A complete break down of the US National Parks by Size

The National Parks come in all shapes and sizes.  The largest national park in the United States is the size of Maryland.  While the smallest is 9 times smaller than Central Park in New York City, New York.  It is truly astounding when one realizes that the national parks of the United States take up 52 million acres of the land area. That is about 2% of the land area of the United States.  Here is a break down of the US National Parks by Size:

The article was published in December 2018. It was updated in July 2018, November 2019 and August 2020.

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The United States National Parks have been inspiring generations.  The parks come in all sorts of sizes.  Here is a breakdown of the National Parks by size.  

#nationalpark #nationalparks #nationalparkobsessed #nationalparkgeek #findyourpark

List of the Largest National Parks

US National Parks Ranked by Size

Here are the national parks from largest to smallest.

RankNational ParkStateAcres Comparable Country, State or Island
1Wrangell–St. EliasAlaska8,323,146.48Moldova
2Gates of the ArcticAlaska7,523,897.4Maryland
3DenaliAlaska4,740,911.16Slovenia
4KatmaiAlaska3,674,529.33Connecticut
5Death ValleyCalifornia, Nevada3,373,063.14Montenegro
6Glacier BayAlaska3,223,383.43Montenegro
7Lake ClarkAlaska2,619,816.49Lebanon
8Yellowstone Wyoming, Montana, Idaho2,219,790.71Puerto Rico
9Kobuk ValleyAlaska1,750,716.16Palestine
10EvergladesFlorida1,400,539.3Delaware
11Grand CanyonArizona1,201,647.03Trinidad and Tobago
12GlacierMontana1,013,125.99Cape Verde
13OlympicWashington922,649.41Rhode Island
14Big BendTexas801,163.21Iturup Island (Russia)
15Joshua Tree California790,635.74Makira (Solomon Islands)
16Yosemite California761,747.50Zemlya Georga Island (Russia)
17Kenai FjordsAlaska669,650.05Unalaska Island (Alaska)
18Isle RoyaleMichigan571,790.30Luxembourg
19Great Smoky MountainsTennessee, North Carolina522,426.88Alor Island (Indonesia )
20North CascadesWashington504,780.94Mauritius
21Kings CanyonCalifornia461,901.20Comoros
22SequoiaCalifornia404,062.63Åland Islands (Finland)
23CanyonlandsUtah337,597.83Faroe Islands (Denmark)
24Hawaiʻi VolcanoesHawaii323,431.38Lougheed Island (Canada)
25Grand TetonWyoming310,044.22Mill Island (Antarctica)
26Rocky MountainColorado265,795.20Tahiti (French Polynesia)
27Channel IslandsCalifornia249,561.00Hiiumaa (Estonia)
28BadlandsSouth Dakota242,755.94São Tomé and Príncipe
29Capitol ReefUtah241,904.5São Tomé and Príncipe
30Mount RainierWashington236,381.64São Tomé and Príncipe
31Petrified ForestArizona221,390.21Turks and Caicos Islands
32VoyageursMinnesota218,200.15Attu Island (Alaska)
33ShenandoahVirginia199,217.77Kiribati
34Crater LakeOregon183,224.05Tonga
35BiscayneFlorida172,971.11Federated States of Micronesia
36ZionUtah147,237.02Saint Lucia
37White SandsNew Mexico146,344.31  Saint Lucia
38RedwoodCalifornia138,999.37Guam (United States)
39Great Sand DunesColorado107,341.87Curaçao (Netherlands)
40Lassen VolcanicCalifornia106,589.02Antigua and Barbuda
41SaguaroArizona91,715.72Jan Mayen (Norway)
42Guadalupe MountainsTexas86,367.10Grenada
43Great BasinNevada77,180.0Malta
44ArchesUtah76,678.98Maldives
45Theodore RooseveltNorth Dakota70,446.89Bonaire (Netherlands)
46Dry TortugasFlorida64,701.22Saint Kitts and Nevis
47Mammoth CaveKentucky54,011.91Sauvie Island (Oregon)
48Mesa VerdeColorado52,485.17Pine Island (Florida)
49AcadiaMaine49,075.26American Samoa (United States)
50Carlsbad CavernsNew Mexico46,766.45Washington, D.C
51Bryce CanyonUtah35,835.08Wallis and Futuna (France)
52Wind CaveSouth Dakota33,970.84Christmas Island (Australia)
53HaleakalāHawaii33,264.62Christmas Island (Australia)
54Cuyahoga ValleyOhio32,572.24Vieques (Puerto Rico)
55Black Canyon of the GunnisonColorado30,780.76Jersey (United Kingdom)
56PinnaclesCalifornia26,685.73Montserrat (United Kingdom)
57CongareeSouth Carolina26,539.22Montserrat (United Kingdom)
58Indiana DunesIndiana15,067.00Nauru
59Virgin IslandsUnited States Virgin Islands14,940.00San Marino
60American SamoaAmerican Samoa8,256.67Macau (China)
61Hot SpringsArkansas5,548.01Tuvalu
62Gateway ArchMissouri90.9Vatican City
The United States National Parks have been inspiring generations. The parks come in all sorts of sizes. Here is a breakdown of the National Parks by size.

National Park Size by State

National Park Acres Comparable Country, State or Island
Alaska National Parks
Denali4,740,911.16Slovenia
Gates of the Acrtic7,523,897.4Maryland
Glacier Bay3,223,383.43Montenegro
Katmai3,674,529.33Connecticut
Kenai Fjords669,650.05Unalaska Island (Alaska)
Kobuk Valley1,750,716.16Palestine
Lake Clark2,619,816.49Lebanon
Wrangell-St. Elias8,323,146.48Moldova
American Samoa National Parks
American Samoa8,256.67Macau (China)
Arizona National Parks
Grand Canyon1,201,647.03Trinidad and Tobago
Petrified Forest 221,390.21Turks and Caicos Islands
Saguaro91,715.72Jan Mayen (Norway)
Arkansas National Parks
Hot Springs5,548.01Tuvalu
California National Parks
Channel Islands249,561.00Hiiumaa (Estonia)
Death Valley3,373,063.14Montenegro
Joshua Tree790,635.74Makira (Solomon Islands)
Kings Canyon461,901.20Comoros
Lassen Volcanic106,589.02Antigua and Barbuda
Pinnacles26,685.73Montserrat (United Kingdom)
Redwood138,999.37Guam (United States)
Sequoia404,062.63Åland Islands (Finland)
Yosemite761,747.50Zemlya Georga Island (Russia)
Colorado National Parks
Black Canyon of the Gunnison30,780.76Jersey (United Kingdom)
Great Sand Dunes107,341.87Curaçao (Netherlands)
Mesa Verde52,485.17Pine Island (Florida)
Rocky Mountain265,795.20Tahiti (French Polynesia)
Florida National Parks
Biscayne172,971.11Federated States of Micronesia
Dry Tortugas64,701.22Saint Kitts and Nevis
Everglades1,400,539.30Delaware
Hawaii National Parks
Haleakalā33,264.62Christmas Island (Australia)
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes323,431.38Lougheed Island (Canada)
Idaho National Parks
Yellowstone2,219,790.71Puerto Rico
Indiana National Parks
Indiana Dunes15,067.00Nauru
Kentucky National Parks
Mammoth Cave54,011.91Sauvie Island (Oregon)
Maine National Parks
Acadia49,075.26American Samoa (United States)
Michigan National Parks
Isle Royale571,790.30Luxembourg
Minnesota National Parks
Voyageurs218,200.15Attu Island (Alaska)
Missouri National Parks
Gateway Arch90.9Vatican City
Montana National Parks
Glacier1,013,125.99Cape Verde
Yellowstone2,219,790.71Puerto Rico
Nevada National Parks
Death Valley3,373,063.14Montenegro
Great Basin77,180.00Malta
New Mexico National Parks
Carlsbad Caverns46,766.45Washington, D.C
White Sands 146,344.31  Saint Lucia
North Carolina National Parks
Great Smoky Mountains522,426.88Alor Island (Indonesia)
North Dakota National Parks
Theodore Roosevelt70,446.89Bonaire (Netherlands)
Ohio National Parks
Cuyahoga Valley32,572.24Vieques (Puerto Rico)
Oregon National Parks
Crater Lake183,224.05Tonga
South Carolina National Parks
Congaree26,539.22Montserrat (United Kingdom)
South Dakota National Parks
Badlands242,755.94São Tomé and Príncipe
Wind Cave33,970.84Christmas Island (Australia)
Tennessee National Parks
Great Smoky Mountains522,426.88Alor Island (Indonesia )
Texas National Parks
Big Bend801,163.21Iturup Island (Russia)
Guadalupe Mountains86,367.10Grenada
United States Virgin Islands National Parks
Virgin Islands14,940.00San Marino
Utah National Parks
Arches76,678.98Maldives
Bryce Canyon35,835.08Wallis and Futuna (France)
Canyonlands337,597.83Faroe Islands (Denmark)
Capitol Reef241,904.50São Tomé and Príncipe
Zion147,237.02Saint Lucia
Virginia National Parks
Shenandoah199,217.77Kiribati
Washington National Parks
Mount Rainier236,381.64São Tomé and Príncipe
North Cascades504,780.94Mauritius
Olympic922,649.41Rhode Island
Wyoming National Parks
Grand Teton310,044.22Mill Island (Antarctica)
Yellowstone2,219,790.71Puerto Rico
All National Parks by Size data collected from the National Park Service Reports.

Frequently Asked Questions about National Park Size

What is the largest National Park in the US?

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is the biggest National Park in the US. This massive National Park is 8,323,146.48 acres in size.

Like many Alaskan National Parks, Wrangell-St. Elias is made of two National Park Service units. Wrangell-St. Elias is both a National Park and a National Preserve. NPS treats both the Park and the Preserve as a single unit for management and staffing. Most park visitors do not differentiate these duel units as two units and when they visit one unit of the park, they count that visit as a visit to both units.

Wrangell-St. Elias National Preserve is 4.85 million acres and the combined unit of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is 13,175,799 acres. Making it the largest National Park in the United States. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is the 2nd largest National Park in the world or the 12th largest protected area in the world.

What is the largest National Park in the lower 48 states?

Death Valley National Park is the largest National Park in the contiguous United States. Death Valley National Park is 3,373,063.14 acres in size.

Which U.S. National Park is the smallest in size?

Gateway Arch National Park is the smallest National Park in the US. Gateway Arch is made of 90.9 acres in downtown St. Louis, MO.

While Gateway Arch is the smallest of the NPS units bearing the title National Park. It is not the smallest national park in the National Park System. That title belongs to Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial. Thaddeus Kosciuszko is 0.02 acres.

How many square miles of National Parks are in the US?

The 62 National Parks of the US protect 81,423.43 square miles or 52,110,996.53 acres of land. The entire National Park System protects 132968.51 square miles or 85,099,844.97 acres of land.

Pin to save for later: A break down of the US National Parks by Size

The United States National Parks have been inspiring generations.  The parks come in all sorts of sizes.  Here is a breakdown of the National Parks by size.  

#nationalpark #nationalparks #nationalparkobsessed #nationalparkgeek #findyourpark

2 Comments

  • Christina Pfeiffer

    What a great idea! I love the way you’ve compared the size of each national park to a small country. It puts things into perspective when you realise that the Grand Canyon National Park is the size of Trinidad and Tobago!

Hi, I'm Jennifer!

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