If you’ve ever sat around a campfire, gone on a long road trip, or simply wanted to test your knowledge about America’s most beautiful treasures, then you’re in the right place. I’ve put together this collection of 100+ national park trivia questions that are perfect for your next outdoor adventure or family game night.
A few years back, my family and I were driving through Yellowstone when we started quizzing each other about the park. What began as a way to pass time quickly turned into a competitive (and educational) game that we now do on every national park visit. There’s something special about learning while having fun, don’t you think?
General National Park Knowledge
Let’s start with some general knowledge questions about the National Park Service and the parks system as a whole. Some of these are easy, while others might challenge even the most dedicated park enthusiasts!
- In what year was the National Park Service established?
Answer: 1916 - Which president signed the act creating the National Park Service?
Answer: Woodrow Wilson - How many designated national parks are there in the United States as of 2024?
Answer: 63 - What is the official symbol of the National Park Service?
Answer: The arrowhead - Which was the first area to be designated as a national park in the United States?
Answer: Yellowstone National Park (1872) - What is the most visited national park in the United States?
Answer: Great Smoky Mountains National Park - What color are most National Park Service signs?
Answer: Brown - What is the National Park Service’s official motto?
Answer: “For the benefit and enjoyment of the people” - What is the “America the Beautiful” pass?
Answer: An annual pass that provides access to all federal recreation sites - Who is considered the “Father of the National Parks”?
Answer: John Muir - What organization was founded in 1919 to advocate for national parks?
Answer: The National Parks Conservation Association - What is the Junior Ranger program?
Answer: An activity-based program where children complete a booklet to earn a badge - Which national park was featured on the first America the Beautiful quarter?
Answer: Hot Springs National Park - What percentage of land in the United States is protected by the National Park Service?
Answer: About 3.4% - What are the “Seven Principles of Leave No Trace”?
Answer: Plan ahead and prepare; Travel and camp on durable surfaces; Dispose of waste properly; Leave what you find; Minimize campfire impacts; Respect wildlife; Be considerate of other visitors - What federal department oversees the National Park Service?
Answer: Department of the Interior - What is the name of the highest civilian honor given by the National Park Service?
Answer: The National Park Service Honorary Park Ranger Award - What is a national park “passport”?
Answer: A booklet where visitors can collect cancellation stamps from parks they visit - When is National Park Week typically celebrated?
Answer: The last week of April - What does NPS stand for?
Answer: National Park Service
If you enjoy these brain teasers, you’ll also love our collection of philosophical questions to stimulate your mind further.
Famous Landmarks and Features
Now let’s test your knowledge of some of the most iconic landmarks and natural features found in America’s national parks. These are the sights that make these places so special and memorable!
- What is the name of the famous geyser in Yellowstone that erupts regularly?
Answer: Old Faithful - In which national park would you find Half Dome?
Answer: Yosemite National Park - What is the name of the highest peak in Denali National Park?
Answer: Denali (formerly Mount McKinley) - Which national park is home to Delicate Arch?
Answer: Arches National Park - What natural feature is Carlsbad Caverns National Park known for?
Answer: Limestone caves - In which national park would you find the General Sherman Tree?
Answer: Sequoia National Park - What natural phenomenon can be seen at Horsetail Fall in Yosemite during certain times of the year?
Answer: Firefall (when the sunset makes it look like flowing fire) - Which national park contains the Painted Desert?
Answer: Petrified Forest National Park - What geological features define Badlands National Park?
Answer: Eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires - In which national park would you find Rainbow Bridge?
Answer: Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (near Lake Powell) - What famous road in Glacier National Park crosses the Continental Divide?
Answer: Going-to-the-Sun Road - What is the name of the deepest lake in the United States, located in Crater Lake National Park?
Answer: Crater Lake - Which national park features the Wave, a famous sandstone formation?
Answer: Vermilion Cliffs National Monument (technically not a national park, but administered by the NPS) - What is the tallest waterfall in Yosemite National Park?
Answer: Yosemite Falls - Which national park is home to Devils Tower?
Answer: Devils Tower National Monument (not technically a national park, but an NPS site) - What is the name of the famous trail in Zion National Park that follows a narrow ridge with steep dropoffs on both sides?
Answer: Angels Landing - In which national park would you find the Hoh Rain Forest?
Answer: Olympic National Park - What geological feature is Bryce Canyon National Park known for?
Answer: Hoodoos (tall, thin rock spires) - Which national park contains Wizard Island?
Answer: Crater Lake National Park - What natural feature is Monument Valley known for?
Answer: Sandstone buttes
Looking for more brain teasers? Check out our collection of math trivia questions for a different kind of mental challenge.
Wildlife in National Parks
One of my favorite things about visiting national parks is spotting wildlife in their natural habitat. Let’s see how much you know about the amazing animals that call these protected areas home!
- Which national park is known for its grizzly bear population?
Answer: Katmai National Park and Preserve - What type of salamander is found only in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
Answer: Red-cheeked salamander - Which bird species nests on the rocky cliffs of Acadia National Park?
Answer: Peregrine falcon - What is the largest terrestrial mammal in North America that can be found in Yellowstone National Park?
Answer: American bison (buffalo) - Which national park was established partly to protect the American alligator?
Answer: Everglades National Park - What endangered big cat can be found in Everglades National Park?
Answer: Florida panther - Which national park is known for its wild horses on Assateague Island?
Answer: Assateague Island National Seashore - What type of penguin can be seen in Channel Islands National Park?
Answer: None (trick question – no penguins live in North American national parks) - Which national park is home to the endangered desert tortoise?
Answer: Joshua Tree National Park - What is the only marsupial found in North American national parks?
Answer: Virginia opossum - Which national park has the highest density of brown bears in the world?
Answer: Katmai National Park - What bird species was brought back from near extinction and can now be seen in many national parks?
Answer: Bald eagle - Which national park is famous for its annual elk rut (mating season)?
Answer: Rocky Mountain National Park - What marine mammal can be observed in large numbers at Point Reyes National Seashore?
Answer: Northern elephant seal - Which national park is home to the endangered California condor?
Answer: Grand Canyon National Park (also Zion and Pinnacles) - What is the smallest bird found in U.S. national parks?
Answer: Calliope hummingbird - Which national park protects important sea turtle nesting beaches?
Answer: Dry Tortugas National Park - What animal is the unofficial mascot of Olympic National Park?
Answer: Roosevelt elk - Which snake found in Everglades National Park is considered an invasive species?
Answer: Burmese python - What marine mammal was hunted to near extinction but is now protected in Glacier Bay National Park?
Answer: Humpback whale
Want more conversation starters? Explore our collection of deep topics to talk about for meaningful discussions.
Historical National Park Facts
The history behind our national parks is just as fascinating as their natural beauty. Test your knowledge about the people and events that shaped these treasured lands.
- Who was the first director of the National Park Service?
Answer: Stephen Mather - Which national park commemorates the site of the Civil War’s bloodiest battle?
Answer: Gettysburg National Military Park - What native civilization built the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park?
Answer: Ancestral Puebloans (formerly called Anasazi) - Which president was responsible for protecting the Grand Canyon before it became a national park?
Answer: Theodore Roosevelt - What national park site preserves the location of the first successful powered airplane flight?
Answer: Wright Brothers National Memorial - Which national historical park commemorates the life of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.?
Answer: Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park - What Native American tribe is closely associated with Grand Canyon National Park?
Answer: Havasupai - Which national park contains Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello?
Answer: None (it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site but not a national park) - What natural disaster dramatically altered the landscape of Mount St. Helens in 1980?
Answer: Volcanic eruption - Which national park contains the site of the first gold discovery that sparked the California Gold Rush?
Answer: None (it’s Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, not a national park) - What was Smokey Bear’s original message before “Only YOU can prevent forest fires”?
Answer: “Smokey Says – Care Will Prevent 9 out of 10 Forest Fires” - Which U.S. President established more national parks and monuments than any other?
Answer: Theodore Roosevelt - What disaster led to the creation of Johnstown Flood National Memorial?
Answer: The collapse of the South Fork Dam in 1889 - Which national park was previously a national monument proclaimed by President Hoover?
Answer: Grand Teton National Park - What was the primary reason for establishing Yellowstone as the first national park?
Answer: To prevent private development and preserve natural wonders - Which national park preserves the site of a Japanese American internment camp from WWII?
Answer: Manzanar National Historic Site - What historic trail commemorates the 19th-century migration to the western United States?
Answer: Oregon National Historic Trail - Which national monument commemorates the first major U.S. uranium mine?
Answer: None (there isn’t one specifically for this) - What national historical park commemorates the beginning of the American Revolution?
Answer: Minute Man National Historical Park - Which national park was created from land donated by John D. Rockefeller Jr.?
Answer: Grand Teton National Park
If you enjoy challenging your friends with these questions, you might also like our collection of would you rather questions for more fun interactions.
Geography and Location Trivia
Let’s test your knowledge about where these amazing parks are located and their geographical features!
- Which U.S. state has the most national parks with 9 total?
Answer: California - What is the southernmost national park in the United States?
Answer: Dry Tortugas National Park - Which national park is located in both North Carolina and Tennessee?
Answer: Great Smoky Mountains National Park - In which state would you find Acadia National Park?
Answer: Maine - Which national park spans three states: Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming?
Answer: Yellowstone National Park - What is the only national park in the northeastern United States?
Answer: Acadia National Park - In which state is the majority of Death Valley National Park located?
Answer: California - Which two national parks are adjacent to each other in Montana?
Answer: Glacier National Park (US) and Waterton Lakes National Park (Canada) form the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park - Which national park is entirely underwater?
Answer: Dry Tortugas National Park (mostly underwater except for a few small islands) - In which state would you find Canyonlands National Park?
Answer: Utah - Which national park is located closest to New York City?
Answer: Gateway National Recreation Area - What is the only national park in Michigan?
Answer: Isle Royale National Park - Which state has Badlands National Park?
Answer: South Dakota - What is the easternmost national park in the United States?
Answer: Acadia National Park - In which state is Shenandoah National Park located?
Answer: Virginia - Which national park is closest to Las Vegas?
Answer: Death Valley National Park - In which territory is the National Park of American Samoa located?
Answer: American Samoa - What two national parks are connected by the John Muir Trail?
Answer: Yosemite National Park and Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks - Which national park is located on the island of Maui?
Answer: Haleakalā National Park - In which state would you find Hot Springs National Park?
Answer: Arkansas
Are you enjoying these trivia questions? Check out our collection of space trivia questions and answers for more out-of-this-world knowledge testing.
National Park Records and Extremes
Let’s wrap up with some questions about the biggest, smallest, highest, lowest, and otherwise extreme features of our national parks system!
- What is the largest national park in the United States?
Answer: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (Alaska) - What is the smallest national park in the United States?
Answer: Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri) - Which national park has the highest elevation point in the contiguous United States?
Answer: Sequoia National Park (Mount Whitney) - What is the lowest elevation point in North America, found in Death Valley National Park?
Answer: Badwater Basin (282 feet below sea level) - Which national park receives the most annual precipitation?
Answer: Olympic National Park - What is the driest national park in the United States?
Answer: Death Valley National Park - Which national park has the most geysers in the world?
Answer: Yellowstone National Park - What is the longest cave system in the world, found in a U.S. national park?
Answer: Mammoth Cave (Mammoth Cave National Park) - Which national park has the oldest living trees in the world?
Answer: Great Basin National Park (bristlecone pines) - What is the hottest temperature ever recorded in a U.S. national park?
Answer: 134°F (56.7°C) at Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park
Looking for more fun quizzes? Explore our 90s movie trivia for a nostalgic challenge.
Why National Park Trivia is Perfect for Outdoor Enthusiasts
National park trivia isn’t just fun—it actually enhances your experience when visiting these natural wonders. Knowing the history, geology, wildlife, and unique features of these parks helps you appreciate them on a deeper level. I’ve found that our family hikes became more engaging once we started playing these trivia games because everyone was more observant, looking for things they’d learned about.
Plus, these questions are great conversation starters when you’re stuck in a tent during unexpected rain (been there!) or waiting in those infamous summer traffic jams in popular parks like Yosemite or Grand Canyon. They work equally well around a campfire or during a long drive between destinations.
Explore more ways to keep conversations interesting with our collection of interesting topics to talk about.
Final Thoughts
Well, there you have it—over 100 national park trivia questions to test your knowledge and maybe teach you something new! When my family and I play this game, we usually keep score and award little prizes (like choosing the next hike or picking the campsite dinner menu). It makes our visits more memorable and has definitely deepened our appreciation for these incredible places.
These questions have been a lifesaver on rainy camping trips and long drives between parks. I remember one particularly competitive round when we were stuck in our tent during a thunderstorm in Yosemite—my son still brags about beating us all with his random knowledge of sequoia trees!
Did you know all the answers? Which ones surprised you the most? I’d love to hear which national parks you’ve visited and if you have any favorite trivia facts that I missed!
If you enjoyed these trivia questions, why not try using them on your next outdoor adventure? They’re perfect for bringing people together while learning something new about America’s most treasured landscapes.
Want more fun conversation ideas? Check out our random questions to ask a guy or questions to ask a girl over text for more engaging conversations.