National Parks - Past, Present and Future | 5 Oldest Parks and a New One Coming?

For over 100 years, the National Parks Service has been striving to protect and manage our national parks, monuments and reservations. From Yellowstone to Yosemite, the NPS preserves our natural wonders for the future generations. Some of the first parks established remain the most iconic.

“[the Service] purpose is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.” – Organic Act of 1916

National Parks, Muir — Roosevelt and John Muir go camping. Image: NPS

National Park Service History

1872: Yellowstone is established by U.S. Congress, sparking the National Park Movement
1916: President Woodrow Wilson signs an act creating the National Park Service which is designed to manage U.S. parks and monuments.
1933: The Executive Order in 1933 transferred 56 national monuments and military sites from the Forest Service and the War Department to the National Park Service.
Today: More than 400 areas are protected and cared for by 20,000 National Park Service employees.

National Parks, photographer — George Grant Alexander was the first hired photographer for the National Parks Service. Image: NPS

First National Parks Established in the U.S.

#1 Yellowstone National Park

Established March, 1st, 1872
Idaho, Montana, Wyoming

National Park, Yellowstone — Yellowstone National Park. Image: NPS

#2 Sequoia National Park

Established September 25th, 1890
California

Sequoia, National Parks — Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park. Image: NPS

#3 General Grant National Park (now Kings Canyon NP)

Established October 1, 1890
California

Kings National Parks — Kings Canyon & Seqoiua National Park. Image: NPS / D. Jeffcoach

#4 Yosemite National Park

Established October 1st, 1890
California

Yosemite, national parks — Yosemite National Park. Image: NPS

#5 Mt. Rainier National Park

Established March 2nd, 1899
Washington

What Does it Take to Become a National Park?

According to the National Park Service, there are a few steps to becoming a National Park. The first step is usually a reconnaissance survey to collect basic information and assess the resource’s significance. Park boundaries are then proposed and studies are sent to Congress and the Department of the Interior.

Congress has the final say. Studies by the National Park Service provide information to help the Secretary of the Interior develop a position to present to Congress. They also help Congress decide what action to take.

The Next Potential National Park

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

White sands National Parks — White Sands National Monument. Image: NPS

White Sands has seen an increase in visits in the last several years, which has sparked interest in this New Mexico treasure. A section of these vast white gypsum dunes was established as a national monument in 1933. In a report from the NPS, the park saw 612,468 visitors to the National Monument in 2017. These visitors spent $31,709,200 in communities near the park. The spending supported 450 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $35,729,700. It’s safe to say White Sands makes a good candidate for becoming a national park.

Sunset national parks — White Sands National Park Sunset. Image: NPS

Martin Heinrich the U.S. Senator of New Mexico introduced a new legislative bill in May which designates White Sands National Monument as New Mexico’s newest national park. In a recent study of 8 other national parks that were previously national monuments, the change in title can prove to be very beneficial to the surrounding areas.

Within the first 5 years of becoming a national park, visits increase by an average 21% and receive better resource protection, interpretation, and visitor services. This would mean around $7 Million in new spending, 100 new jobs, and $3 Million in new labor income for White Sands.