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U.S. National Parks and Forests
The phrase “National Park” conjures up visions of magnificent natural wonders such as the Grand Canyon in Grand Canyon National Park (NP), majestic El Capitan in Yosemite NP, or the rugged Maine coastline of Acadia NP. There are 58 Parks in the National Park system, each with inspiring features to always remind you of your visit. In addition, there are a total of 333 Recreation Areas, Scenic Trails, Wild and Scenic Rivers, Parkways, and other areas in the park system.
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in south-central Alaska, at 13.2 million acres, is the largest Park in the system. It contains 9 of the 16 highest mountain peaks in the U.S.
In 2007, over 275 million people visited
areas of the park system. These included over 3 million tent
campers, more than 2 million RV campers, and nearly 2 million
backcountry campers. Parks in the
southeastern U.S. had the most
recreational visitors, over 60 million.
With these numbers it is best to plan ahead for your visit, to make sure of available camping facilities. Some areas, such as the Blue Ridge Parkway, are busiest during certain seasons. The Parkway, which was visited by almost 17 million people in 2007, has its peak season in the Autumn, during peak color of the leaves. Other areas, such as the Smoky Mountains NP, with over 9 million visitors in the same year, is busy throughout the spring, summer, and fall.
National Park Service Official Website
Visit the National Park Service Official Website to locate a park. You will find directions, facilities, contact information and much more.
National Park Service - Experience Your America
One of the most famous areas managed by the Forest Service is Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Mount St. Helens erupted on May 18, 1980, sending a column of ash thousands of feet into the area and across eastern Washington and lands eastward. In 1982, the 110,000 acre area was designated a National Volcanic Monument.
There are 155 Forests within in the National Forest system, as well as 22 National grasslands, 20 National Recreation Areas, 95 Wild and Scenic Rivers, and many more. Within these areas are 4300 campgrounds with 122,000 campsite and over 130,000 miles of trails. Each year over 200 million people visit these areas. There are a variety of activities to enjoy besides camping and hiking, including viewing wildlife, boating, and skiing.
National Forest Service Official Website
Visit the official National Forest Service Website to learn more. Or select the National Forest Service-Location Map to go directly to a National Forest near you.
National Forest Service - Caring for the land and serving people.
National Forest Service - Location Map
Reservations for National Park Service and National Forest Service
Determine if reservations can be made in the park of your choice. Some parks take reservations, other campgrounds are on a first come, first served basis.
Reservation information for Federal recreation, camping, and tour information
Reservations: 1-877-444-6777
TDD: 1-877-833-6777
Customer Service: 1-888-448-1474
Hours of Operation:
March 1 – October 31, 10:00am – 12:00am EST
November 1 – February 28, 10:00am – 10:00pm EST