National Preserve

Big Thicket National Preserve

Texas National Recreation Area

Amistad National Recreation Area
Lake Meredith National Recreation Area

Texas National Scenic River

Rio Grande National Wild & Scenic River

Texas National Seashore

Padre Island National Seashore

Utah Arches

Utah National Parks and Sites

Related Content >> Utah State Parks

Utah National Historic Site

Golden Spike National Historic Site

Utah National Monuments

Bears Ears National Monument
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Dinosaur National Monument
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Hovenweep National Monument
Natural Bridges National Monument
Rainbow Bridge National Monument
Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Utah National Parks

Arches National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park
Canyonlands National Park
Capitol Reef National Park
Zion National Park

Utah National Recreation Areas

Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

Utah National Wildlife Refuges

Bear River National Wildlife Refuge
Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge
Ouray National Wildlife Refuge

Teton Crest Trail

Wyoming National Parks and Sites

Wyoming Historic Site

Fort Laramie National Historic Site

Wyoming Memorial Parkway

John D Rockefeller Jr Memorial Parkway

Wyoming National Monuments

Devils Tower National Monument
Fossil Butte National Monument

Wyoming National Parks

Grand Teton National Park
Yellowstone National Park

Wyoming National Recreation Areas

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area

References Used

National Parks