National Park Week is an annual celebration of America’s national parks – from iconic vistas to significant historical sites. This year, NPF invites you to celebrate our parks while learning more about the ways we all can help preserve these wonderful places.
At the National Park Foundation (NPF), we celebrate parks during National Park Week and all year long. Sign up to receive the latest NPF news, information on how you can support our national treasures, and travel ideas for your next trip to the parks.
National Park Week invites us to reflect on what parks mean to us and what they provide for our communities, as well as commit to protecting these cherished places.
At the National Park Foundation, we celebrate parks all year long. Learn more about the fascinating scope of the National Park System and how NPF supports efforts to preserve parks and foster life-long connections to them.
How many national park sites are there in the United States?
429! The National Park System encompasses 429 national parks in the United States and US territories, spanning more than 84 million acres (Nearly the size of California).
When was the first National Park Week celebrated?
President George Bush proclaimed August 25-31, 1991, as the first National Park Week to honor the National Park Service’s 75th anniversary. Today, it’s celebrated annually in April alongside Earth Day!
How many hours of service do volunteers contribute to national parks annually?
Nearly 300,000 volunteers contribute over 6.5 million hours of service annually in national parks. That’s equal to about 741 and a half years!
Since 2014, how many volunteers has the National Park Foundation funded in parks across the country?
1.4 million volunteers... a contribution of over 2.6 million hours of service to national parks!
How many pounds of waste does the National Park Service manage each year?
80 million pounds of waste, equivalent to the weight of about 182 Statues of Liberty.
How many new water stations have been installed in 17 national parks since 2020?
With support from the National Park Foundation, over 98+ refill stations have been installed through NPF's Resilience & Sustainability programs.
How many national park sites are there in the United States?
429! The National Park System encompasses 429 national parks in the United States and US territories, spanning more than 84 million acres (Nearly the size of California).
When was the first National Park Week celebrated?
President George Bush proclaimed August 25-31, 1991, as the first National Park Week to honor the National Park Service’s 75th anniversary. Today, it’s celebrated annually in April alongside Earth Day!
How many hours of service do volunteers contribute to national parks annually?
Nearly 300,000 volunteers contribute over 6.5 million hours of service annually in national parks. That’s equal to about 741 and a half years!
Since 2014, how many volunteers has the National Park Foundation funded in parks across the country?
1.4 million volunteers... a contribution of over 2.6 million hours of service to national parks!
How many pounds of waste does the National Park Service manage each year?
80 million pounds of waste, equivalent to the weight of about 182 Statues of Liberty.
How many new water stations have been installed in 17 national parks since 2020?
With support from the National Park Foundation, over 98+ refill stations have been installed through NPF's Resilience & Sustainability programs.
How many national park sites are there in the United States?
429! The National Park System encompasses 429 national parks in the United States and US territories, spanning more than 84 million acres (Nearly the size of California).
When was the first National Park Week celebrated?
President George Bush proclaimed August 25-31, 1991, as the first National Park Week to honor the National Park Service’s 75th anniversary. Today, it’s celebrated annually in April alongside Earth Day!
How many hours of service do volunteers contribute to national parks annually?
Nearly 300,000 volunteers contribute over 6.5 million hours of service annually in national parks. That’s equal to about 741 and a half years!
Since 2014, how many volunteers has the National Park Foundation funded in parks across the country?
1.4 million volunteers... a contribution of over 2.6 million hours of service to national parks!
How many pounds of waste does the National Park Service manage each year?
80 million pounds of waste, equivalent to the weight of about 182 Statues of Liberty.
How many new water stations have been installed in 17 national parks since 2020?
With support from the National Park Foundation, over 98+ refill stations have been installed through NPF's Resilience & Sustainability programs.
How many national park sites are there in the United States?
429! The National Park System encompasses 429 national parks in the United States and US territories, spanning more than 84 million acres (Nearly the size of California).
When was the first National Park Week celebrated?
President George Bush proclaimed August 25-31, 1991, as the first National Park Week to honor the National Park Service’s 75th anniversary. Today, it’s celebrated annually in April alongside Earth Day!
How many hours of service do volunteers contribute to national parks annually?
Nearly 300,000 volunteers contribute over 6.5 million hours of service annually in national parks. That’s equal to about 741 and a half years!
Since 2014, how many volunteers has the National Park Foundation funded in parks across the country?
1.4 million volunteers... a contribution of over 2.6 million hours of service to national parks!
How many pounds of waste does the National Park Service manage each year?
80 million pounds of waste, equivalent to the weight of about 182 Statues of Liberty.
How many new water stations have been installed in 17 national parks since 2020?
With support from the National Park Foundation, over 98+ refill stations have been installed through NPF's Resilience & Sustainability programs.
With over 400 national park sites to explore, there is always something new to discover! This National Park Week connect – or reconnect – with parks, and learn more about the many ways NPF supports parks and their communities.
National parks are powerful places to discover things about our world, our stories, and ourselves. Connect with us on social to share your favorite park memory, a tip for visiting a national park, your favorite park fact, the next park on your bucket list, or just why you love parks!
My favorite park memory (it is SO hard to pick a favorite) is taking my daughter on her first camping trip at Greenbelt Park last spring. It is not too far from our home, but truly feels like an escape from the city. I can't say we got much sleep BUT it's a memory I'll always treasure.
My bucket list is long, but I would love to do a little canyon tour and check off Zion, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands and a few others in one fun road trip.
My family and I try to spend a week in Olympic National Park every August. It has everything -- lakes, rainforests, hot springs, tide pools, rivers and more. It brings us great joy that this wonder is in our "backyard." Here is me and my daughter, Thea, kayaking at Lake Crescent, a true gem of the Olympic National Park.
Visiting Glacier Bay last summer was an experience in awe and wonder.
I was able to visit Muir Woods National Monument. It was so special to visit the giants and also to see the incredible work NPS is doing to tell a more complete story of our shared history.
Our national parks give us so many things and it’s important we support them too. Learn more about the people and organizations that give to NPF to help protect and enhance our national parks.
We’re proud to partner with the National Park Foundation and their Communities and Workforce initiative to provide on-the-job training that opens the door to countless career paths – all while enjoying the benefits of working outdoors in our beautiful national parks. At Carhartt, we’re committed to exploring ways to build a better world, and through this partnership, we’re able to do just that – by supporting the next generation of outdoor workers and leaders as they make their own histories.
We met on a hiking trip up Mount LeConte in Great Smoky Mountains National Park 30 years ago. Since then, we’ve made the same trip more than 25 times together and are sending our granddaughter and her fiancé on the same trip this year. The outdoors are amazing. We feel fortunate to live in a place with such beauty around us, and strongly believe everybody should have a chance to experience a national park. National parks are gems of this country. They bring awe. Looking at the Grand Canyon from the south rim or up at the redwood forests…it’s that kind of awe. National parks are something that we love and cherish and will continue to support.
Part of our mission to be the premier quality food retailer in the world is being involved as responsible citizens in our communities. Through our collaboration with the National Park Foundation, we are deepening our commitment to water stewardship in Florida. We are funding restoration work in the eastern portion of Everglades National Park, which supplies fresh water to our communities, and supporting coral reef restoration at Biscayne National Park, which is important to the ecosystem.
I love our national parks – they're a perfect place to unplug and escape from the screens and the indoors that seem to always demand more time. I support them because some of the most awe-inspiring things I've ever seen have been in our national parks. There is nothing quite like seeing the South Rim of the Grand Canyon for the first time (or the second time, or the third time). I'm happy to support an organization committed to preserving these spaces for others to have the same experience as me.
We’re proud to partner with the National Park Foundation and their Communities and Workforce initiative to provide on-the-job training that opens the door to countless career paths – all while enjoying the benefits of working outdoors in our beautiful national parks. At Carhartt, we’re committed to exploring ways to build a better world, and through this partnership, we’re able to do just that – by supporting the next generation of outdoor workers and leaders as they make their own histories.
We’re proud to partner with the National Park Foundation and their Communities and Workforce initiative to provide on-the-job training that opens the door to countless career paths – all while enjoying the benefits of working outdoors in our beautiful national parks. At Carhartt, we’re committed to exploring ways to build a better world, and through this partnership, we’re able to do just that – by supporting the next generation of outdoor workers and leaders as they make their own histories.
We met on a hiking trip up Mount LeConte in Great Smoky Mountains National Park 30 years ago. Since then, we’ve made the same trip more than 25 times together and are sending our granddaughter and her fiancé on the same trip this year. The outdoors are amazing. We feel fortunate to live in a place with such beauty around us, and strongly believe everybody should have a chance to experience a national park. National parks are gems of this country. They bring awe. Looking at the Grand Canyon from the south rim or up at the redwood forests…it’s that kind of awe. National parks are something that we love and cherish and will continue to support.
Part of our mission to be the premier quality food retailer in the world is being involved as responsible citizens in our communities. Through our collaboration with the National Park Foundation, we are deepening our commitment to water stewardship in Florida. We are funding restoration work in the eastern portion of Everglades National Park, which supplies fresh water to our communities, and supporting coral reef restoration at Biscayne National Park, which is important to the ecosystem.
I love our national parks – they're a perfect place to unplug and escape from the screens and the indoors that seem to always demand more time. I support them because some of the most awe-inspiring things I've ever seen have been in our national parks. There is nothing quite like seeing the South Rim of the Grand Canyon for the first time (or the second time, or the third time). I'm happy to support an organization committed to preserving these spaces for others to have the same experience as me.
We’re proud to partner with the National Park Foundation and their Communities and Workforce initiative to provide on-the-job training that opens the door to countless career paths – all while enjoying the benefits of working outdoors in our beautiful national parks. At Carhartt, we’re committed to exploring ways to build a better world, and through this partnership, we’re able to do just that – by supporting the next generation of outdoor workers and leaders as they make their own histories.
Our work in parks would not be possible without the generous and ongoing support of our corporate partners. This tradition of giving is crucial to preserving America's most special places.
