Top 10 U.S. National Parks That Shouldn't Be National Parks

NOTE: Only four of these are ones I think actually shouldn't be parks, the others are just ones that I think might be better as other types of protected areas. This video was recommended by many so it's not all my fault.
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America's 63 national parks are beautiful places, but there are some that might be better suited as National Recreation Areas. From The Gateway Arch to Indiana Dunes, here are the top 10 places that shouldn't be national parks.

[@NationalParkWild]

I know this is a controversial topic, but it was highly requested. I hope you all enjoy it. Also, sorry for the typo at #7.

[@SaltyCado]

You judged Indiana Dunes just off of its beach though, it's got miles of actual dunes and one of the tallest dunes in the US right off to the side of it also. As I do agree it's odd to be a national Park, I definitely think it still deserves its props for being a diamond in the rough. It's nice it's in the midst of chaos of Chicago, Gary, fort Wayne, and such they decided to actually keep something very historically significant (the largest glaciers ever created it) protected!

[@Coelacanth_yes]

The only place I think they absolutely should get rid of as a national park is gateway arch it works better as a national monument or national landmark

[@michaelkontos3310]

This is the only correct answer. All of the other parks are preserving something unique or endangered. The Gateway Arch is just a building.

[@CTeves97]

That and indiana dunes Cuyahoga has some of the coolest history in any park so for me I don’t mind the status

[@Coelacanth_yes]

@@CTeves97 to me a place has to have a natural side to be a national parkand Cuyahoga valley, and Indiana dunes have natural sides to them but gateway arch is just a building so it shouldn't be a national park

[@micaelaiphys]

The main point of the National Park status is to protect and preserve unique features, many happen to be natural landscapes or wildlife, from destruction or commercialism. Wind Cave hosts some of the most plentiful and ultra rare boxwork formations here in North America. For those of us who love and adore caves and spelunking, Wind Cave is absolutely worthy of NP status.

[@NationalParkWild]

I believe all NPS sites protect and preserve unique features, not just national parks.

[@ruthherring6035]

“The principal qualities considered in studying areas for park purposes are their inspirational, educational, and recreational values. National monuments, on the other hand, are areas reserved by the National Government because they contain objects of historic, prehistoric, or scientific interest”

[@charlessapp1835]

I think it would be great if Wind Cave NP and Jewel Cave NM and Custer SP would join to become Black Hills NP. The Black Hills are just so awesome. Although I have not been able to do it yet, the Mickelson Trail is just fantastic. The Mickelson Trail is WAY more deserving of NP status than Gateway Arch because of the great scenery, and it has a lot of history. (It used to be the Burlington Northern Black Hills line).

[@davkatjenn]

I like the idea of Black Hills National Park. Too bad anything was ever carved into the mountains; they should have been left as God made them.

[@charlessapp1835]

​@@davkatjenn I personally like the Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse carvings, because they are Ebenezer stones. (Stone of remembrance). We need to remember our history, even if it is complicated. While all five men carved in stone had problems, we must remember the positive things they brought to us, and learn their negatives so that we may try and avoid those mistakes.

[@cathyp.8978]

I’m not going to argue that Indiana Dunes is on the same level of grandeur as Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon but it has some super biodiversity. That’s worth protecting, especially when you look at all the development around it.

[@NationalParkWild]

I agree that it should be protected, but I do stand by the statement that compared to other national parks, it doesn't seem to fit the bill in most ways. Thank you for sharing your input.

[@davkatjenn]

They were almost entirely lost because of development. Glad they were saved.

[@TheFellas219]

I agree I’m from northwest Indiana and definitely a great place. I’m glad it was saved because it’s so beautiful.

[@MrSRArter]

The only National Park that I don't think should be one is the The Gateway Arch, that should be a National Monument instead.

[@andrewstravels2096]

As an Ohioan, honestly it was kindove hard to hear about Cuyahoga Valley. Yes, I can definitely agree that it’s not the number 1 national park, but I fell that it’s unfairly judged because it’s in between 2 cities and it just cannot stand up to western parks. Personally I think that it’s unfair to compare it to western parks and Cuyahoga Valley is unique in its own way. In fact, Cuyahoga Valley has many things that other National Parks don’t have, like a train that goes from one end of the park to the other, farms, and even a concert venue. You just have to look at it from a different lens compared to other National Parks.

[@kevindavila625]

Lmao yea Ohio sucks

[@michaelgrimes5588]

I was thinking of spending a night in the area next year when my family passes by the general area(we going to cedar point!)... Any recommendations on some areas to see...I will be with 2 young boys who don't mind a hike..thanks in advance if you get to reply

[@andrewstravels2096]

Definitely see Brandywine Falls and hike the Ledges!!! Both are great!!!

[@TheECSH]

it was s National Recreation Area before the 2000s. Should probably revert back to that, and there's nothing wrong with that. Doesn't take away my enjoyment.

[@bluerefr]

I went to the SL Arch years ago when it was still a NM and it was good. When I learned it became a NP site I was bewildered. To me it's nothing more than a city park with a cool monument in it. Every city has a monument, yeah this one has history but it's not National Park worthy at all.

[@NationalParkWild]

It’s a nice place but definitely not worthy of park status as you mentioned.

[@noahfrancis4525]

I visited Guadalupe mountains over this most recent labor day, and it made me sad that you didn't enjoy it. Did you do McKittrick canyon? On a hike there, some views were similar to Zion. Quite a spectacular place.

[@NationalParkWild]

I did enjoy Guadalupe Mountains and I didn't mean to imply that it doesn't deserve park status. For the first few parks on the list, I am just putting parks that might be better suited as National Recreation Areas or similar due to being less popular than other parks. I did not do McKittrick Canyon.

[@theparkjunkie]

Guad Mtns is s fab park. I’ve hiked all over that place & up to Guad Peak three times. It’s large, with a multitude of opportunities to escape any sort of crowds that folks complain about in other parks.

[@michaelkontos3310]

I cannot disagree more on Indiana Dunes. In my opinion, Indiana Dunes is one of the most deserving national parks, if not THE MOST deserving. The entire purpose of a national park is to preserve the land, biodiversity, resources, history, etc. of the area. It was originally proposed to be one of the original 4 national parks alongside Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon by late 1800's ecologists in order to preserve the unique landscape and biodiversity. It was not designated a national park which allowed factories and development to move in, destroying most of the original dunes and wetlands. The tallest dunes were mined for their sand which was made into glass. Factories and factory towns destroyed the wetlands and native grasslands, which are now critically endangered in the Midwest. The original black oak savanna ecosystem located in the park today is globally endangered. Today, Indiana Dunes is home to more biodiversity than all of Great Britain, and more species of birds than the Everglades. The glacial bogs and fens are critical for migrating birds and there are very few left. Furthermore, Indiana Dunes is the birthplace of modern ecology. The national park preserves original European homesteads, and showcases how destructive industry and development is to nature. There are sections of the park that were once acid pools and are now healthy ecosystems once again. Forgive this park if it seems fractured and surrounded by industry. It was once intact but it wasn't protected when it needed to be. The dunes used to be much higher and plentiful but over 80% of them were destroyed. It needed to be a national park from the get go and thank god it finally became one. I would even argue it should be a world heritage site given the ecology, history, and biodiversity. I take issue with these videos saying certain places should be demoted because they aren't pretty enough. We should argue for more national parks and not demean the ones we have and suggest they should lose protection status. This video shows me that you only view the parks based on aesthetic and recreation. There's a reason Indiana Dunes is at the bottom of everyone's lists. It wasn't protected when it needed to be.

[@NationalParkWild]

That’s really nice and I’m glad you love so much about the park. I care deeply about the history of parks, but aesthetics and recreation are what make me happiest and most immersed in a park, and there’s nothing I can do about that. Also, this video was highly requested so I wanted to satisfy the fans by making it even if there were strong objections.

[@John-nw9jc]

great perspective

[@thetoxbloxer503]

I disagree with one major premise: the point of a national park first and foremost is not its recreation, it is its protection. Those distinctions are less about the parks so much as our view of the term “national park”. Nonetheless, screw the gateway arch.

[@ChrisAmirVado]

This is a good list, could you please make a video of sites that SHOULD be upgraded to National Park status? That’d be great content to watch

[@NationalParkWild]

I made that a little while ago. I’ll give you the link.

[@NationalParkWild]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bai5f3-Zrqusa5Y

[@craighughes-ps5zt]

I just gotta say... that I agree with you completely! So many former National Monuments have been upgraded to National Parks in the last 20 years it is ridiculous. Some you could make a good case for, like Joshua Tree or Great Sand Dunes, but others, like Pinnacles National Park or the one you mentioned in St.Louis, should definitely not be National Parks. I also liked your idea of combining Wind Cave National Park into Custer State Park.

[@NationalParkWild]

Thanks! It’s nice to hear a perspective that somewhat agrees with mine.

[@cemberfriend]

Choosing Wind Cave is surprisingly controversial, but I can see how you would pick it due to visual preferences. Wind Cave is a very special spot: one of the only mixed grasslands on the planet and the only cave currently to have specific rock formations like boxwork and frostwork. But if these things don't interest you (clearly an interest of mine lol), I can see why it doesn't seem worthy of NP status 😊

[@NationalParkWild]

I do find the park interesting overall. I love it’s history and geology, and I’m glad we can both see each other’s perspectives on the park.

[@davkatjenn]

I love the idea of making caves like Wind Cave National Parks. It prevents them from being turned into another Six Flags theme park. I love Carlsbad and Mammoth Cave so I know I am going to love Wind Cave when I get to see it.

[@cemberfriend]

@@davkatjenn Wind Cave is great! I think it has the better cave tour out of Wind and Jewel Cave. Hope you have a wonderful time 💪

[@alexconrad2904]

For Wind Cave, I've thought the idea of combining it with Custer is a good idea for a while. Custer's natural beauty, especially in the Needles area, is unparalleled in the region, and even if some of the rocks there aren't in their natural state (looking at you Gutzon Borglum), they are a unique area in some of the most interesting mountains in the US. You could even combine Jewel Cave into that as another annex and rename it Black Hills NP, or Ȟe Sápa NP, and tell more of the indigenous rights to the land (But that issue is too much to get into in a youtube comments section).

[@NationalParkWild]

Making that entire Black Hills area a national park or at least one site would be really interesting but quite challenging as well. It is a good idea in my eyes though.

[@AdamSmith-gs2dv]

Western states are not going to willingly give up their already limited state land

[@Owen-tg9iw]

Did you put gates of the arctic by mistake

[@elliek6042]

I'm pretty sure they are national parks so that others cannot build on them or mine them. The reasons you don't think they should be national parks is because you "don't think there's much there"?

[@NationalParkWild]

Not entirely true actually. A site can be protected and not be a national park. I am not suggesting these places should not be protected, but rather lose park status so they don’t get too many crowds.

[@PurpleandGeauxld]

Will agree with you on Gateway Arch, Biscayne, Congaree, Biscayne, Indiana Dunes, and Hot Springs. All politically motivated park decisions, even some that the NPS didn’t support for a change in status. Cannot agree with your other 4 though. Might ask you to consider replacing with Dry Tortugas, Petrified Forest, American Samoa, and Pinnacles. Those don’t seem to deserve the same status as Yellowstone, Acadia, Yosemite, Arches, etc.

[@NationalParkWild]

I respect your thoughts. Personally I feel that American Samoa and Dry Tortugas are great ones and worthy of park status, but might fall into the trap of being really far away, so that’s fair.

[@Rushbabies2]

Glad we have a national park enthusiast who's willing to say this 😂 those top 4 are head scratches and most people like to pretend they're great despite being such subpar places.

[@NationalParkWild]

Honesty in a list like this has its benefits and drawbacks. Comments like this make it all worth it.

[@clayhackney3514]

I feel like Congaree is right on the edge of park worthiness due to size but makes up with champion trees and the oldest forest of its type, as well as being the only beautiful swamp park other than everglades. A 2-3 day kayak is the way to go, but if they greatly expanded those boardwalks it would be a true wonder

[@NationalParkWild]

I love Congaree even if it is a lesser park

[@CJspitz]

Mostly agreeing with your choices, especially with No. 1! I guess almost everyone will agree with No. 1. When I visited Effigy Mounds National Monument, the ranger was strongly unsatisfied with the park being designated as a national park. I guess the whole concept of these national parks is more focused on balance. Most of the national parks people recognize are located in the west and people do not appreciate the value of nature from the east. Sure, some might say the scale is larger in the West when compared to the East, but that does not mean the nature aspect of the East should be undervalued. So in this aspect, these parks from the east that have become national parks recently is understandable(I am pretty sure there are other factors playing into why they ever became national parks in the first place, tho. However, I do not want to bring that up here). Anyway, good stuff~! Thanks for the content.

[@NationalParkWild]

Thanks! This was a fun sort of hypothetical concept to explore and I’m glad you enjoyed it.

[@thepretzel2]

7:48 I went there the year they made that change and again in one of the next 3 years. I asked about visitors there both times I went and they said it had increased after the change, but people werent spending anymore money there so they had to introduce a fee for the park to cover the increased cost of upkeep.

[@kevincoughlin4459]

A "day trip" NP? Tourist destination? Close to steel mills is a disqualifier? You seem to have a skewed idea of what a NP should be. Unique geology, last unique area (like the dunes) are some of the reasons for a NP. Would you downgrade Mt. Rainier NP because of it's proximity to two large cities? Okay Guadalupe Mountains NP, you could make an argument for it, but what about the endangered species there. There are many reasons for each of the NP. Gateway NP isn't historic land, although the courthouse across the street is ( and it's part of the park) but it does commemorate the westward expansion. Maybe St. Joe of the west side of the state would be better but yes it does attract tourists. Maybe re-read the mission of the NPS and the criteria for NP status. Then read the enabling legislation to see if the selection was appropriate and if the NPS is staying true to its mission of preserving the area for future generations.

[@jonathanyomamathan2089]

Thinking you should rank every canyon park, don’t know if you’ve done that already though

[@NationalParkWild]

I have ranked desert parks, which includes most canyon ones.

[@kevincoates9550]

What I would love to know is how the hell voyageurs is a national park and the North Shore of Minnesota isn’t. Anyone who has been to both knows that the North Shore is a MUCH more scenic area with way more recreational options. The towns along the way are also so much more thriving than the town next to Voyageurs International Falls. I would just love to know the process of National Park status because in Minnesotas case it makes no sense

[@NationalParkWild]

It's weird overall. I'm not sure what makes the government decide to add a national park, but they don't necessarily choose the most beautiful area. They choose the one that will boost tourism the most to as extent.

[@ruthherring6035]

Here’s the process npshistory.com/brochures/criteria-parklands-2005.pdf

[@groverrobinsoniv8399]

I will say I have been to everyone of these except Kobuk Valley and Voyaguers (Will visit VNP in June). I do not agree that we should be getting rid of any parks. With that said, in ranking the 42 I have visited, my least favorite would match yours. I will say Guadalupe Peak is one of my all time favorite hikes so you will not find GMNP near my bottom 10. Also if you kayaked Congaree you might have a different opinion. The wildlife, snakes, alligators, owls, fish and birds, were amazing when you got on the creek. Finally, while CVNP is number 3 from my bottom, I loved it. I really liked the diversity of the park and to combine it as the symbol for environmental restoration made it a great visit even almost at the bottom of the National Parks list. Same goes for IDNP. We really enjoyed the Cowles Bog Hike. Is it out of the 60's in best national park? No, but it still was a great place, botany diversity was amazing. Finally, I don't understand Gateway Arch for many of the reasons you mentioned; however, I did enjoy it and think it is a monument that every American who can should visit.

[@NationalParkWild]

I didn’t mean to imply that I wanted to remove these national parks, this was more a hypothetical list with the parks that are best suited for different status compared to the others.

[@bilahn1198]

Voyagers National Park is basically the Western end of the highly protected primitive and restricted Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. It's the same landscape, although it has fewer and larger lakes and is more highway accessible. The basic reason for the National Park was to establish a section of the Boundary Waters that would be more highly developed and amenable to general tourism and the casual visitor. So there are boat tours, hotels and other amenities. It's interesting because while here in Minnesota everyone has heard of the Boundary Waters people are barely aware of Voyageurs National Park. Not that many opt to go there, at least from the Twin Cities. People rough it for the Boundary Waters. ( It's also further away).

[@miked509]

Great video! Yeah gateway arch doesn't make much sense as a national park.

[@dankelsey5582]

I am from Idaho. There is currently a discussion to make Craters of the Moon a national park instead of a monument. The effort is driven totally by the local community around Arco to get tourist dollars from those folks to stop while travelling through to Yellowstone and Grand Teton. Totally the wrong reason to upgrade to a NP. On another note- Congaree is one of my favoirites and although may not be as scenic as other NP's it does protect one of the last remaining untouched bottomland floodplains in the country. As a state park/recreation area, it may not continue with that protection. Well thought out list. I enjoyed the topic.

[@CTeves97]

Your not alone i was astonished by congaree the trees there are incredible!! I had a huge smile on my face the entire time i was there it’s tough but I would say it barely gets status in my opinion i am so glad i went

[@youngbear2258]

While that is a wrong reason to make Craters of the Moon into a National Park, I think it is more deserving of such status compared to some of the parks mentioned in the video. I have visited Craters of the Moon, and it is indeed a fascinating place. It has geological and biological significance that distinguishes it from other places. Scientists still come to this place to conduct research, especially understanding extra-terrestrial life.

[@Helo_rides_for_commies]

Part of me wishes my favorite Park, Death Valley N.P. was still a national monument. Not only has tourism increased along with the problems that brings but the commensurate expansion of the tourist and lodging areas is ongoing. On the other hand, park status was long over due for such an awesome place.

[@Atlasworkinprogress]

Craters of the Moon however really does deserve National Park status. I can think of few other places in the US that deserve that status so greatly other than maybe Dinosaur National Monument and perhaps Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

[@jacktherex9242]

As a Hoosier, I can agree with Indiana Dunes not needing park status. I'm happy my state has a park, but I feel that Sleeping Bear Dunes or Pictured Rocks should have gotten the status instead. After visiting Indiana Dunes, all of our favorite things were in the STATE park, not the national park. And even then, the layout was pretty confusing

[@jimgreen5788]

You called the park Kobuk Valley, but on the screen it says Gates of the Arctic. (!?) The reason it was made a national park was to safeguard the caribou migration route of the largest caribou herd on the planet from mining and oil extraction.

[@michaelengelhardt5336]

I think Indiana Dunes is alright. It's got a weird mix of giant sand dunes, forest, and swamp all together in a small area. Two things hold this park back: 1) its divided between half being a state park and half being a national park (in fact the park ranger told me it's one of the few state parks in Indiana that actually makes money so they want to hold onto their section). 2) the very unsightly steel mills of Gary. If this entire area was consolidated under the NPS and the mills were torn down, it would be a beautiful park with a great view of the Chicago skyline

[@NationalParkWild]

I agree. There are some parks where things are split apart by civilization such as Redwood, but for me it’s the mills that make a difference at Indiana Dunes.

[@danielvisintainer3352]

Given that your bottom three are all midwestern locations, I think it would be fitting to replace them with Pictured Rocks, Apostle Islands and Sleeping Bear Dunes.

[@NationalParkWild]

I agree, those three are probably the best suited for park status.

[@danielvisintainer3352]

@@NationalParkWild if you ever need a video idea, talking about/ranking the National Lake/Seashores would be really cool

[@navyon2714]

You wrote Gates of the Arctic instead of Kobuk Valley. Other than that I agree with most things on your list.

[@NationalParkWild]

That was an odd mistake on my part, but thank you for catching it.

[@navyon2714]

@@NationalParkWild You also didn't write Biscairne when saying it even though you wrote the name on the screen for every other NP. But I don't want to seem like i'm critical. It's just a very minor thing, don't worry about it.

[@foxfoster1]

You say Kobuk Valley but the text says gates of the arctic

[@NationalParkWild]

I know. I was already told about that mistake. I meant Kobuk Valley though.

[@12inch_monster]

i'm from the midwest and, the 2 badlands & a few spots of the great lakes notwithstanding, am embarrassed to say i've never had anyone say to me i'm heading to 'insert a midwest destination' for my next adventure. having traveled much of the west and its coast, the entire midwest is snoozerville. i agree with all your aforementioned parks, esp #1

[@NationalParkWild]

Thanks for giving your thoughts. I’m from Florida, and I most often here people say they are going to a place like Tennessee or California but rarely South Dakota or similar.

[@Wilderness-Will]

I'm from Arizona, and specifically chose to go to Isle Royale for my 30th birthday. It's tied with Mt. Rainier for my favorite National Park experience. There's a LOT of cool stuff in the Upper Peninsula and the Northwoods of Wisconsin and Minnesota. Part of what makes those places so cool is the fact that they do fly under the radar.

[@12inch_monster]

@@Wilderness-Will i love apostle islands so im sure isle royale would be similar. never been to the boundary waters. just heard the skeeters are vicious during the summer months 🦟🦟🦟🦟🦟🦟🦟

[@Wilderness-Will]

@@12inch_monster I was warned about the mosquitos at Isle Royale too. I've heard it's worst in the early summer-- I went in August so maybe I just lucked out, but honestly my experience w/ the bugs was no better or worse than anywhere else I've visited in the Midwest!

[@wowbagger3505]

A new status was more or less created for the New River National Park and Preserve. Perhaps some like Voyager’s would fit. You should look at Killarney Wilderness Provincial Park in Canada that is a lot like Voyagers.

[@strategicbushcraft6391]

Guadeloupe Mountains has some very impressive views from the top of Guadeloupe Mountain, it is the Southern tip of the front range. and very cool rock formations on the south side of Guadeloupe Mountain. I think due to the close proximity to both towns in eastern New Mexico and the cities El Paso and Las Cruces the park gets a good number of visitors and National Park status makes sense for a park that is this size.

[@davkatjenn]

Indiana Dunes was given the National Park status because prior to that status construction companies came in and stripped away much of the dunes to make concrete. It is a shame that happened, but this was pretty much to only way to protect what was left. Two areas that I firmly believe should be given National Park status ASAP are Cedar Mesa and Grand Staircase/Escalante Canyon in southern Utah.

[@richshelton682]

I’m from Michigan city Indiana it’s where the dunes are we used to party on that beach when we were kids if you like cold water it’s the best swimming beach in the world

[@thepretzel2]

6:33 Personally, I would name this one a NHP, since it does have some decent amount of history behind it and it does have park like areas.

[@NationalParkWild]

That’s a pretty good idea.

[@porcine83]

I agree, except for possibly Biscayne. I suppose if it was a National Seashore that protected it, that would work though. The Arch is exactly what a Natl Monument should be. Hot Springs a historic area and some of the others fit as State parks, as you mentioned.

[@NationalParkWild]

I can see your point on Biscayne for sure.

[@markcollins1012]

I don't know what you have against Guadalupe Mountains. It is a hiking mecca for hikers in Texas. it is a remote destination. It is one of the most well-preserved fossil reefs in the world. McKittrick Canyon has beautiful fall colors. It has the highest peak in Texas, which is a destination in and of itself. It's my second favorite park I have been to.

[@NationalParkWild]

Nothing against the park, but from a logical standpoint the national park name does not fit as well as it does with others due to a greater focus on backcountry hiking than accessible recreation, a low visitation, and scenery generally considered less impressive than most other parks. If it were a national recreation area, lower visitation, and solitude as a result, would be preserved. Don’t forget that I said only the top 4 are parks that I think shouldn’t have the park status. The rest were harder to rank but this was a highly requested list.

[@markcollins1012]

@@NationalParkWild Thanks for responding. I’ll add that the parks in Alaska are also remote and less visited. Doesn’t make them less valuable. And backcountry hiking is recreation.

[@markcollins1012]

@@NationalParkWild But good videos :)

[@TheECSH]

i personally did enjoy Voyageurs a ton, probably because that kind of scenery is rare where i live. I would probably put Pinnacles in California on the list. It's too small, and doesn't have a feature that really stands out. Should've stayed a national monument. Doesn't take away my enjoyment of it though, which was a lot actually.

[@NationalParkWild]

I respect your opinion, but I really love Pinnacles and consider it underrated, so it just couldn’t make the list for me.

[@Wilderness-Will]

I don't think you'll find a single soul who'll argue your points on Gateway Arch. It made a fine memorial but its redesignation as a Park kind of cheapens the entire Park designation. Indiana Dunes was the least deserving of the National Lakeshores to be upgraded to a Park, but if they *had* to upgrade a Lakeshore, I reluctantly understand why they chose that one. Pictured Rocks, Sleeping Bear Dunes, and Apostle Islands all would've struggled with the infrastructural demands that come with Park status. I'm gonna argue Hot Springs though. Even if it isn't the most picturesque Park in the system by any means, I think the history of that place alone warrants its status. It's been designated a Park for more than a century, and believe it or not it's literally the first piece of land the federal government ever formally protected-- it got its first protections in the 1830s, even before Yellowstone. The hot springs themselves were seen as so unique that they were worth protecting. That act alone set a precedent that helped facilitate the development of the National Forest and Park services in the following decades.

[@NationalParkWild]

I certainly respect your thoughts on Hot Springs. It’s not as bad as some say and does have great history.

[@SequoiaElisabeth]

Well done, I agree with you on all of those.

[@marcparkinson4118]

You missed others. Great sand dunes (should be a monument at most). White Sands (Should be a monument at most).

[@arthurcook3317]

I disagree with your assessment of Wind Cave National Park. It was set aside as an NP by Teddy Roosevelt at the beginning of the 20th century. It has the 7th longest cave system in the world and the 3rd longest in the USA at 161.7 miles in length. It should not be combined with Custer State Park. Also, it is not all prairie there are mountains within the park boundaries. In addition the park preserves other caves and even a sinking steam. There are canyons in the park to explore. And the park is loaded with wildlife.

[@NationalParkWild]

I’ve hiked some of the “canyons” in Wind Cave and I definitely don’t think there is anything about them that makes them a must-see destination the way other parks with similar yet grander features. I’m glad you like the park and I agree about the wildlife, but the long cave having a superior status to Jewel Cave is interesting to say the least.

[@stephencrabtree4256]

@@NationalParkWild I was also most-upset by the listing of Wind Cave, though I've recently been to Voyageurs NP and think it also truly does deserve park status. With Wind Cave, in addition to the points noted by the commenter above, it's also extremely significant from a geological perspective. The dramatic honeycomb pattern of boxwork that you even showed in the video is found almost nowhere else in the world, such that speleologists have estimated that upwards of 95% of the cave boxwork found on Earth is found in Wind Cave. It's a geological treasure that would be far-too-likely ignored (or vandalized) if reduced to a mere state park status.

[@JeremyHale141]

I guess I mostly agree with you, but I see no harm in most of these being National Parks. The only one that I really agree with you on is the Gateway Arch National Park. It should definitely be a National Memorial because of its connection to the Lewis and Clark expedition/Louisiana Purchase.

[@NationalParkWild]

There isn’t really a huge issue with them having the status, it’s just the 10 that seem most like they should have a different title from national park such as national monument.

[@davidwilliams3285]

Pretty much agree with your picks especially Gateway Arch (should just be a national memorial) and Indiana Dunes which should be a county park at best. Hot Springs should be a National Historic District. I live near Congaree and it's interesting especially if you're just visiting the area but probably should just be a State Park or maybe a national forest or wildlife area. I feel that some of these parks were created just for political reasons like paybacks or something, they just don't make sense. When you have parks like Yellowstone, Yosemite, Zion, and Glacier and then you add Indiana Dunes it just baffling and a real head scratcher. Thanks for pointing out these "mistakes".

[@microcosm1957]

I think a few of the national parks on this list have the designation due to the proximity to large cities and draw of paying visitors and tourists. They fund the parks and can learn about them there. Wondering how your list stacks up to the revenue and parks pass sales

[@ruthherring6035]

“What are the requirements to be considered a national park? To be feasible as a new unit of the National Park System an area's natural systems and/or historic settings must be of sufficient size and appropriate configuration to ensure long-term protection of the resources and to ac- commodate public use. It must have potential for efficient administration at a reasonable cost.” You didn’t seem to have specific criteria for your opinions. The NPS does have criteria, maybe you should review it. For example, you don’t seem to know that “Wind Cave has unusual geological formations called boxwork and is filled with more boxwork than is found in all other caves on Earth put together. Portions of Wind Cave are over 300 million years old, making it one of the oldest in the world. The cave is also large and extremely complex, with 149 miles of known cave (as of 2019) sitting under just 1.25 square miles of land.” It’s heavily studied by geologists. I do agree with you about the Arch though.

[@NationalParkWild]

You are right, this didn’t have super strict criteria. I do know about Wind Cave’s unique features and I have no issue with it being a national park, it just seems that the park would be better suited for monument status compared to most other national parks. Also I’m glad people almost unanimously agree on the Arch. There’s technically no harm in it having the status, but it isn’t protecting any significant nature.

[@ethanmietzner5218]

I find it funny that the majority of the parks on this list are either Midwest or east coast states. For the top 4 parks to be revoked, you could literally find anywhere on the west coast and call it a national park, whether it's a beach, a valley with waterfalls like Cuyahoga (such as The Columbia river Gorge and Multnomah falls in Oregon on the west coast), Dunes such as White Sands and Colorado's sand Dunes, or a random monument arch (heck the Golden gate Bridge should be a national park based on the criteria for Gateway in Missouri).

[@NationalParkWild]

Yeah, the East has less impressive scenery overall for sure.

[@metarus208]

right on ... it would be a good idea to combine Wind Cave NP and Jewel Cave to create Band Lands NP

[@NationalParkWild]

It would be really interesting.

[@roxynano]

Now as someone who is from Indiana, I haven’t been to the Dunes yet. However my parents have went recently and I know my dad was pretty disappointed with this park where we would rather spend our time at other Indiana state parks like Potato Creek, Spring Mill, Pokagon, or even Starve Hallow.

[@roxynano]

Personally from what I’ve seen of the Dunes, I would rather prefer to see some of Michigan’s undeveloped shorelines get National Park status over the Dunes. Going along the shoreline of some aspects of Michigan is an experience in itself from going into the deep woods to a seamless transition to shoreline. It took my breath away when I saw that for myself that two extremes met.

[@roxynano]

I think what makes the Dunes notable is the fact that Indiana somehow has a beach shoreline in which the Hoosier locals (Hoosier = Indiana resident) treats it like it is something way more than what it actually is due to the fact it is the only shoreline in Indiana.

[@ssg2driver]

As someone from Michigan, I can agree with this. Sleeping Bear Dunes is much more worth a trip

[@eriktruboar1540]

@@ssg2driver every lake shore park in Wisconsin, UP, and Michigan are better than Indiana dunes.

[@michaelkontos3310]

@@roxynano Indiana resident here. Indiana Dunes protects a globally rare ecosystem. It wasn't given national park status when it was first proposed in the late 1800's so industry and development moved in and destroyed most of the untouched dunes, forests, wetlands, and grasslands. It deserved to be protected from the beginning and it wasn't. That's why it deserves park status.

[@vopvoopone]

Couldn't agree more with most of these. As someone going to school in Ohio who's spent a lot of time out west, it's strange to me that CVNP is a national park! Hocking Hills, down south an hour away from Columbus, is a much better national park for Ohio. The views are stunning, and the rock formations are some of the coolest I've seen!

[@NationalParkWild]

Thanks for giving your thoughts. I agree that Hocking Hills would fit better.

[@andrewstravels2096]

Hocking would definitely make a good National Park!

[@theparkjunkie]

I agree on Hocking Hills! I went to school in Athens & was out there all the time! Soooooo much more beautiful than CV…

[@user-wr9hc1sy4t]

National park means hidden history...

[@spinlok3943]

Maybe for the next video propose alternatives for national parks in the states that have parks not worthy of park status? And maybe also places that could be national parks in states that don't have one?

[@coleaugust4792]

As a Wind Cave defender I completely disagree with its placement

[@NationalParkWild]

Totally fair. I still enjoy the park a lot and I’m glad you enjoy it too.

[@bongkim7988]

i agree

[@geoffreyevans6133]

How did Prince William Forest Park not make your list? It’s a D class NP.

[@NationalParkWild]

This is only for the parks in the United States of America.

[@geoffreyevans6133]

@@NationalParkWild Virginia is in the United States of America. In fact you can hear I-95 at the entrance to the park.

[@geoffreyevans6133]

This national park is located in prince william county, Virginia.

[@NationalParkWild]

@@geoffreyevans6133 My apologies I was thinking of something else when I read your comment. Prince William Forest Park is not one of the 63 national parks so it does not count.

[@arthurcook3317]

Guadalupe Mountains NP preserves the most spectacular end of the entire Guadalupe Mountain Range. It definitely deserving of national park status. The trails from the visitor center and campground are fascinating. If you missed the hike into the McKittrick Canyon, you missed one of the best parts of the park. The canyon is a spectacular experience into the Chihuahua desert ecosystem. It is an awesome limestone canyon to boot. As far as the last 4 NP's that you show, I would agree withe you for the most part. In Arkansas the Buffalo National River should be upgraded to national park status along with Dinosaur NM along the Colorado/Utah border. Both areas are spectacular enough and varied enough to warrant national park status.

[@kristymoore7052]

I thought I’d see Great Lakes Basin on this list. 😊

[@Coelacanth_yes]

I would keep gates of the arctic just for the name alone

[@thetravelingmethodist6754]

I agree with your top four Parks and a few of the others are also questionable. But I disagree with Wind Cave and Kobuk Valley. Both are very deserving. Wind Cave is a massive Cave system which makes it a strong candidate alone but it was the preservation of the bison and the surface environment that puts it over the top. Check out National Park Diaries KZbin channel. It has excellent episodes on the history behind it and other National Parks.

[@NationalParkWild]

Great points. I love National Park Diaries and they do show that every park has some significance. Remember that I said I was grasping at straws for the first 6 I listed.

[@robertwidger6888]

The whole argument is a matter of semantics only. Whether it is a Monument, Historic site, Historical Park, Recreation Area, Lakeshore, Seashore etc. is irrelevant. They are all managed pretty much the same. They are all areas worth preserving for either natural or historic reasons or both. People get too hung up on the term "National Park". They are all run by the same agency; The National Park Service. From a career National Park Service Ranger.

[@NationalParkWild]

No matter the status, the sites are wonderful and worth preserving.

[@hiddenpotentialproject806]

I was ready to argue coming in, but i can't disagree too much.

[@NationalParkWild]

That’s fair, the list is bound to be controversial even though it’s a hypothetical.

[@reidschuster8055]

I will defend congaree NP with my last breath

[@NationalParkWild]

I love the park, but it definitely isn’t the most popular.

[@posteroonie]

I like the largest loblolly pine in the world at Congaree. I had no idea that they got that size, and it shows the size of trees that we've lost all over the East.

[@robeigner4390]

If a current National Park loses its designation, it means it would be open for abuse by off-roaders and developers. I'd rather see more protected areas in the USA, not less.

[@NationalParkWild]

No it wouldn’t, it could remain a protected area under the National Park Service without having park status.

[@camallender]

Cries in Midwest

[@NationalParkWild]

It’s alright, the East isn’t much better off.

[@jamesswanson3419]

Catoctin Mountain Park? Prince William Forest Park? Nice enough parks, but not better than some on your list.

[@NationalParkWild]

The ones you named are not among the 63 national parks, so they don’t count for this list.

[@normiewoo787]

You've obviously never explored Indiana Dunes more than just a few hours on one of the beaches in an off season and maybe one other trail. It is NOT "a beach." It is over 15,000 acres of beaches (plural), fens, bogs, forests, prairies, savannas, marshes, and 3 different dune systems. It is the 4th-most biodiverse of all the National Parks; it has 28 different types of native orchids, which is more than the entire state of Hawai'i; it is also 5th among the National Parks in number of bird species (topping Everglades) and people come from all over the world for its birding festival; I have personally seen egrets, herons, cranes, buzzards, songbirds of all types, Fowler's toads, frogs, six-lined racerunners, deer, raccoons, fish, beavers, muskrats, skunks, squirrels, dozens of different spiders, butterflies, damselflies, dragonflies, and insects of all types; in the fall, horseback riding at Glenwood Dunes rivals many of the best scenes in the Western National Parks. Also, the beaches themselves are among the finest in the NPS system, simply because of the moods created by their east-west orientation at sunset...and the industrial backdrops only add to their charm.

[@NationalParkWild]

I’ve never heard this sentiment about Indiana Dunes from anyone, but I am happy that you enjoy the park. I have seen several of the bogs, prairies, and forests in the park, but I thought the beaches were the most interesting part.

[@normiewoo787]

@@NationalParkWild I think we'll just have to agree to disagree about Indiana Dunes. I have been to 17 of the National Parks and, although it's close, I enjoyed Indiana Dunes the most of any I've been to so far.

[@michaelkontos3310]

@@normiewoo787 Thank you for sharing this. I feel like most people only grade the national parks from an aesthetic point of view. "If it isn't pretty like Zion or Yellowstone, then it doesn't deserve park status," which I can't disagree with more. Indiana Dunes National Park protects so much biodiversity it's ridiculous. It should've been one of the first national parks. If it was, all of the original dunes and ecosystems would still be here and it would be regarded as one of the best Eastern USA parks. The amount of biodiversity located there along with the history of the region makes it deserving of World Heritage Site status, in my opinion. In the late 1800's it was considered to be one of the "top four locations in need of protecting" by scientists and ecologists. The other three were Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon which are all World Heritage Sites. As you stated, Indiana Dunes has more species of birds than the Everglades (a World Heritage Site) and more orchids than Hawaii (the big island is basically a World Heritage Site.) Couple that with the Dunes being the birthplace of modern ecology and the history of Midwest industry, factory towns, steel refining, early French exploration, native Americans, and the Chicago World Fair, this should DEFINATELY be a World Heritage Site.

[@normiewoo787]

@@michaelkontos3310 Thank you for echoing my sentiments. I know there are many more who agree with us. I would add that there are tons of recreational activities there, too... hiking, kayaking, wind surfing, boating, water skiing, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, running, building sand castles, searching for beach glass, sunbathing, swimming, surfing, kite flying, paddle boarding, et al. I mentioned that there is a world class birding festival, but the park also hosts an obstacle course race, the Century of Progress Home Tour, horseback riding on the beach, free s'mores at summer sunsets at Portage, Maple Sugar Time, and many other great events. And I agree it is worthy of World Heritage Site status, for all the reasons you mentioned plus the fact that the park is the site of arguably the biggest land use battle in the history of the U.S.

[@user-ii8px8lo7v]

Most of these parks listed are there for purely political reasons. They wanted to reward these areas with a park usually for getting support from the local politicians for some other issue. "If you want our support for XYZ legislation, give us a National Park". Being from Ohio I know that is why Cuyahoga Valley is a National Park. I actually really like the area but it should be a state park not a National Park.

[@miklm]

Indiana Dunes is a filthy dump. We really enjoyed Cuyahoga Valley and biking the towpath, but yes it could be a nice state park. Hard to argue with this video; been to 7 of 10 you list. I’d defend Guadalupe Mtn but most of it was closed due to wildfires while we were there. 28/63 NPs so far.

[@NationalParkWild]

Thank you for giving your thoughts. I’m glad my choices haven’t offended many and I can definitely agree that Guadalupe and some others earned their park status.

[@michaelkontos3310]

Where did you go to at Indiana Dunes? Most of the park is very clean despite being surrounded by Industry. If you are talking about the industry itself, that's not the park's fault.

[@miklm]

@@michaelkontos3310 Mt Baldy. Trash all along the parking lot, trail & “beach”. Hiked a wetland trail which was nice, saw a flock of juvenile sand hill cranes. By far the worst NP; I understand protecting the area from industry but NWR status is all it needs. Hard to think how it got elevated from state park to NP.

[@michaelkontos3310]

@@miklm I was at Mt. Baldy two weekends ago and I hardly saw any trash. There is still a state park but there is now a national park as well. It's a national park because it hosts a wide array of recreational opportunities and is also home to some of the widest biodiversity in the United States. Also, national parks are typically the most strictly protected areas in the National Park System.

[@dvferyance]

Not all of the Indiana Dunes is a National Park. A portion of it is still a State Park.

[@NationalParkWild]

True

[@rickson50]

I don't think Yellowstone should be a national park. I think it shouldn't be because it would be very controversial and that'll be all kinds of a funny

[@NationalParkWild]

Fair points.

[@AdamSmith-gs2dv]

Agree on Cuyahoga Valley and Gateway Arch those definitely shouldn't be national parks. Cuyahoga Valley has a freaking interstate running down the middle of it! Also the Smokies are very underwhelming especially compared to some state parks in Tennessee

[@williamkyburz]

Eric, you will hopefully revisit this video you made when you grow up and become wise. I can safely say that you will look back on it and realize that life is a learning experience, and you were pretty ignorant in your youth. The world needs more protected areas.

[@NationalParkWild]

The point of this video was not to say the places should not be protected. Looking back, I recognize that most of these earned their park status. I primarily made this video because it was highly requested. That’s just the way KZbin goes sometimes. I would never lobby to revoke park status from any of these places, and even if they did lose park status, I note that they all should still have federal protection.

[@lrbtechie]

Well, you obviously know nothing about the history of these locations and the reasons they were designated as National Parks.

[@NationalParkWild]

I know every park has a fair reason for being a national park. The idea of the video is that at least the top four on the list have the least history behind them to justify park status. Some may disagree, but that’s the fun part of rankings like this. I’m sure you recognize that I’m not advocating for the park status to be revoked from these ten great places.

[@michaelfitzgerald434]

QUITCHURBITCHEN!

[@NationalParkWild]

Lol

[@hersh3413]

CVNPS Ohio

[@cooperstravels5725]

I agree with the main four. Cuyahoga reminds me of many other state parks in the Midwest. Sleeping Bear Dunes was much better than Indiana Dunes. Hot Springs I have not yet been to but seems more like a state park. Gateway Arch is a monument not a park.

[@mst3ktemple421]

I pretty much agree with all your comments. I have been to each of these and they were very nice in their own ways, but some just don't seem to fit the idea of a full fledged National Park. Indiana Dunes in particular. I've been there three times and enjoyed it each time, but there just isn't enough their to make it more than a National Lakeshore. Michigan has much more impressive dunes running down almost the entire western side of the state. Cuyahoga is a really nice National Historic Park, but again just doesn't rank as a National Park to me.

[@NationalParkWild]

I’m glad to hear that some people agreed with the thoughts. Thanks for watching.

[@05nursemeg]

100 comments 🎉🎉🎉

[@NationalParkWild]

Thanks!