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Cross These National Park UNESCO World Heritage Sites Off Both Your Bucket Lists

Active crater at Hawaii National Park
Halemaumau Crater © Nickolay StanevDreamstime.com

We’re well familiar with the national park system—dubbed “America’s best idea” by writer and historian Wallace Stegner. But did you know that 11 national parks have the honor of being UNESCO World Heritage Sites, too? These places have been officially recognized by the United Nations for their outstanding value to all humanity. So, if you’re looking to kill two birds with one stone—hitting both your bucket lists at once—read on!

Puebloan cliff dwelling at Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National Park © Larry GevertDreamstime.com

1. Mesa Verde National Park

Located in Colorado, Mesa Verde National Park is world renowned for its well-preserved Puebloan cliff dwellings that illuminate the lives of the ancestral people who inhabited the region over 700 years ago. Visitors can explore the sandstone Cliff Palace and Balcony House while enjoying panoramic views of the surrounding mesas and canyons. The park was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978.


2. Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park is the world’s first national park, established in 1872 before joining the ranks of UNESCO World Heritage Site more than 100 years later. It features the world’s largest concentration of geysers, including the iconic Old Faithful. Diverse wildlife ranges from bison and elk to wolves and grizzly bears.

Old Faithful at Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park © Minyun ZhouDreamstime.com

3. Everglades National Park

The Florida Everglades span more than 1.5 million acres, waterways that are best explored by kayak or by airboat. Its freshwater marshes, mangrove forests, and sawgrass prairies make it an ideal sanctuary for many birds and reptiles, as well as threatened species such as the manatee. The national park was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

Clouds reflected in the marshes at Everglades National Park
Everglades National Park © AmineahDreamstime.com

Sunrise at Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon National Park © KojihiranoDreamstime.com

4. Grand Canyon National Park

Carved by the Colorado River across two billion years, the Grand Canyon is without a doubt the most spectacular gorge in the world. Stretching for over 270 miles, with depths of over a mile, it showcases stunning layers of colorful rock formations that come alive at sunrise and sunset. The national park became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.


Towering redwood trees at Redwood National and State Parks
Redwood National and State Parks © LuckyphotographerDreamstime.com

5. Redwood National and State Parks

Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980, the parks’ primary feature is the coastal redwood forest, a group of trees that has existed for 160 million years—some of the tallest and oldest known trees in the world. Notable attractions include Fern Canyon, a deep gorge of moss-covered cliffs, and the Avenue of the Giants, a scenic drive through a grove of immense redwoods.


Limestone formations at Mammoth Cave National Park
Mammoth Cave National Park © Pavlo VakhrushevDreamstime.com

6. Mammoth Cave National Park

Mammoth Cave National Park, tucked in central Kentucky, boasts the world’s largest network of natural caves and underground passageways. Visitors can embark on guided tours of these limestone formations and, aboveground, explore scenic hiking trails and river valleys teeming with diverse wildlife habitats. The park was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981.


7. Olympic National Park

Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981, Olympic National Park is renowned for the diversity of its ecosystems, from alpine meadows to glacier-clad peaks to an extensive old growth forest. The park includes more than 60 miles of wilderness coastline, the longest undeveloped coast in the contiguous United States, which supports critical populations of the endangered northern spotted owl, marbled murrelet, and bull trout.

Fallen tree at Olympic National Park

Olympic National Park © Sean PavoneDreamstime.com

8. Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The Great Smoky Mountains at the heart the Appalachian Mountains is the most visited national park in the United States. It’s renowned for its mist-shrouded peaks and lush forests—but many may not know that it’s home to almost as many trees (130 natural species) as all of Europe! The park was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

Fall leaf colors at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park © Sean PavoneDreamstime.com

9. Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park, nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, has it all: towering granite cliffs, cascading waterfalls, and ancient sequoia trees. Home to iconic landmarks like Half Dome and El Capitain, it offers world-class hiking and rock climbing opportunities as well as beautiful meadow and valley floors. The park was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.

Half Dome overlook at Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park © MinnystockDreamstime.com

10. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is located on the Big Island and home to two of the most active volcanoes in the world, Mauna Loa and Kilauea. Their eruptions have and will continue to dramatically reshape the land. Petroglyphs and historic Hawaiian villages within the park offer insight into the island’s rich heritage.

Waves crashing over the magma rocks at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park © BennymartyDreamstime.com

11. Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is the most recent national park to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, earning its distinction in 1995. Located in New Mexico, its more than 80 caves are outstanding not only for their size but also for their profusion, diversity, and beauty. The park’s most famous feature, the Big Room, is one of the largest cave chambers in the world, offering a breathtaking display of otherworldly limestone.

Limestone formations at Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Carlsbad Caverns National Park © Nathaniel LuckhurstDreamstime.com

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