Visiting America's National Parks

Between 1923 and 2007, annual visits to America’s national parks grew from 1.5 million to 275 million. It’s no wonder why–our national parks are truly amazing places! If you’re a well-seasoned park visitor you already know why these places are so special. If you’ve never experienced a national park, don’t wait any longer. The National Park Service manages 56 national parks and an additional 300+ park service units such as national monuments, historic sites, battlefields, wild rivers, long-distance trails and national seashores. With so many options, a little preplanning will go a long way towards ensuring a great visit to one of these treasures.

The best place to start is the National Park Service website: www.NPS.gov. The site allows users to access information about every Park Service unit in the country. The information on the site is organized into four main categories: Parks & Recreation, History & Culture, Nature & Science and Interpretation & Education. Additionally, each Park Service unit has its own website that provides in-depth information, area maps, lists of activities and education programs, and tips on planning your visit. Most national parks have a visitor center that you can call to speak with a ranger about the area. You can also have the Park Service send you maps and other information to help you plan your visit.

There are several things to consider when deciding which national park to visit:

• What activities are you interested in? Hiking, rafting, camping, fishing, bird watching, auto touring, snowshoeing, horseback What time of year will you be visiting, and what will the weather be like?
  
• How much time will you have? One day or a week?
  
• Are there entrance fees? If so, how much? 
  
• Does the park offer ranger-led activities, hikes and education programs?
  
• Where will you stay in the area? 
  
• If you plan on camping, do you need reservations or a permit?
  
• Are there particular wildlife considerations for the area? 
  

Planning your visit to a national park is easy and fun. By doing a little research, such as visiting the National Park Service website or calling a visitor center for information, you can be prepared, knowledgeable and ready experience all that our national parks have to offer.