Making Reservations at US National Parks

The National Park Service (NPS) is the branch of federal government which oversees not only our national parks, but historic monuments and conservation areas within our country. With the designation of Yellowstone National Park, in 1872, and Hot Springs, Arkansas, shortly thereafter, the legislation of setting aside government-owned land as historic monuments was established. The Antiquities Act, passed in 1906, further granted presidential rights to designate historical sights, such as battlefields and recreational parks, which prohibited development of the land and assured public access to them.

Today, there are over 390 units, with 58 of these listed as national parks. For a complete list of national parks, by state, see Official NPS Website. By mousing over the United States map, a miniature pop-up of the state is displayed, giving a brief summary of what can be found in each; clicking on the state opens up the state map with national parks and other historical sites notated. Selecting any of these from the map will take visitors to the site’s home page.

Since the announcement by President George W. Bush to seek private donations to maintain those national parks neglected, due to lack of government funding, many of these historic places are managed by corporations, communities, and kept up by volunteers who value their presence among the nation’s top recreational spots.

Xanterra is the largest national operator of park-based premier resorts. Combining breath-taking views with dining, sports, and exciting escapades, Xanterra offers vacation packages steeped in history, nature, and once-in-a-lifetime adventures. For making reservations at US National Parks they manage, go to Xanterra Reservations.

Delaware North Cos. (DNC) Parks & Resorts has a special interest in the national parks and historic sites they oversee. The storytelling behind each site is something they capitalize on and being committed to environmentalism has earned them the International Organization for Standardization's 14001 certification on almost all their managed properties. Read about it at Stewardship in Hospitality. For a list of all their properties, with clickable links to make reservations, go to Destinations.

GORP, part of the Away Travel Network, has an entire page devoted to national parks, forests, monuments, wilderness areas and refuge sites, and much more. Each state has their respective places listed underneath, with clickable links to each. Start here US National Parks. Other categories on the page includes other U.S. trips, road trips (by terrain), and clickable links to the National Park guides.

US National Parks has every park, monument, scenic trail, preserved area and refuge, with clickable links to each, by state, where everything from how to get there, climate, and available modes of travel or transportation educate potential visitors on anything and everything they need to know in order to choose the best location to meet their particular vacation needs.

National Recreations is another government website which allows for planning a trip and making reservations at U.S. National Parks.