State rankings

National Parks by State

California has the highest # of National Parks (8), followed by Alaska (8) and Utah (5). Montana has the lowest (1).

EnvironmentTravel50 states · 3 metricsUpdated Nov 21, 2023Original page
23 sources
# of National ParksBetter directionWhether a higher or a lower value is better. A green arrow means higher is better, a red arrow means lower is better, and no arrow means neither.More in the glossary →
23 of 51 states
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# of National Parks

Darker means higher. Click a place to highlight it.

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All 23 ranked

Highest first.

Distribution Median and middle halfThe median is the middle value: half of places are above it, half below. The middle half is the range holding the central 50% of places.More in the glossary →

Each dot is one state; the lines mark the median and the middle half.

Median
1
Middle half 1 – 2.5
Average
2.26
23 states
Highest
8
California
Lowest
1
Montana

Data

Click a column to sort, a row to highlight that place on the charts.

50 states · # = rank by # of National Parks
#
1California8Channel Islands National Park, Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Pinnacles National Park, Redwood National Park, Sequoia National Park, Yosemite National ParkCabrillo National Monument, Castle Mountains National Monument+6
1Alaska8Denali National Park, Gates of the Arctic National Park, Glacier Bay National Park, Katmai National Park, Kenai Fjords National Par, Kobuk Valley National Park, Lake Clark National Park, Wrangell-St. Elias National ParkAlagnak Wild River, Aniakchak National Monument & Preserve+6
3Utah5Arches National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Zion National ParkBears Ears National Monument, Cedar Breaks National Monument+6
4Florida3Biscayne National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, Everglades National ParkBig Cypress National Preserve, Canaveral National Seashore+6
4Washington3Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Olympic National ParkEbey's Landing National Historical Reserve, Fort Vancouver National Historic Site+5
4Arizona3Grand Canyon National Park, Petrified Forest National Park, Saguaro National ParkCanyon de Chelly National Monument, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument+6
7Texas2Big Bend National Park, Guadalupe Mountains National ParkAmistad National Recreation Area, Chamizal National Memorial+6
7Virginia2Shenandoah National ParkAppalachian Trail, Arlington House (Robert E. Lee Memorial)+6
7Colorado2Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Rocky Mountain National ParkAmache National Historic Site, Bents Old Fort National Historic Site+6
7Hawaii2Haleakala National Park, Hawai’i Volcanoes National ParkHonouliuli National Historic Site, Kalaupapa National Historical Park+4
7Wyoming2Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National ParkBighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Devils Tower National Monument+3
12Ohio1Cuyahoga Valley National ParkCharles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument, David Berger National Memorial+5
12North Carolina1Great Smoky Mountains National ParkAppalachian Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway, Cape Hatteras National Seashore+6
12New Jersey1—Appalachian Trail, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area+5
12Maryland1—Antietam National Battlefield, Appalachian Trail+6
12Minnesota1Voyageurs National ParkGrand Portage National Monument, Mississippi National River & Recreation Area+1
12Kentucky1Mammoth Cave National ParkAbraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park, Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area+4
12Oregon1Crater Lake National ParkFort Vancouver National Historic Site, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument+4
12Nevada1Death Valley National Park, Great Basin National ParkLake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada Test Site+1
12Arkansas1Hot Springs National ParkArkansas Post National Memorial, Buffalo National River+4
12New Mexico1Carlsbad Caverns National Park, White Sands National ParkAztec Ruins National Monument, Bandelier National Monument+7
12Maine1Acadia National ParkAppalachian Trail, Frances Perkins National Monument+2
12Montana1Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National ParkBig Hole National Battlefield, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area+4
—New York——African Burial Ground National Monument, Castle Clinton National Monument+6
—Pennsylvania——Allegheny Portage Rail Road National Historic Site, Appalachian Trail+6
—Illinois——Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument, Lincoln Home National Historic Site+3
—Georgia——Andersonville National Historic Site, Appalachian Trail+6
—Michigan—Isle Royale National ParkKeweenaw National Historical Park, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore+2
—Tennessee—Great Smoky Mountains National ParkAndrew Johnson National Historic Site, Appalachian Trail+6
—Massachusetts——Adams National Historical Park, Appalachian Trail+6
—Indiana—Indiana Dunes National ParkGeorge Rogers Clark National Historical Park, Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial
—Missouri—Gateway Arch National ParkGeorge Washington Carver National Monument, Harry S Truman National Historic Site+3
—Wisconsin——Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Ice Age National Scenic Trail+2
—South Carolina—Congaree National ParkCharles Pinckney National Historic Site, Cowpens National Battlefield+4
—Alabama——Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, Freedom Riders National Monument+6
—Louisiana——Cane River Creole National Historical Park, El Camino Real de Los Tejas National Historic Trail+4
—Oklahoma——Chickasaw National Recreation Area, Deep Forest National Wildlife Refuge+5
—Connecticut——Appalachian National Scenic Trail, New England National Scenic Trail+1
—Iowa——Effigy Mounds National Monument, Herbert Hoover National Historical Site+2
—Kansas——Brown V. Board of Education National Historical Park, California National Historic Trial+6
—Mississippi——Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site, Gulf Islands National Seashore+6
—Idaho—Yellowstone National ParkCity of Rocks National Reserve, Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve+3
—Nebraska——Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Homestead National Historical Park+3
—West Virginia—New River Gorge National ParkAppalachian Trail, Bluestone National Scenic River+2
—New Hampshire——The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park
—Rhode Island——Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, Roger Williams National Memorial
—Delaware——Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, Chesapeake Bay Watershed+2
—South Dakota—Badlands National Park, Wind Cave National ParkJewel Cave National Monument, Minuteman Missile National Historic Site+1
—North Dakota—Theodore Roosevelt National ParkFort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site
—Vermont——Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park+1

What correlates with # of National Parks?

Pearson r against 2,134 other state metrics sharing at least 14 states. Ranks are read by standing: a better rank counts as higher, whether rank 1 is the best place on a list or the worst. Correlation is not causation.

Higher together

Places that have a higher # of National Parks tend to score higher on these (or rank better)

  1. # National ParksMountain Biking by State
    r = +0.97 · very strong · n = 21
    Plot
  2. Number of National ParksOff-Grid Living Legal States
    r = +0.96 · very strong · n = 21
    Plot
  3. Organic Lettuce Acres HarvestedLettuce Production by State
    r = +0.93 · very strong · n = 17
    Plot
  4. Organic Lettuce ProductionLettuce Production by State
    r = +0.93 · very strong · n = 17
    Plot
  5. Honeydew Acres HarvestedHoneydew Production by State
    r = +0.92 · very strong · n = 19
    Plot
  6. Democratic RepsNumber of Representatives by State
    r = +0.89 · very strong · n = 18
    Plot

Opposite directions

Places that have a higher # of National Parks tend to score lower on these (or rank worse)

  1. Public Land Change 1990-2018Public Land by State
    r = −0.61 · strong · n = 23
    Plot
  2. Req. English CreditsHigh School Graduation Requirements by State
    r = −0.59 · strong · n = 22
    Plot
  3. Death RateDeath Rate by State
    r = −0.58 · strong · n = 23
    Plot
  4. Richest Person AgeRichest Person by State
    r = −0.56 · strong · n = 22
    Plot
  5. Viability RankFarming-Friendly StatesA rank: rank 1 is the best
    r = +0.56 · strong · n = 23
    Plot
  6. Viability RankCattle Ranching by StateA rank: rank 1 is the best
    r = +0.56 · strong · n = 23
    Plot

Quick answers

Which state has the highest # of National Parks?
California has the highest # of National Parks, at 8, followed by Alaska (8) and Utah (5).
Which state has the lowest # of National Parks?
Montana has the lowest # of National Parks, at 1.
What is the median # of National Parks across US states?
The median is 1 across the 23 US states with data.
Where does this national parks by state data come from?
Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: National Park Trips; Trvl Channel; National Park Obsessed; More Than Just Parks.