Largest U s National Park in the in the Continuous 48 States
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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List of the Largest National Parks
US National Parks Ranked by Size
Here are the national parks from largest to smallest.
| Rank | National Park | State | Acres | Comparable Country, State or Island |
| 1 | Wrangell–St. Elias | Alaska | 8,323,146.48 | Moldova |
| 2 | Gates of the Arctic | Alaska | 7,523,897.4 | Maryland |
| 3 | Denali | Alaska | 4,740,911.16 | Slovenia |
| 4 | Katmai | Alaska | 3,674,529.33 | Connecticut |
| 5 | Death Valley | California, Nevada | 3,373,063.14 | Montenegro |
| 6 | Glacier Bay | Alaska | 3,223,383.43 | Montenegro |
| 7 | Lake Clark | Alaska | 2,619,816.49 | Lebanon |
| 8 | Yellowstone | Wyoming, Montana, Idaho | 2,219,790.71 | Puerto Rico |
| 9 | Kobuk Valley | Alaska | 1,750,716.16 | Palestine |
| 10 | Everglades | Florida | 1,400,539.3 | Delaware |
| 11 | Grand Canyon | Arizona | 1,201,647.03 | Trinidad and Tobago |
| 12 | Glacier | Montana | 1,013,125.99 | Cape Verde |
| 13 | Olympic | Washington | 922,649.41 | Rhode Island |
| 14 | Big Bend | Texas | 801,163.21 | Iturup Island (Russia) |
| 15 | Joshua Tree | California | 790,635.74 | Makira (Solomon Islands) |
| 16 | Yosemite | California | 761,747.50 | Zemlya Georga Island (Russia) |
| 17 | Kenai Fjords | Alaska | 669,650.05 | Unalaska Island (Alaska) |
| 18 | Isle Royale | Michigan | 571,790.30 | Luxembourg |
| 19 | Great Smoky Mountains | Tennessee, North Carolina | 522,426.88 | Alor Island (Indonesia ) |
| 20 | North Cascades | Washington | 504,780.94 | Mauritius |
| 21 | Kings Canyon | California | 461,901.20 | Comoros |
| 22 | Sequoia | California | 404,062.63 | Åland Islands (Finland) |
| 23 | Canyonlands | Utah | 337,597.83 | Faroe Islands (Denmark) |
| 24 | Hawaiʻi Volcanoes | Hawaii | 323,431.38 | Lougheed Island (Canada) |
| 25 | Grand Teton | Wyoming | 310,044.22 | Mill Island (Antarctica) |
| 26 | Rocky Mountain | Colorado | 265,795.20 | Tahiti (French Polynesia) |
| 27 | Channel Islands | California | 249,561.00 | Hiiumaa (Estonia) |
| 28 | Badlands | South Dakota | 242,755.94 | São Tomé and Príncipe |
| 29 | Capitol Reef | Utah | 241,904.5 | São Tomé and Príncipe |
| 30 | Mount Rainier | Washington | 236,381.64 | São Tomé and Príncipe |
| 31 | Petrified Forest | Arizona | 221,390.21 | Turks and Caicos Islands |
| 32 | Voyageurs | Minnesota | 218,200.15 | Attu Island (Alaska) |
| 33 | Shenandoah | Virginia | 199,217.77 | Kiribati |
| 34 | Crater Lake | Oregon | 183,224.05 | Tonga |
| 35 | Biscayne | Florida | 172,971.11 | Federated States of Micronesia |
| 36 | Zion | Utah | 147,237.02 | Saint Lucia |
| 37 | White Sands | New Mexico | 146,344.31 | Saint Lucia |
| 38 | Redwood | California | 138,999.37 | Guam (United States) |
| 39 | Great Sand Dunes | Colorado | 107,341.87 | Curaçao (Netherlands) |
| 40 | Lassen Volcanic | California | 106,589.02 | Antigua and Barbuda |
| 41 | Saguaro | Arizona | 91,715.72 | Jan Mayen (Norway) |
| 42 | Guadalupe Mountains | Texas | 86,367.10 | Grenada |
| 43 | Great Basin | Nevada | 77,180.0 | Malta |
| 44 | Arches | Utah | 76,678.98 | Maldives |
| 45 | Theodore Roosevelt | North Dakota | 70,446.89 | Bonaire (Netherlands) |
| 46 | Dry Tortugas | Florida | 64,701.22 | Saint Kitts and Nevis |
| 47 | Mammoth Cave | Kentucky | 54,011.91 | Sauvie Island (Oregon) |
| 48 | Mesa Verde | Colorado | 52,485.17 | Pine Island (Florida) |
| 49 | Acadia | Maine | 49,075.26 | American Samoa (United States) |
| 50 | Carlsbad Caverns | New Mexico | 46,766.45 | Washington, D.C |
| 51 | Bryce Canyon | Utah | 35,835.08 | Wallis and Futuna (France) |
| 52 | Wind Cave | South Dakota | 33,970.84 | Christmas Island (Australia) |
| 53 | Haleakalā | Hawaii | 33,264.62 | Christmas Island (Australia) |
| 54 | Cuyahoga Valley | Ohio | 32,572.24 | Vieques (Puerto Rico) |
| 55 | Black Canyon of the Gunnison | Colorado | 30,780.76 | Jersey (United Kingdom) |
| 56 | Pinnacles | California | 26,685.73 | Montserrat (United Kingdom) |
| 57 | Congaree | South Carolina | 26,539.22 | Montserrat (United Kingdom) |
| 58 | Indiana Dunes | Indiana | 15,067.00 | Nauru |
| 59 | Virgin Islands | United States Virgin Islands | 14,940.00 | San Marino |
| 60 | American Samoa | American Samoa | 8,256.67 | Macau (China) |
| 61 | Hot Springs | Arkansas | 5,548.01 | Tuvalu |
| 62 | Gateway Arch | Missouri | 90.9 | Vatican City |
National Park Size by State
| National Park | Acres | Comparable Country, State or Island |
| Alaska National Parks | ||
| Denali | 4,740,911.16 | Slovenia |
| Gates of the Acrtic | 7,523,897.4 | Maryland |
| Glacier Bay | 3,223,383.43 | Montenegro |
| Katmai | 3,674,529.33 | Connecticut |
| Kenai Fjords | 669,650.05 | Unalaska Island (Alaska) |
| Kobuk Valley | 1,750,716.16 | Palestine |
| Lake Clark | 2,619,816.49 | Lebanon |
| Wrangell-St. Elias | 8,323,146.48 | Moldova |
| American Samoa National Parks | ||
| American Samoa | 8,256.67 | Macau (China) |
| Arizona National Parks | ||
| Grand Canyon | 1,201,647.03 | Trinidad and Tobago |
| Petrified Forest | 221,390.21 | Turks and Caicos Islands |
| Saguaro | 91,715.72 | Jan Mayen (Norway) |
| Arkansas National Parks | ||
| Hot Springs | 5,548.01 | Tuvalu |
| California National Parks | ||
| Channel Islands | 249,561.00 | Hiiumaa (Estonia) |
| Death Valley | 3,373,063.14 | Montenegro |
| Joshua Tree | 790,635.74 | Makira (Solomon Islands) |
| Kings Canyon | 461,901.20 | Comoros |
| Lassen Volcanic | 106,589.02 | Antigua and Barbuda |
| Pinnacles | 26,685.73 | Montserrat (United Kingdom) |
| Redwood | 138,999.37 | Guam (United States) |
| Sequoia | 404,062.63 | Åland Islands (Finland) |
| Yosemite | 761,747.50 | Zemlya Georga Island (Russia) |
| Colorado National Parks | ||
| Black Canyon of the Gunnison | 30,780.76 | Jersey (United Kingdom) |
| Great Sand Dunes | 107,341.87 | Curaçao (Netherlands) |
| Mesa Verde | 52,485.17 | Pine Island (Florida) |
| Rocky Mountain | 265,795.20 | Tahiti (French Polynesia) |
| Florida National Parks | ||
| Biscayne | 172,971.11 | Federated States of Micronesia |
| Dry Tortugas | 64,701.22 | Saint Kitts and Nevis |
| Everglades | 1,400,539.30 | Delaware |
| Hawaii National Parks | ||
| Haleakalā | 33,264.62 | Christmas Island (Australia) |
| Hawaiʻi Volcanoes | 323,431.38 | Lougheed Island (Canada) |
| Idaho National Parks | ||
| Yellowstone | 2,219,790.71 | Puerto Rico |
| Indiana National Parks | ||
| Indiana Dunes | 15,067.00 | Nauru |
| Kentucky National Parks | ||
| Mammoth Cave | 54,011.91 | Sauvie Island (Oregon) |
| Maine National Parks | ||
| Acadia | 49,075.26 | American Samoa (United States) |
| Michigan National Parks | ||
| Isle Royale | 571,790.30 | Luxembourg |
| Minnesota National Parks | ||
| Voyageurs | 218,200.15 | Attu Island (Alaska) |
| Missouri National Parks | ||
| Gateway Arch | 90.9 | Vatican City |
| Montana National Parks | ||
| Glacier | 1,013,125.99 | Cape Verde |
| Yellowstone | 2,219,790.71 | Puerto Rico |
| Nevada National Parks | ||
| Death Valley | 3,373,063.14 | Montenegro |
| Great Basin | 77,180.00 | Malta |
| New Mexico National Parks | ||
| Carlsbad Caverns | 46,766.45 | Washington, D.C |
| White Sands | 146,344.31 | Saint Lucia |
| North Carolina National Parks | ||
| Great Smoky Mountains | 522,426.88 | Alor Island (Indonesia) |
| North Dakota National Parks | ||
| Theodore Roosevelt | 70,446.89 | Bonaire (Netherlands) |
| Ohio National Parks | ||
| Cuyahoga Valley | 32,572.24 | Vieques (Puerto Rico) |
| Oregon National Parks | ||
| Crater Lake | 183,224.05 | Tonga |
| South Carolina National Parks | ||
| Congaree | 26,539.22 | Montserrat (United Kingdom) |
| South Dakota National Parks | ||
| Badlands | 242,755.94 | São Tomé and Príncipe |
| Wind Cave | 33,970.84 | Christmas Island (Australia) |
| Tennessee National Parks | ||
| Great Smoky Mountains | 522,426.88 | Alor Island (Indonesia ) |
| Texas National Parks | ||
| Big Bend | 801,163.21 | Iturup Island (Russia) |
| Guadalupe Mountains | 86,367.10 | Grenada |
| United States Virgin Islands National Parks | ||
| Virgin Islands | 14,940.00 | San Marino |
| Utah National Parks | ||
| Arches | 76,678.98 | Maldives |
| Bryce Canyon | 35,835.08 | Wallis and Futuna (France) |
| Canyonlands | 337,597.83 | Faroe Islands (Denmark) |
| Capitol Reef | 241,904.50 | São Tomé and Príncipe |
| Zion | 147,237.02 | Saint Lucia |
| Virginia National Parks | ||
| Shenandoah | 199,217.77 | Kiribati |
| Washington National Parks | ||
| Mount Rainier | 236,381.64 | São Tomé and Príncipe |
| North Cascades | 504,780.94 | Mauritius |
| Olympic | 922,649.41 | Rhode Island |
| Wyoming National Parks | ||
| Grand Teton | 310,044.22 | Mill Island (Antarctica) |
| Yellowstone | 2,219,790.71 | Puerto 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
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Source: https://nationalparkobsessed.com/national-parks-by-size/
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