<P> The United States has 60 protected areas known as national parks that are operated by the National Park Service , an agency of the Department of the Interior . National parks must be established by an act of the United States Congress . A bill creating the first national park , Yellowstone , was signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1872 , followed by Mackinac National Park in 1875 ( decommissioned in 1895 ) , and then Rock Creek Park ( later merged into National Capital Parks ) , Sequoia and Yosemite in 1890 . The Organic Act of 1916 created the National Park Service `` to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wildlife therein , and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations . '' Many current national parks had been previously protected as national monuments by the president under the Antiquities Act before being upgraded by Congress . Seven national parks ( including six in Alaska ) are paired with a national preserve , areas with different levels of protection that are administered together but considered separate units and whose areas are not included in the figures below . Criteria for the selection of national parks include natural beauty , unique geological features , unusual ecosystems , and recreational opportunities ( though these criteria are not always considered together ) . National monuments , on the other hand , are frequently chosen for their historical or archaeological significance . Fourteen national parks are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites ( WHS ) , while 21 national parks are designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserves ( BR ) . Eight national parks are designated in both UNESCO programs . </P>
<P> The United States has 60 protected areas known as national parks that are operated by the National Park Service , an agency of the Department of the Interior . National parks must be established by an act of the United States Congress . A bill creating the first national park , Yellowstone , was signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1872 , followed by Mackinac National Park in 1875 ( decommissioned in 1895 ) , and then Rock Creek Park ( later merged into National Capital Parks ) , Sequoia and Yosemite in 1890 . The Organic Act of 1916 created the National Park Service `` to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wildlife therein , and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations . '' Many current national parks had been previously protected as national monuments by the president under the Antiquities Act before being upgraded by Congress . Seven national parks ( including six in Alaska ) are paired with a national preserve , areas with different levels of protection that are administered together but considered separate units and whose areas are not included in the figures below . Criteria for the selection of national parks include natural beauty , unique geological features , unusual ecosystems , and recreational opportunities ( though these criteria are not always considered together ) . National monuments , on the other hand , are frequently chosen for their historical or archaeological significance . Fourteen national parks are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites ( WHS ) , while 21 national parks are designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserves ( BR ) . Eight national parks are designated in both UNESCO programs . </P>
what was the first national park in the us
what was the first national park in the us
Yellowstone
Yellowstone