Have you ever wondered about the difference between national parks and national park sites? They are both US National Park Service programs but they aren’t the same. It begins with a simple mission statement.
The overall mission statement of the NPS is “The National Park Service is dedicated to conserving unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.” The NPS is overseen by the U.S. Department of Interior.
The NPS has over 400 units (often referred to as parks). There are 19 naming designations (essentially categories) which better defines the scope of each. Part of these are known as national parks. There are over 60 of them. The term national park sites refers to the entire scope of the national park system instead of just one type of unit.
An example of the difference between national park sites and national parks is:
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is in part of Tennessee and North Carolina. The scenic Blue Ridge Park way lies next to the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina. Adventurous travelers may try hiking part of the Appalachian Trail (one of the famous National Scenic Trails) while they are in the area. Although different, each of these national park sites have much to offer.
Find out more about the full National Park System and each of the national park sites on the National Park Service website.
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