My National Parks quest (#GoQuesting1002)

UPDATE: I completed all 419 national park units on June 28, 2019 in Glacier Bay National Park! (I have some serious updating to do on this page)

I’m on a personal quest to visit all of the National Parks in the country. Not just the ones that have the words “national park” in their names, but all of the special places managed as the National Park System—including the national monuments, seashores, historical sites, recreation areas, battlefields, and so forth…all of them.

My national parks quest was begun years ago after Kim and I started taking some national park road trips as our vacations. After a few years of hitting most of the national parks, monuments, and historic sites, we decided to simply “see them all.” From then on, just about every trip included visits national park units. We created several traditions for these trips—traveling in our Forester, our traveling companion Brownie, our ubiquitous self shots from my outstretched hand—but the most important was probably getting a national parks passport stamp.

After Kim and I split up, I started doing a number of solo national park trips, plus a few with other girlfriends. Eventually, Brownie went away, and I started a tradition of holding up a simple sign marking what national park number I was at in my quest.

Since then, I’ve done a number of National Park trips—including an epic 100 Days visiting 100 Parks to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the National Parks System in 2016. Most of these trips have been with Jen, who has adopted her own (slightly more limited) national parks quest.

It’s an incredible way to see and better understand America, and I highly recommend it.

There are currently 419 national park units. As of May 2019, I’ve visited 408 of them. This is a long list, so feel free to jump to the next section.

Parks I’ve visited

1. Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park
2. Acadia National Park
3. Adams National Historical Park
4. African Burial Ground National Monument
5. Agate Fossil Beds National Monument
6. Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument
7. Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site
8. Amistad National Recreation Area
9. Andersonville National Historic Site
10. Andrew Johnson National Historic Site
11. Antietam National Battlefield
12. Apostle Island National Lakeshore
13. Appalachian National Scenic Trail
14. Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
15. Arches National Park
16. Arkansas Post National Memorial
17. Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial
18. Assateague Island National Seashore
19. Aztec Ruins National Monument
20. Badlands National Park
21. Bandelier National Monument
22. Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument
23. Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site
24. Bering Land Bridge National Preserve
25. Big Bend National Park
26. Big Cypress National Preserve
27. Big Hole National Battlefield
28. Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area
29. Big Thicket National Preserve
30. Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
31. Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
32. Biscayne National Park
33. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
34. Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
35. Blue Ridge Parkway
36. Bluestone National Scenic River
37. Booker T. Washington National Memorial
38. Boston African American National Historic Site
39. Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
40. Boston National Historical Park
41. Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site
42. Brown vs. Board of Education National Historic Site
43. Bryce Canyon National Park
44. Buck Island Reef National Monument
45. Buffalo National River
46. Cabrillo National Monument
47. Camp Nelson National Monument
48. Canaveral National Seashore
49. Cane River Creole National Historical Park
50. Canyon de Chelly National Monument
51. Canyonlands National Park
52. Cape Cod National Seashore
53. Cape Hatteras National Seashore
54. Cape Krusenstern National Monument
55. Cape Lookout National Seashore
56. Capitol Reef National Park
57. Capulin Volcano National Monument
58. Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
59. Carlsbad Caverns National Park
60. Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site
61. Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
62. Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
63. Castle Clinton National Monument
64. Castle Mountains National Monument
65. Catoctin Mountain Park
66. Cedar Breaks National Monument
67. Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park
68. César E. Chávez National Monument
69. Chaco Culture National Historical Park
70. Chamizal National Memorial
71. Channel Islands National Park
72. Charles Pinckney National Historic Site
73. Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument
74. Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
75. Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
76. Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park
77. Chickasaw National Recreation Area
78. Chiricahua National Monument
79. Christiansted National Historical Park
80. City of Rocks National Reserve
81. Clara Barton National Historic Site
82. Colonial National Historical Park
83. Colorado National Monument
84. Congaree National Park
85. Constitution Gardens
86. Coronado National Memorial
87. Cowpens National Battlefield
88. Crater Lake National Park
89. Craters of the Moon National Monument
90. Craters of the Moon National Preserve
91. Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
92. Cumberland Island National Seashore
93. Curecanti National Recreation Area
94. Cuyahoga Valley National Park
95. Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park
96. De Soto National Memorial
97. Death Valley National Park
98. Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
99. Denali National Park
100. Devils Postpile National Monument
101. Devils Tower National Monument
102. Dinosaur National Monument
103. Dry Tortugas National Park
104. Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve
105. Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site
106. Effigy Mounds National Monument
107. Eisenhower National Historic Site
108. El Malpais National Monument
109. El Morro National Monument
110. Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site
111. Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site
112. Everglades National Park
113. Federal Hall National Memorial
114. Fire Island National Seashore
115. First Ladies National Historic Site
116. First State National Monument
117. Flight 93 National Memorial
118. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
119. Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site
120. Fort Bowie National Historic Site
121. Fort Caroline National Memorial
122. Fort Davis National Historic Site
123. Fort Donelson National Battlefield
124. Fort Frederica National Monument
125. Fort Laramie National Historic Site
126. Fort Larned National Historic Site
127. Fort Matanzas National Monument
128. Fort McHenry National Monument & Historic Shrine
129. Fort Monroe National Monument
130. Fort Necessity National Battlefield
131. Fort Point National Historic Site
132. Fort Pulaski National Monument
133. Fort Raleigh National Historic Site
134. Fort Scott National Historic Site
135. Fort Smith National Historic Site
136. Fort Stanwix National Monument
137. Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park
138. Fort Union National Monument
139. Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site
140. Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
141. Fort Washington Park
142. Fossil Butte National Monument
143. Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
144. Frederick Douglass National Historic Site
145. Frederick Law Olmstead National Historic Site
146. Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memorial National Historical Park
147. Freedom Riders National Monument
148. Friendship Hill National Historic Site
149. Gates of the Arctic National Park
150. Gates of the Arctic National Preserve
151. Gateway Arch National Park
152. Gateway National Recreation Area
153. Gauley River National Recreation Area
154. General Grant National Memorial
155. George Rogers Clark National Historical Park
156. George Washington Birthplace National Monument
157. George Washington Carver National Monument
158. George Washington Memorial Parkway
159. Gettysburg National Military Park
160. Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
161. Glacier National Park
162. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
163. Golden Gate National Recreation Area
164. Golden Spike National Historical Park
165. Governors Island National Monument
166. Grand Canyon National Park
167. Grand Portage National Monument
168. Grand Teton National Park
169. Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site
170. Great Basin National Park
171. Great Egg Harbor Scenic & Recreational River
172. Great Sand Dunes National Park
173. Great Sand Dunes National Preserve
174. Great Smoky Mountains National Park
175. Greenbelt Park
176. Guadalupe Mountains National Park
177. Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
178. Gulf Islands National Seashore
179. Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
180. Haleakalā National Park
181. Hamilton Grange National Memorial
182. Hampton National Historic Site
183. Harpers Ferry National Historic Park
184. Harriet Tubman National Historical Park
185. Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument
186. Harry S Truman National Historic Site
187. Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
188. Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
189. Hohokam Pima National Monument
190. Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site
191. Homestead National Monument of America
192. Honouliuli National Historic Site
193. Hopewell Culture National Historical Park
194. Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site
195. Horseshoe Bend National Military Park
196. Hot Springs National Park
197. Hovenweep National Monument
198. Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site
199. Independence National Historical Park
200. Indiana Dunes National Park
201. Isle Royale National Park
202. James A. Garfield National Historic Site
203. Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve
204. Jewel Cave National Monument
205. Jimmy Carter National Historic Site
206. John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway
207. John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
208. John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site
209. John Muir National Historic Site
210. Johnstown Flood National Memorial
211. Joshua Tree National Park
212. Kalaupapa National Historical Park
213. Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park
214. Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
215. Kenai Fjords National Park
216. Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
217. Keweenaw National Historical Park
218. Kings Canyon National Park
219. Kings Mountain National Military Park
220. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
221. Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site
222. Kobuk Valley National Park
223. Korean War Veterans Memorial
224. Lake Chelan National Recreation Area
225. Lake Mead National Recreation Area
226. Lake Meredith National Recreation Area
227. Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area
228. Lassen Volcanic National Park
229. Lava Beds National Monument
230. Lewis & Clark National Historic Park
231. Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial
232. Lincoln Home National Historic Site
233. Lincoln Memorial
234. Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
235. Little River Canyon National Preserve
236. Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site
237. Longfellow House-Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site
238. Lowell National Historical Park
239. Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park
240. Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove on the Potomac
241. Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site
242. Mammoth Cave National Park
243. Manassas National Battlefield Park
244. Manhattan Project National Historical Park
245. Manzanar National Historic Site
246. Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
247. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
248. Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site
249. Martin Van Buren National Historic Site
250. Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site
251. Mesa Verde National Park
252. Middle Delaware National Scenic River
253. Minidoka National Historic Site
254. Minute Man National Historical Park
255. Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
256. Mississippi National River & Recreation Area
257. Missouri National Recreational River
258. Mojave National Preserve
259. Monocacy National Battlefield
260. Montezuma Castle National Monument
261. Moores Creek National Battlefield
262. Morristown National Historical Park
263. Mount Rainier National Park
264. Mount Rushmore National Memorial
265. Muir Woods National Monument
266. Natchez National Historical Park
267. Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail
268. Natchez Trace Parkway
269. National Capital Parks
270. National Mall
271. National Park of American Samoa
272. Natural Bridges National Monument
273. Navajo National Monument
274. New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park
275. New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park
276. New River Gorge National River
277. Nez Perce National Historical Park
278. Nicodemus National Historic Site
279. Ninety Six National Historic Site
280. Niobrara National Scenic River
281. Noatak National Preserve
282. North Cascades National Park
283. Obed Wild & Scenic River
284. Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park
285. Olympic National Park
286. Oregon Caves National Monument
287. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
288. Ozark National Scenic River
289. Padre Island National Seashore
290. Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Park
291. Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
292. Pea Ridge National Military Park
293. Pearl Harbor National Memorial
294. Pecos National Historical Park
295. Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site
296. Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial
297. Petersburg National Battlefield Park
298. Petrified Forest National Park
299. Petroglyph National Monument
300. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
301. Pinnacles National Monument
302. Pipe Spring National Monument
303. Pipestone National Monument
304. Piscataway Park
305. Point Reyes National Seashore
306. Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial
307. Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail
308. Poverty Point National Monument
309. President Willaim Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site
310. Prince William Forest Park
311. Pu’uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park
312. Pu’ukoholā Heiau National Historic Site
313. Pullman National Monument
314. Rainbow Bridge National Monument
315. Reconstruction Era National Historical Park
316. Redwood National Park
317. Richmond National Battlefield Park
318. Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River
319. River Raisin National Battlefield Park
320. Rock Creek Park
321. Rocky Mountain National Park
322. Roger Williams National Memorial
323. Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park
324. Ross Lake National Recreation Area
325. Russell Cave National Monument
326. Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
327. Saguaro National Park
328. Saint Croix Island International Historic Site
329. Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
330. Saint Paul’s Church National Historic Site
331. Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park
332. Salem Maritime National Historic Site
333. Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument
334. Salt River Bay National Historical Park & Ecological Preserve
335. San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
336. San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
337. San Juan National Historic Site
338. San Juan Island National Historical Park
339. Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site
340. Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
341. Saratoga National Historical Park
342. Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
343. Scotts Bluff National Monument
344. Sequoia National Park
345. Shenandoah National Park
346. Shiloh National Military Park
347. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
348. Springfield Armory National Historic Site
349. Statue of Liberty National Monument (includes Ellis Island)
350. Steamtown National Historic Site
351. Stones River National Battlefield
352. Stonewall National Monument
353. Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
354. Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
355. Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial
356. Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
357. Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
358. Theodore Roosevelt Island National Memorial
359. Theodore Roosevelt National Park
360. Thomas Edison National Historic Park
361. Thomas Jefferson Memorial
362. Thomas Stone National Historic Site
363. Timpanogos Cave National Monument
364. Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve
365. Tonto National Monument
366. Tule Lake National Monument
367. Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument
368. Tumacacori National Historical Park
369. Tupelo National Battlefield
370. Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
371. Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site
372. Tuzigoot National Monument
373. Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site
374. Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River
375. Valles Caldera National Preserve
376. Valley Forge National Historical Park
377. Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site
378. Vicksburg National Military Park
379. Vietnam Veterans Memorial
380. Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument
381. Virgin Islands National Park
382. Voyageurs National Park
383. Waco Mammoth National Monument
384. Walnut Canyon National Monument
385. War in the Pacific National Historical Park
386. Washington Monument (National Memorial)
387. Washita Battlefield National Historic Site
388. Weir Farm National Historic Site
389. Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area
390. White House, The
391. White Sands National Monument
392. Whitman Mission National Historic Site
393. William Howard Taft National Historic Site
394. Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield
395. Wind Cave National Park
396. Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
397. Women’s Rights National Historical Park
398. (National) World War II Memorial
399. World War I Memorial
400. Wrangell-St Elias National Park
401. Wrangell-St Elias National Preserve
402. Wright Brothers National Memorial
403. Wupatki National Monument
404. Yellowstone National Park
405. Yosemite National Park
406. Yucca House National Monument
407. Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve
408. Zion National Park

Whew, that’s a lot of parks!

What I have left to visit

As you can see, I’ve already completed the entire Contiguous US (edit: except the new Camp Nelson National Monument) and have just 11 park units left to visit. That leaves me with just Camp Nelson and the rest of Alaska left to complete. I have plans to complete Camp Nelson in the spring and Alaska in June. If all goes to plan (fingers crossed for good weather in Alaska!) and there aren’t any new additions, I should finish the quest on June 28, 2018.

Be sure to check out my other personal quests.