130+ Best National Park Trivia Questions and Answers (Easiest to Hardest)

January 28, 2024 · 13 min read

From towering redwoods to hot springs, this national park trivia questions and answers will weave through diverse landscapes and fascinating facts, challenging you to remember (or discover!) what makes each park truly special. Whether you’re a seasoned park ranger or a weekend warrior still plotting your first escape into nature, join the fun and see if you can conquer these wild wonders of trivia!

This trivia ranges through several National Park Service units. How much do you think you know about those parks you’ve visited or plan to visit? Test your knowledge with these questions. You might learn something new!

250+ Best National Park Trivia Questions and Answers
FAQs On National Park Trivia Questions
Conclusion
References
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250+ Best National Park Trivia Questions and Answers

Here are 250 trivia questions and answers about various national parks:

1. Yellowstone National Park:

What is the largest hot spring in Yellowstone National Park?
- Answer: Grand Prismatic Spring.
Which river runs through the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone?
- Answer: Yellowstone River.
What famous geyser is located in Yellowstone?
- Answer: Old Faithful.

2. Yosemite National Park:

4. What is the tallest waterfall in North America, located in Yosemite?
- Answer: Yosemite Falls.
5. Which iconic granite rock formation can be found in Yosemite Valley?
- Answer: El Capitan.
6. What is the name of the giant sequoia tree in Yosemite that you can drive through?
- Answer: Tunnel Tree.

3. Grand Canyon National Park:

7. What river carved the Grand Canyon?
- Answer: Colorado River.
8. What is the highest point on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon?
- Answer: Point Imperial.
9. Which Native American tribe has a significant historical connection to the Grand Canyon?
- Answer: Havasupai.

4. Zion National Park:

10. What is the name of the narrow slot canyon in Zion that attracts hikers?
- Answer: The Narrows.
11. What is the highest peak in Zion National Park?
- Answer: Horse Ranch Mountain.
12. Which river flows through the Zion Narrows?
- Answer: Virgin River.

5. Acadia National Park:

13. What is the highest point in Acadia National Park?
- Answer: Cadillac Mountain.
14. Which island is the largest in Acadia National Park?
- Answer: Mount Desert Island.
15. What is the famous scenic drive in Acadia called?
- Answer: Park Loop Road.

6. Glacier National Park:

16. What is the iconic red bus used for tours in Glacier National Park called?
- Answer: Red Jammer.
17. What is the name of the famous road that goes through Glacier National Park?
- Answer: Going-to-the-Sun Road.
18. What large mammals can be frequently spotted in Glacier National Park?
- Answer: Grizzly bears and mountain goats.

7. Everglades National Park:

19. What is the largest tropical wilderness of any kind in the U.S.?
- Answer: Everglades.
20. Which endangered species is primarily found in the Everglades?
- Answer: Florida Panther.
21. What is the main source of water for the Everglades?
- Answer: Lake Okeechobee.

8. Rocky Mountain National Park:

22. What is the highest peak in Rocky Mountain National Park?
- Answer: Longs Peak.
23. What is the name of the alpine visitor center in the park?
- Answer: Alpine Visitor Center.
24. Which famous trail passes through Rocky Mountain National Park?
- Answer: Continental Divide Trail.

9. Arches National Park:

25. What is the largest arch in Arches National Park?
- Answer: Landscape Arch.
26. What is the famous balanced rock in Arches National Park?
- Answer: Balanced Rock.
27. Which river carved many of the arches in the park?
- Answer: Colorado River.

10. Bryce Canyon National Park:

28. What are the unique rock formations in Bryce Canyon called?
- Answer: Hoodoos.
29. What is the highest point in Bryce Canyon National Park?
- Answer: Rainbow Point.
30. Which Native American tribe has historical connections to Bryce Canyon?
- Answer: Paiute.

11. Great Smoky Mountains National Park:

31. What is the highest peak in the Great Smoky Mountains?
- Answer: Clingmans Dome.
32. Which national park is shared by two states, North Carolina and Tennessee?
- Answer: Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
33. What is the most visited national park in the United States?
- Answer: Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

12. Shenandoah National Park:

34. Which mountain range is primarily located in Shenandoah National Park?
- Answer: Blue Ridge Mountains.
35. What is the famous scenic drive that runs through Shenandoah National Park?
- Answer: Skyline Drive.
36. Which river forms the eastern boundary of Shenandoah National Park?
- Answer: Shenandoah River.

13. Olympic National Park:

37. What type of rainforest is found in Olympic National Park?
- Answer: Temperate Rainforest.
38. What is the highest peak in Olympic National Park?
- Answer: Mount Olympus.
39. Which type of ecosystems can be found in Olympic National Park?
- Answer: Alpine, rainforest, and coastal ecosystems.

14. Grand Teton National Park:

40. What mountain range is the backdrop for Grand Teton National Park?
- Answer: Teton Range.
41. Which is the tallest peak in Grand Teton National Park?
- Answer: Grand Teton.
42. Which river flows through the park and creates the Snake River Overlook?
- Answer: Snake River.

15. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks:

43. What is the largest tree on Earth, located in these parks?
- Answer: General Sherman Tree.
44. What is the name of the cave system in Sequoia National Park?
- Answer: Crystal Cave.
45. Which river runs through Kings Canyon National Park?
- Answer: Kings River.

16. Denali National Park and Preserve:

46. What is the highest peak in North America, located in Denali National Park?
- Answer: Denali (formerly Mount McKinley).
47. Which river runs through the park and is popular for rafting?
- Answer: Nenana River.
48. What is the primary purpose of Denali National Park and Preserve?
- Answer: Wilderness conservation and wildlife protection.

17. Mount Rainier National Park:

49. What is the highest mountain in the state of Washington, located in this park?
- Answer: Mount Rainier.
50. What is the name of the volcanic crater at the summit of Mount Rainier?
- Answer: Liberty Cap.
51. Which river originates from Mount Rainier and flows through the park?
- Answer: Nisqually River.

18. Hot Springs National Park:

52. What is the only national park located in an urban area?
- Answer: Hot Springs National Park.
53. What is the temperature of the water in the hot springs?
- Answer: Approximately 143°F (62°C).
54. What is the historic bathhouse district in the park known for?
- Answer: Bathhouse Row.

19. Cuyahoga Valley National Park:

55. What river flows through Cuyahoga Valley National Park?
- Answer: Cuyahoga River.
56. What is the name of the scenic railway in the park?
- Answer: Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.
57. Which city is located near the northern boundary of the park?
- Answer: Cleveland.

20. Mammoth Cave National Park:

58. What is the world’s longest known cave system located in Mammoth Cave National Park?
- Answer: Mammoth Cave.
59. Which river carved the cave system in the park?
- Answer: Green River.
60. What is the name of the iconic natural entrance to Mammoth Cave?
- Answer: Historic Entrance.

21. Wind Cave National Park:

61. What unique geological feature is Wind Cave National Park known for?
- Answer: Boxwork formations.
62. Which U.S. state is Wind Cave National Park located in?
- Answer: South Dakota.
63. What type of animals are often seen in the park’s mixed-grass prairie?
- Answer: Bison and prairie dogs.

22. Petrified Forest National Park:

64. What is the main attraction in Petrified Forest National Park?
- Answer: Fossilized trees.
65. Which ancient Native American tribe had connections to the Petrified Forest area?
- Answer: The Ancestral Puebloans.
66. What is the name of the famous, colorful badlands in the park?
- Answer: The Painted Desert.

23. Badlands National Park:

67. What is the name of the highest point in Badlands National Park?
- – Answer: Red Shirt Table.
68. Which river borders the park to the south?
- – Answer: White River.
69. What type of rock formations are predominant in Badlands National Park?
- – Answer: Eroded buttes and pinnacles.

24. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve:

70. What is the tallest sand dune in North America, located in this park?
- Answer: Star Dune.
71. Which mountain range forms the backdrop for the Great Sand Dunes?
- Answer: Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
72. What is the name of the seasonal creek that flows through the dunes?
- Answer: Medano Creek.

25. Capitol Reef National Park:

73. What geological feature gives Capitol Reef National Park its name?
- Answer: Waterpocket Fold.
74. Which river runs through the park, carving the canyons and cliffs?
- Answer: Fremont River.
75. What is the iconic rock formation that looks like a giant dome?
- Answer: Capitol Dome.

26. Joshua Tree National Park:

76. What types of trees are unique to Joshua Tree National Park?
- Answer: Joshua Trees (Yucca brevifolia).
77. What is the name of the highest peak in the park?
- Answer: Quail Mountain.
78. Which two deserts come together in Joshua Tree National Park?
- Answer: Mojave Desert and Colorado Desert.

27. Channel Islands National Park:

79. How many islands make up Channel Islands National Park?
- – Answer: Five.
80. What is the largest island in Channel Islands National Park?
- – Answer: Santa Cruz Island.
81. Which marine mammals can be spotted in the waters around the islands?
- – Answer: Dolphins, seals, and sea lions.

28. Isle Royale National Park:

82. What is the largest island in Lake Superior and the centerpiece of Isle Royale National Park?
- Answer: Isle Royale.
83. Which species is the park known for, particularly its predator-prey relationship?
- Answer: Wolves and moose.
84. What is the name of the longest-running predator-prey study in the world, conducted in Isle Royale?
- Answer: Isle Royale Wolf-Moose Project.

29. Kenai Fjords National Park:

85. What type of glaciers can be found in Kenai Fjords National Park?
- Answer: Tidewater glaciers.
86. Which marine mammals are commonly seen in the park’s waters?
- Answer: Orcas (killer whales), humpback whales, and sea otters.
87. What is the name of the largest icefield in the park?
- Answer: Harding Icefield.

30. Theodore Roosevelt National Park:

88. What is the name of the river that flows through Theodore Roosevelt National Park?
- Answer: Little Missouri River.
89. Which U.S. state is Theodore Roosevelt National Park located in?
- Answer: North Dakota.
90. What was the former name of Theodore Roosevelt National Park?
- Answer: South Unit National Park.

31. North Cascades National Park:

91. What mountain range is prominent in North Cascades National Park?
- Answer: Cascade Range.
92. What is the name of the scenic highway that runs through the park?
- Answer: North Cascades Highway.
93. Which reservoir is located within the park boundaries?
- Answer: Ross Lake.

32. Congaree National Park:

94. What type of ecosystem is predominant in Congaree National Park?
- Answer: Floodplain forest.
95. Which river flows through the park and contributes to its unique environment?
- Answer: Congaree River.
96. What is the primary attraction for visitors to Congaree National Park?
- Answer: Old growth bottomland hardwood forest.

33. Redwood National and State Parks:

97. What is the tallest tree species on Earth found in these parks?
- Answer: Coast Redwood.
98. How many parks make up the Redwood National and State Parks complex?
- Answer: Four.
99. What river forms the southern boundary of Redwood National Park?
- Answer: Klamath River.

34. Lassen Volcanic National Park:

100. What is the name of the active volcano in Lassen Volcanic National Park?
- Answer: Lassen Peak.
101. Which hydrothermal area in the park is known for its boiling springs and fumaroles?
- Answer: Bumpass Hell.
102. What is the name of the highest peak in the park?
- Answer: Brokeoff Mountain.

35. Petrified Forest National Park:

103. What is the name of the ancient petrified log that is often photographed?
- Answer: Agate House.
104. Which dinosaur fossils have been found in the park?
- Answer: Theropods and ornithopods.
105. What is the significance of the Jasper Forest area in the park?
- Answer: It contains a large concentration of petrified wood.

36. Mammoth Cave National Park:

106. What is the approximate length of the explored passages in Mammoth Cave?
- Answer: Over 400 miles.
107. Which cave tour in Mammoth Cave National Park is known for its large chambers?
- Answer: Frozen Niagara Tour.
108. What is the name of the river that flows through Mammoth Cave and eventually joins the Green River?
- Answer: Nolin River.

37. Guadalupe Mountains National Park:

109. What is the highest peak in Texas, located in Guadalupe Mountains National Park?
- Answer: Guadalupe Peak.
110. Which fossilized reef is a prominent feature in the park?
- Answer: El Capitan.
111. What is the name of the longest hiking trail in the park?
- Answer: Guadalupe Ridge Trail.

38. Big Bend National Park:

112. What river forms the boundary between the United States and Mexico in Big Bend National Park?
- Answer: Rio Grande.
113. What is the name of the iconic canyon in the park?
- Answer: Santa Elena Canyon.
114. Which mountain range is found in Big Bend National Park?
- Answer: Chisos Mountains.

39. National Park of American Samoa:

115. How many islands make up the National Park of American Samoa?
- Answer: Three.
116. What is the primary habitat in the park?
- Answer: Tropical rainforest.
117. What is the name of the highest peak in American Samoa?
- Answer: Lata Mountain.

40. Kobuk Valley National Park:

118. What is the name of the sand dunes located in Kobuk Valley National Park?
- Answer: Great Kobuk Sand Dunes.
119. Which river runs through the park and is known for its caribou migration?
- – Answer: Kobuk River.
120. What is the primary mode of transportation for visitors in the park?
- – Answer: Aircraft.

121. Which national parks is the snowiest?
- Answer: Mt. Rainier National Park
122. The environments of the Chihuahuan Desert and the volcanic Chisos Mountains contribute to Big Bend National Park’s wide biological diversity. How many species of birds are there in this national park in Texas?
- Answer: 450
123. This man is considered “The Father of the National Parks.”
- Answer: John Muir
124. What lakebed in Grand Teton National Park was scoured 800 feet deep by glaciers during the last ice age?
- Answer: Jackson Lake
125. In which US national park would you find the Grand Prismatic Spring?
- Answer: Yellowstone
126. What stands as the lowest recorded temperature in Zion National Park?
- Answer: -20 degrees F
127. Which state is the only state in the country that does not have a national park or a national monument?
- Answer: Delaware
128. Which U.S. president was the most instrumental in the creation of national parks?
- Answer: Theodore Roosevelt
129. How many visitor centers total are in the National Park System?
- Answer: 879
130. How many miles of trails are there in the national park’s total?
- Answer: 18,000 miles
131. What national park is home to the deepest lake in the U.S.?
- Answer: Crater Lake National Park
132. Where is Voyageurs National Park?
- Answer: Minnesota

FAQs On National Park Trivia Questions

Can I create a themed trivia night based on a specific type of national park?

Absolutely! You can focus on mountainous parks, coastal parks, or those with unique geological features.

How can I make my national park trivia questions more challenging?

Include lesser-known facts about specific parks. Add questions about park regulations or conservation efforts. Incorporate details about rare or endangered species in certain parks.

What are some general tips for hosting a national park trivia event?

Ensure a diverse range of questions covering different national parks, include questions about geography, wildlife, history, and unique features, and consider the difficulty level based on your audience’s knowledge.

Conclusion

The parks captured in this trivia aren’t just breathtaking backdrops for selfies – they’re living legacies, whispering tales of ancient mountains, resilient species, and the human spirit’s connection to the wild. So, whether you’re planning your next adventure or simply reliving cherished memories, keep exploring, keep learning, and keep these breathtaking landscapes close to your heart. After all, the wonders of our National Parks are not just trivia – they’re treasures to be experienced, protected, and celebrated for generations to come.