Date SNo Name Location Area Description established Maine Covering most of Mount Desert Island and other 44°21′N 47,389.67 coastal islands, Acadia features the tallest mountain on February 1 Acadia 68°13′W / acres the Atlantic coast of the United States, granite peaks, 26, 1919 44.35°N (191.8 km2) ocean shoreline, woodlands, and lakes. There are 68.21°W freshwater, estuary, forest, and intertidal habitats. American The southernmost national park is on three Samoan Samoa islands and protects coral reefs, rainforests, volcanic American 14°15′S October 31, 9,000.00 acres 2 mountains, and white beaches. The area is also home to Samoa 170°41′W / 1988 2 (36.4 km ) flying foxes, brown boobies, sea turtles, and 900 14.25°S species of fish. 170.68°W This site features more than 2,000 natural sandstone Utah arches, including the Delicate Arch. In a desert climate 38°41′N 76,518.98 millions of years of erosion have led to these structures, November 3 Arches 109°34′W / acres and the arid ground has life-sustaining soil crust and 12, 1971 38.68°N (309.7 km2) potholes, natural water-collecting basins. Other 109.57°W geologic formations are stone columns, spires, fins, and towers. South The Badlands are a collection of buttes, pinnacles, Dakota 242,755.94 spires, and grass prairies. It has the world's richest fossil 43°45′N November 4 Badlands acres beds from the Oligocene epoch, and there is wildlife 102°30′W / 10, 1978 2 including bison, bighorn sheep, black-footed ferrets, 43.75°N (982.4 km ) and swift foxes. 102.50°W Texas Named for the Bend of the Rio Grande along the US– 29°15′N 801,163.21 Mexico border, this park includes a part of the June 12, 5 Big Bend 103°15′W / acres Chihuahuan Desert. A wide variety of Cretaceous and 1944 29.25°N (3,242.2 km2) Tertiary fossils as well as cultural artifacts of Native 103.25°W Americans exist within its borders. Located in Biscayne Bay, this park at the north end of Florida the Florida Keys has four interrelated marine 25°39′N 172,924.07 June 28, ecosystems: mangrove forest, the Bay, the Keys, and 6 Biscayne 80°05′W / acres 1980 coral reefs. Threatened animals include the West Indian 25.65°N 2 (699.8 km ) Manatee, American crocodile, various sea turtles, and 80.08°W peregrine falcon. The park protects a quarter of the Gunnison River, Colorado Black which has dark canyon walls from the Precambrian era. 38°34′N 32,950.03 Canyon of October 21, The canyon has very steep descents, and it is a site for 7 107°43′W / acres the 1999 river rafting and rock climbing. The narrow, steep 38.57°N 2 Gunnison (133.3 km ) canyon, made of gneiss and schist, is often in shadow, 107.72°W appearing black. Utah Bryce Canyon is a giant natural amphitheatre along the 37°34′N 35,835.08 Paunsaugunt Plateau. The unique area has hundreds of Bryce February 8 112°11′W / acres tall hoodoos formed by erosion. The region was Canyon 25, 1928 37.57°N (145.0 km2) originally settled by Native Americans and later by 112.18°W Mormon pioneers. Utah This landscape was eroded into canyons, buttes, and 38°12′N 337,597.83 mesas by the Colorado River, Green River, and their September 9 Canyonlands 109°56′W / acres tributaries, which divide the park into three districts. 12, 1964 38.2°N (1,366.2 km2) There are rock pinnacles and other naturally sculpted 109.93°W rock, as well as artifacts from Ancient Pueblo Peoples. Utah The park's Waterpocket Fold is a 100-mile (160 km) 38°12′N 241,904.26 December monocline that shows the Earth's geologic layers. Other 10 Capitol Reef 111°10′W / acres 18, 1971 natural features are monoliths and sandstone domes and 38.20°N 2 (979.0 km ) cliffs shaped like the United States Capitol. 111.17°W New Carlsbad Caverns has 117 caves, the longest of which is Mexico 46,766.45 over 120 miles (190 km) long. The Big Room is almost Carlsbad 32°10′N May 14, 4,000 feet (1,200 m) long, and the caves are home to 11 acres Caverns 104°26′W / 1930 2 over 400,000 Mexican Free-tailed Bats and sixteen 32.17°N (189.3 km ) other species. Above ground are the Chihuahuan Desert 104.44°W and Rattlesnake Springs. Five of the eight Channel Islands are protected, and half California of the park's area is underwater. The islands have a 34°01′N 249,561.00 Channel March 5, unique Mediterranean ecosystem. They are home to 12 119°25′W / acres Islands 1980 over 2,000 species of land plants and animals, and 145 34.01°N 2 (1,009.9 km ) are unique to them. The islands were originally settled 119.42°W by the Chumash people. South On the Congaree River, this park is the largest portion Carolina 26,545.86 of old-growth floodplain forest left in North America. 33°47′N November 13 Congaree acres Some of the trees are the tallest in the Eastern US, and 80°47′W / 10, 2003 2 the Boardwalk Loop is an elevated walkway through 33.78°N (107.4 km ) the swamp. 80.78°W Crater Lake lies in the caldera of Mount Mazama Oregon formed 7,700 years ago after an eruption. It is the 42°56′N 183,224.05 May 22, deepest lake in the United States and is known for its 14 Crater Lake 122°06′W / acres 1902 blue color and water clarity. There are two islands in 42.94°N 2 (741.5 km ) the lake, and, with no inlets or outlets, all water comes 122.1°W through precipitation. This park along the Cuyahoga River has waterfalls, Ohio hills, trails, and displays about early rural living. The 41°14′N 32,860.73 Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail follows the Ohio Cuyahoga October 11, 15 81°33′W / acres and Erie Canal, where mules towed canal boats. The Valley 2000 41.24°N (133.0 km2) park has numerous historic homes, bridges, and 81.55°W structures. The park also offers a scenic train ride with various trips available. Death Valley is the hottest, lowest, and driest place in California, the United States. Daytime temperatures have topped Nevada 3,372,401.96 130°F (54°C) and it is home to Badwater Basin, the Death 36°14′N October 31, lowest point in North America. There are canyons, 16 acres Valley 116°49′W / 1994 2 colorful badlands, sand dunes, mountains, and over 36.24°N (13,647.6 km ) 1000 species of plants in this graben on a fault line. 116.82°W Further geologic points of interest are salt flats, springs, and buttes. Centered around the Mount McKinley, the tallest Alaska mountain in North America, Denali is serviced by a 63°20′N 4,740,911.72 February single road leading to Wonder Lake. McKinley and 17 Denali 150°30′W / acres 26, 1917 other peaks of the Alaska Range are covered with long 63.33°N 2 (19,185.8 km ) glaciers and boreal forest. Wildlife includes grizzly 150.50°W bears, Dall sheep, caribou, and gray wolves. Florida The Dry Tortugas on the west end of the Florida Keys 24°38′N 64,701.22 are the site of Fort Jefferson, the largest masonry Dry October 26, 18 82°52′W / acres structure in the Western Hemisphere. With most of the Tortugas 1992 24.63°N (261.8 km2) park being water, it is the home of coral reefs and 82.87°W shipwrecks and is only accessible by plane or boat. The Everglades are the largest subtropical wilderness in Florida the United States. This mangrove ecosystem and marine 25°19′N 1,508,537.90 May 30, estuary is home to 36 protected species, including the 19 Everglades 80°56′W / acres 1934 Florida panther, American crocodile, and West Indian 25.32°N 2 (6,104.8 km ) manatee. Some areas have been drained and developed; 80.93°W restoration projects aim to restore the ecology. Alaska This northernmost park protects part of the Brooks 67°47′N 7,523,897.74 Gates of the December Range and has no park facilities. The land is home to 20 153°18′W / acres Arctic 2, 1980 Alaska natives, who have relied on the land and caribou 67.78°N 2 (30,448.1 km ) for 11,000 years. 153.30°W Part of Waterton Glacier International Peace Park, this Montana park has 26 remaining glaciers and 130 named lakes 48°48′N 1,013,572.41 under the tall Rocky Mountain peaks. There are historic May 11, 21 Glacier 114°00′W / acres hotels and a landmark road in this region of rapidly 1910 48.80°N (4,101.8 km2) receding glaciers. These mountains, formed by an 114.00°W overthrust, have the world's best sedimentary fossils from the Proterozoic era. Glacier Bay has numerous tidewater glaciers, Alaska mountains, and fjords. The temperate rainforest and the 58°30′N 3,224,840.31 December bay are home to grizzly bears, mountain goats, whales, 22 Glacier Bay 137°00′W / acres 2, 1980 seals, and eagles. When discovered in 1794 by George 58.50°N 2 (13,050.5 km ) Vancouver, the entire bay was covered by ice, but the 137.00°W glaciers have receded over 65 miles (105 km).