The National Park Service By The Numbers

18 Surprising Facts about the National Park Service

Last year, the National Park Service celebrated 100 years of advocacy, education, and conservation—a proud tradition that has safeguarded our parks and monuments for generations. While that number is certainly impressive, it’s not the only compelling statistic about this important federal agency. Here, we delve into some of the NPS’s key numbers—from its smallest facility to its biggest crowds.

410. The total number of entities (national parks, monuments, military parks, preserves, forests, and seashores) under the auspices of the NPS.

290 Million. The total number of people who visited the national parks in 2014.

9.3 Million. The number of people who flock to the Great Smoky Mountains, the most heavily visited national park, per year.

287 Feet. The length of Kolob Arch, the largest free-standing stone arch in the world, located in Zion National Park.

20,320 Feet. The height of Mount Denali in Denali National Park, the highest point in the United States.

-282 Feet. The altitude below sea level of Badwater Basin in Death Valley, the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere.

3,000. The approximate miles of rivers and streams in Olympic National Park.

1,932 Feet. The depth of Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the United States. Interestingly, it’s not actually a crater, but rather a volcanic caldera.

1. The number of national parks dedicated to man-made structures (Mesa Verde was created to preserve cliff dwellings of the Ancestral Puebloans).

397 Feet. The height of the tallest tree in the world (in Redwood National Park). These sequoias are also considered the largest living things on earth.

13,200,000 Acres. The Size of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, the largest in the NPS. Its total area is greater than each of the nine smallest states.

.02 Acres. The size of Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial, the smallest unit administrated by the NPS.

27,000. The number of historic and prehistoric structures preserved within National Park system.

< 500. The estimated number of years until the super volcano under Yellowstone erupts. (So don’t put off that trip!)

157,289. The number of soldiers who fought at Gettysburg, one of many military parks administrated by the NPS.

450,000 Pounds. The approximate weight of the Statue of Liberty, a national monument cared for by the NPS.

631. The number of unnamed lakes in Glacier National Park. That’s almost five times the number of named lakes!

10. The number of National Parks visited by Country Walkers.