4. Yosemite National Park
Location: California
Size: 747,956 acres
Established: October 1, 1890
2015 attendance: 4.1 million

Other facts:

• Campaigning by noted naturalist John Muir helped get this park protected.
• El Capitan is the largest exposed granite monolith in the world.
• The park is home to sequoia trees, the lifespan of which can exceed 3,000 years.
• Well-known Yosemite Falls and Bridalveil Falls are popular tourist destinations.

3. Rocky Mountain National Park
Location: Colorado
Size: 265,873 acres
Established: January 26, 1915
2015 attendance: 4.2 million

Other facts:

• Within the boundaries of the park are 150 lakes (including well-known Bear Lake) and 450 miles of streams.
• Also within the park is the Continental Divide.
• Trail Ridge Road takes visitors to heights exceeding 11,000 feet for 10 miles.
• The highest point is Longs Peak, which stretches to 14,259 feet above sea level. Also within the park are 71 other named peaks above 12,000 feet.

2. Grand Canyon National Park
Location: Arizona
Size: 1.2 million acres
Established: February 26, 1919
2015 attendance: 5.5 million people

Other facts:

• The canyon is part of the Colorado River basin. The river played a large part in the shaping of the canyon during the last several million years.
• The canyon is a mile deep, 277 miles long, and up to 18 miles wide.
• The canyon is a United Nations World Heritage Site.
• The canyon’s North Rim, at 8,000 feet above sea level, is higher than the South Rim, at 7,000 feet.