Top 24 National Parks in the US

From world-famous geysers and canyons to hidden desert trails and coastal cliffs only true explorers know, this lineup spans the full range of American wilderness. Where do you stand?

1

Yellowstone

The world's first national park, famous for Old Faithful geyser and abundant wildlife.

1000pts

2

Carlsbad Caverns

A New Mexico park famous for its massive underground limestone cave chambers.

535pts

3

Grand Canyon

A mile-deep gorge carved by the Colorado River, one of the most iconic landscapes on Earth.

535pts

4

Death Valley

A California desert park holding the record for the hottest temperature on Earth.

480pts

5

Great Smoky Mountains

The most visited US national park, known for misty ridges and rich Appalachian biodiversity.

480pts

6

Grand Teton

A Wyoming park where jagged mountain peaks rise dramatically above Jackson Hole.

480pts

7

Rocky Mountain

A Colorado park of alpine tundra and jagged peaks along Trail Ridge Road.

416pts

8

Acadia

A rocky Maine coastline park famous for granite peaks meeting the Atlantic Ocean.

416pts

9

Olympic

A Washington park spanning rainforest, alpine peaks, and rugged Pacific coastline.

416pts

10

Joshua Tree

A California desert park where twisted Joshua trees dot a landscape of giant boulders.

416pts

11

Big Bend

A remote Texas park along the Rio Grande, spanning desert, river canyons, and mountains.

416pts

12

Glacier

A Montana park of alpine lakes and rugged peaks along the Going-to-the-Sun Road.

416pts

13

Canyonlands

A Utah park of deep river canyons carved by the Colorado and Green Rivers.

416pts

14

Bryce Canyon

A Utah park known for its otherworldly forest of red-orange hoodoo rock spires.

341pts

15

Redwood

A Northern California park protecting groves of the tallest trees on Earth.

341pts

16

Arches

A Utah desert park containing over 2,000 natural sandstone arches, including Delicate Arch.

341pts

17

Yosemite

A Sierra Nevada valley famed for towering granite cliffs like El Capitan and Half Dome.

341pts

18

Zion

A Utah canyon park known for its towering red sandstone cliffs and the Narrows slot canyon.

250pts

19

Crater Lake

An Oregon park centered on the deepest lake in the US, filling a collapsed volcanic caldera.

250pts

20

North Cascades

A remote Washington park nicknamed the American Alps for its jagged glaciated peaks.

250pts

21

Everglades

A vast Florida wetland ecosystem teeming with alligators, birds, and mangrove forests.

250pts

22

Sequoia

A California park protecting groves of the world's largest trees, including General Sherman.

139pts

23

Denali

An Alaska wilderness park surrounding North America's tallest peak.

139pts

24

Capitol Reef

A lesser-visited Utah park centered on a colorful sandstone ridge called the Waterpocket Fold.

139pts