TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. A Brief History of the U.S. The National Park System
2. The Importance Of The National Parks Extends Beyond Nature
3. How Can Visitors Help Preserve National Parks
4. Why Protecting National Parks Matters For Future Generations
5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Landscape image of El Capitan and Half Dome in Yosemite National Park with the rocky shore of the Merced River in the foreground. U.S. National Parks are important because they protect wildlife and maintain ecological balance.

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America’s National Parks have been called “the best idea we ever had” by the conservationist Wallace Stegner, a phrase that filmmaker Ken Burns used in his 2009 PBS series The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. It’s safe to say these parks are unique in the world, preserving such important areas.

National parks are significant because they were established to preserve America’s history and to protect the scenic features of the American landscape from development. They are also critical in protecting wildlife and maintaining ecological balance, as well as clean air and water. They offer preserved landscapes, places for the American people to recreate: to hike, boat, swim and camp in some of the most majestic scenery in the world.

However, the U.S. National Park System is facing pressures in governance, funding and climate change. For example, The Guardian reported that Yosemite National Park has experienced massive overcrowding. This is after the park announced that it would no longer have a reservation system in 2026 and the Trump administration cut millions from the NPS budget and also cut park staff significantly. This makes it even more important to understand why the parks are more than simply beautiful nature and how to be a good park visitor.

A Brief History of the U.S. The National Park System

The National Park system arose from a need to protect some of the most spectacular, beautiful, and scenic places in the U.S. The idea had been put forward as early as 1832, when artist George Catlin was exploring the Dakotas. Catlin proposed that the government should step in and preserve this landscape and others for future generations. He was among many such artists and explorers who voiced a similar idea.

They were aware that as the United States expanded westward, the dramatic and unique landscapes they were encountering risked being despoiled by settlement. It wasn’t until 1861 that an explorer named Ferdinand Hayden, who led the government’s newly established geological survey, visited the headwaters of the Yellowstone River with biologists and zoologists to explore an area that had attracted hunters and trappers for the previous century.

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He recommended its preservation, and in 1872, under President Ulysses S. Grant, the first national park was established as Yellowstone National Park, decades before the economic value of tourism was known.

Sequoia National Park was next in 1890, followed by Mt. Rainier National Park in 1899, Crater Lake National Park in 1902 and Yosemite National Park in 1890. There are now 63 major national parks, from Acadia National Park (1919) in Maine to Volcanoes National Park (1961) on the island of Hawaii.

As of today, the national parks are still designed to protect these incredible places for current and future visitors. Education has also come to the forefront, and increasingly, scientists are monitoring these parks, which serve as baselines for the effects of climate change. This is especially important for sensitive environments like Virgin Islands National Park, where coral reefs are closely watched, and the remaining glaciers in Glacier National Park.

The Importance Of The National Parks Extends Beyond Nature

Our national parks protect some of our most precious landscapes and provide a sanctuary for plants, wildlife and historic areas. They also keep aspects of American history visible and real for visitors.

The national parks are a significant economic driver, with admission fees that help fund their maintenance. That economic impact is also felt in the areas surrounding the park, as hotels, campgrounds, restaurants and shops in nearby towns benefit from serving visitors. Visitors to national parks in 2022 spent more than $42 billion in nearby communities of parks, creating and supporting jobs in tourism and transportation in neighboring communities.

Overcrowding can be a serious issue in some of the most popular national parks, such as Grand Canyon National Park, Zion National Park and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Some use reservation systems to control visitation, which would otherwise overwhelm the parks. However, some were cancelled by the Department of the Interior. Erosion and overuse are major problems in overcrowded areas.

Since the Park Service has lost a significant percentage of its workforce over the last few years, The National Parks Conservation Association says the cuts have resulted in fewer ranger-led programs, postponed maintenance and drained resource protection.

Conservation

One of the most basic aspects of national parks is that they are safeguards for conservation. They offer protection for animals and plants that, in many cases, are rare and found nowhere else on the planet.

In Great Smoky Mountains National Park, there are 30 species of salamanders, and some, like the red-cheeked salamander, are found nowhere else in the world. The park’s waterways help supply the water needs of millions of people in the Southeast. Like many parks, it provides a bulwark against commercial interests in agriculture, development and timber industries.

National parks can play a role in protecting watersheds and old-growth forests. So much of what they do is to maintain the unique ecosystem they were established to protect a century ago. If these systems were allowed to be changed or compromised, it could have dire effects on a wide region. These parks provide a living laboratory for scientists to monitor, study, and preserve. As such, they offer a baseline for studying climate change.

For the general public, they can function as classrooms without walls, places where we can learn about various ecosystems and our role in preserving them.

History And Culture

Our national parks are essential for maintaining historic landmarks, as well as indigenous heritage and culture. They accomplish this by collaborating with Tribal Nations on educational initiatives and with help from federal programs. For example, Yellowstone National Park is actually on the sacred lands of the Shoshone, Crow and Northern Cheyenne peoples.

The national parks have established more than 250 co-stewardship agreements with Tribal Nations to manage federal lands and identify and protect sacred resources. Tribal nations also take part in decisions and policy-making related to local ecology. The protection of Native American sites, from cave dwellings to sacred landscapes such as those found in Canyon de Chelly and Mesa Verde, is also vital. That includes helping to maintain local cultural traditions.

Communities

National parks offer a vital outlet for visitors to stay physically and mentally healthy. There are endless walks and hikes on offer, and the sheer beauty of the landscapes can go a long way to calming and reducing stress.

Beyond these benefits, there are myriad ways to have family fun in the national parks, from hiking and fishing to camping. The parks are ideal places to give kids space to play and enjoy the outdoors, and often foster family bonding. Ranger programs aimed at kids can open their eyes to the animals and plants around them, teach them why conservation matters, and inspire them to protect the earth.

Economic Growth

National parks are essential supporters of local economies and small businesses. They drive regional job growth through visitor spending and infrastructure investments. For example, 4.5 million visitors to Yellowstone National Park spent $623 million in the park and neighboring communities in 2023, supporting 8,560 jobs in the area, according to a National Park Service report.

How Can Visitors Help Preserve National Parks

The best way for visitors to support national parks is to practice responsible recreation and not be a “touron.” That includes Leave No Trace policies, which require you to pack out all trash, respect wildlife and stay on designated trails. You can take it a step further by reducing light pollution at your campsite by turning off unnecessary lighting.

Visiting lesser-known parks, such as Isle Royale in Lake Superior, can help soften the impact of overtourism on better-known parks, such as Yellowstone.

You can take it one step further by volunteering your time at national parks, pitching in to maintain trails, tidy campgrounds and serve as a docent at ranger stations. The National Park Service Volunteer Program is a great place to look for such opportunities. Donations are always welcome at the National Park Foundation and the National Parks Conservation Association. National parks cannot protect themselves but require consistent funding, savvy management and community support.

Why Protecting National Parks Matters For Future Generations

Forests and wetlands provide climate benefits by absorbing carbon dioxide, helping to create a cleaner planet for future generations. The same holds for protected watersheds, which can offer clean water for future generations. The parks also protect and preserve Native American history and sacred tribal lands. Our national parks are where Americans build stewardship — that sense of responsibility and care for the natural world that ideally leads to long-term protection.

The federal government has continued to trim these budgets, cutting both seasonal and full-time positions. This affects visitor experience, as maintenance lags and visitor centers and roads suffer the impact. At the end of fiscal year 2025, about $24 billion was needed to repair aging infrastructure and restore much-needed programs. These budget constraints mean that smaller parks may face reduced operating hours or even closures.

America’s national parks are an extraordinary resource, protecting some of the country's treasured landscapes, flora and fauna, and safeguarding its history, landmarks and Native American culture. They provide recreational opportunities for millions and safeguard fragile ecosystems, yet a lack of funding and political gamesmanship often undermines their mission.

There is no question that protecting our national parks can benefit future generations. It’s a gift to protect and share the landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural heritage found in these parks. Maintaining biosystems for the future is critical, not just for their sake.