Data report · Published October 2026
National Park, Preserve, Monument, Refuge: what each label means for a visit, by the numbers
An analysis of 476 US national parks and public-land units reveals a clear pattern: units with "National Park" in their designation generally offer higher average scores and more activities. Conversely, units focused on historical preservation or commemoration tend to have lower scores and fewer activities. This distinction is consistent across 19 designations compared. By Irene A. Taranina, founding editor.
Units with 'National Park' Designations Score Highest
The highest-scoring designations are primarily those that include "National Park" in their titles. "National Park & Preserve" units achieved the highest average score of 96, with a median score of 100 across 8 units. These units also offered an average of 36 activities. The top unit in this category, New River Gorge National Park & Preserve in West Virginia, scored 100 and provided 46 activities, with 75 percent of all units in this designation being free to enter.
"National Park" units, comprising 50 units, scored an average of 91 with a median of 90. They offered an average of 30 activities. Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming was a top performer with a score of 100 and 54 activities. However, only 44 percent of "National Park" units are free to enter, the lowest free entry share among the top designations.
"National Recreation Area" units, with 16 units, also performed strongly, averaging 92 with a median of 100. These units provided an average of 29 activities, and 81 percent were free to enter. Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area in Montana, Wyoming, scored 100 and offered 48 activities.
Historical Designations Score Lower
Designations focused on historical themes generally received lower scores and offered fewer activities. "National Memorial" units had the lowest average score of 59 and a median score of 57 across 14 units. They offered an average of 10 activities, though all 100 percent were free to enter. Arkansas Post National Memorial in Arkansas scored 88 with 25 activities, making it the highest within this designation.
"National Historic Site" units, the largest group with 61 units, also averaged 59 with a median of 57. These units offered an average of 11 activities, with 87 percent being free to enter. Andersonville National Historic Site in Georgia scored 98 and offered 19 activities.
"National Historical Park" units, with 57 units, had an average score of 66 and a median of 64, offering an average of 13 activities. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Alaska scored 100 and provided 24 activities.
Activity Levels Correlate with Scores
The data indicates a correlation between the number of activities offered and the overall score. Designations with higher average scores, such as "National Park & Preserve" (36 activities) and "National Park" (30 activities), also feature a greater number of activities. Conversely, lower-scoring designations like "National Memorial" (10 activities) and "National Historic Site" (11 activities) typically have fewer activities.
This pattern suggests that units offering a broader range of recreational opportunities, such as hiking, camping, and water sports, tend to achieve higher scores in this assessment. It is important to note that this scoring system does not account for the quality of these activities or the scenic value of the locations, focusing solely on the quantity and presence of available amenities and activities.
Camping and Free Entry Vary by Designation
Camping availability varies significantly across designations. All 100 percent of "National Park & Preserve" and "National Seashore" units offer camping. Similarly, 96 percent of "National Park" units and 94 percent of "National Recreation Area" units provide camping. In contrast, "National Memorial" and "National Military Park" units reported 0 percent camping availability. "National Historic Site" units have very limited camping, at 3 percent.
Free entry also differs. All 100 percent of "National Memorial" and "National Scenic Trail" units are free to enter. However, only 44 percent of "National Park" units are free, indicating that many of the highest-scoring units may require an entrance fee. This scoring does not consider the cost of entry when calculating scores, only whether entry is free or not.
What to do with this: For travelers prioritizing a wide range of activities and higher-scoring units, designations including "National Park" or "National Recreation Area" are generally better choices. Those interested in historical sites should expect fewer activities, though these units are often free to enter.
Every designation with four or more units
| Designation | Units | Avg score | Median | Avg activities | Camping | Free | Top unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Park & Preserve | 8 | 96 | 100 | 36 | 100% | 75% | New River Gorge National Park & Preserve |
| National Recreation Area | 16 | 92 | 100 | 29 | 94% | 81% | Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area |
| National Park | 50 | 91 | 90 | 30 | 96% | 44% | Grand Teton National Park |
| National Preserve | 9 | 90 | 94 | 25 | 67% | 78% | Big Cypress National Preserve |
| National Seashore | 10 | 89 | 95 | 26 | 100% | 50% | Cape Lookout National Seashore |
| Recreation Area | 31 | 81 | 81 | 13 | 77% | 84% | Cow Creek Back Country Byway |
| National Scenic Trail | 5 | 79 | 77 | 12 | 100% | 100% | Appalachian National Scenic Trail |
| Lake & Reservoir | 17 | 78 | 75 | 11 | 94% | 100% | Twin Lakes Recreation Area |
| State Park | 5 | 78 | 79 | 13 | 100% | 0% | Scofield State Park |
| National Battlefield | 10 | 77 | 83 | 17 | 10% | 100% | Antietam National Battlefield |
| National Wildlife Refuge | 24 | 77 | 77 | 15 | 29% | 100% | Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge |
| National Military Park | 9 | 76 | 76 | 19 | 0% | 89% | Horseshoe Bend National Military Park |
| National Historic Trail | 15 | 71 | 62 | 16 | 20% | 100% | Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail |
| National Monument | 66 | 69 | 67 | 13 | 36% | 77% | Dinosaur National Monument |
| National Battlefield Park | 4 | 67 | 64 | 17 | 0% | 100% | River Raisin National Battlefield Park |
| Park | 29 | 66 | 63 | 13 | 17% | 90% | National Parks of New York Harbor |
| National Historical Park | 57 | 66 | 64 | 13 | 7% | 84% | Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park |
| National Historic Site | 61 | 59 | 57 | 11 | 3% | 87% | Andersonville National Historic Site |
| National Memorial | 14 | 59 | 57 | 10 | 0% | 100% | Arkansas Post National Memorial |
Method, in one paragraph
Every figure above is computed by code from the 476 units published on this site, each carrying one Experience Score from 0 to 100 built from documented activity breadth, topic breadth, imagery, camping and free access, floored at 18. The score reads what a unit documents and how reachable it is; it cannot see scenery, crowds, conditions or the quality of a program. The written analysis was drafted from those figures and edited; no number in it exists outside the tables on this page. Full detail is on how we score. Data is public-domain from the National Park Service Data API and Recreation.gov RIDB, last pulled July 2026.
Citing this report: attribute to parkverdict and link to this page. parkverdict is an independent publication and is not affiliated with the National Park Service.