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14 US National Parks That Are Also UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Tay Belgeri
Jan.5.2026
(Getty)
  • Activities and Interests
  • History and Culture
  • National Parks
  • UNESCO World Heritage Sites
  • United States National Parks
    • Tay Belgeri
    Jan.5.2026

    You don’t need a reminder that the United States’ national parks system is full of natural wonders.

    Videos by TravelAwaits

    Every state has its very own standout landscape, landmark, or region. Even small states like Rhode Island and Delaware, that aren’t home to national parks, still have their scenic outposts, like Mohegan Bluffs and the Great Cypress Swamp, respectively.

    That being said, some national parks have more international acclaim than others.

    Some are home to dark sky sanctuaries. Others are perfectly lined up on popular road trip routes. Others are rimmed by worthy side quests that will make your trip unforgettable.

    But only 14 national parks have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In case you’re new to UNESCO, it’s the UN’s educational, scientific, and cultural branch that helps identify, promote, and preserve locations around the world for all humankind to enjoy.

    Travelers like you and me most often see UNESCO-listed sites around historic or ecological landmarks. Machu Picchu, the Vatican, and the Pyramids of Giza are all popular UNESCO sites. Some US national parks are also important enough to have earned the title ‘World Heritage Sites’ from the UN.

    Here’s where to find them.

    US national parks that are also UNESCO World Heritage Sites

    Carlsbad Caverns (New Mexico)

    The 20 foot sword-like stalactite hanging just to the left of the pathway is known as the Sword of Damacles (Getty)

    Meet the biggest and baddest cave in the Chihuahuan Desert. This national park is home to 117 caves and a massive colony of bats and other cave-dwelling beasts. 

    • Date established: 1930
    • Can’t miss: The Big Room

    Everglades (Florida)

    (Getty)

    America’s most beloved and mysterious swamp, home to creatures like the alligator, crocodile, Florida panther, manatee, and more. Technically, it’s a mangrove and tropical forest in addition to a swamp.

    • Date established: 1934
    • Can’t miss: Shark Valley

    Glacier (Montana)

    Montana – Western USA, Summer, Mountain, Famous Place, Grinnell Lake (Getty)

    Rocky Mountain peaks shelter over 25 fast-melting glaciers and over 100 lakes that they feed. Similar to Yellowstone, you’re likely to see some of the continent’s most impressive mammals, including wolves, bears, elk, bison, and more.

    • Date established: 1910
    • Can’t miss: Going-to-the-Sun Road

    Glacier Bay (Alaska)

    John Hopkins Inlet landscape in Glacier Bay National Park (Getty)

    Home to towering mountains and fjords alike (and even a temperate rainforest), this park is one of the wildest corridors in the US. Along with mammals like grizzlies and mountain goats, you’re likely to spot whales, seals, and eagles.

    • Date established: 1980
    • Can’t miss: Triple Divide Peak

    Grand Canyon (Arizona)

    View of the Colorado River from Desert View Point, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona (Getty)

    The famous canyons you know and love—which took millions upon millions of years to form due to erosion from the Colorado River.

    • Date established: 1919
    • Can’t miss: The Rim Trail

    Great Smoky Mountains (North Carolina & Tennessee)

    Smokey Mountain (Getty)

    The Appalachian Mountains are the world’s oldest mountain range, and the Great Smoky Mountains showcase thousands of unique plant and animal species. You can explore the park in dozens of ways, from camping to horseback riding to fishing.

    • Date established: 1934
    • Can’t miss: Lightning bug shows

    Hawaii Volcanoes (Hawaii)

    a digital image of the Fire Hose spewing bright orange lava out from a hole in the volcanic rocks of the coastline into the sea (Getty)

    A park on the Big Island that protects two of the world’s most active volcanoes, which are also sacred sites to indigenous groups: Mauna Loa and Kilauea. On land, the area is layered with tropical forests and lava beds alike.

    • Date established: 1916
    • Can’t miss: Lava beds

    Mammoth Cave (Kentucky)

    Mammoth Cave, Kentucky (Getty)

    Mammoth Cave is a limestone cave that’s home to eight bat species, cavefish, unique salamanders, and even a type of cave shrimp. It’s also the world’s longest known cave system.

    • Date established: 1941
    • Can’t miss: cave shrimp

    Mesa Verde (Colorado)

    The ruins of Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado (Getty)

    Home to the remnants of the Cliff Palace of the Ancient Puebloans, this Four Corners-region park dates back around 700 years. You can explore the kivas, passages, and tunnels of Cliff Palace, which is part of the park’s 4,000 archaeological sites.

    • Date established: 1906
    • Can’t miss: Cliff Palace

    Olympic (Washington)

    Path through Hall of Mosses through rainforest in Olympic National Park, Forks, Washington State, USA (Getty)

    You can explore the greatest wonders of the Olympic Peninsula here, including the famous Hoh and Quinault Rainforests. Aside from atmospheric rainforests, the park is also home to alpine climates with stunning mountain peaks.

    • Date established: 1938
    • Can’t miss: Hoh Rainforest

    Redwood (California)

    A wide angle view of a tall burnt tree stump surrounded by tall redwood trees in Klamath (Getty)

    Home to over half the country’s remaining redwood trees, this national park also includes coastal stretches that will make your jaw drop. Expect gargantuan seastacks that loom amid the mist.

    • Date established: 1968
    • Can’t miss: Redwoods

    Wrangell-St. Elias (Alaska)

    Scenic flight over Wrangell St Elias National Park, Alaska, September 2022
    (Getty)

    Home to the Hubbard, Malaspina, and Nabesna Glaciers, this park is also home to some of the continent’s tallest mountains—and dormant volcanoes. Enjoy views of the expansive mountain ranges of Alaska, Saint Elias, Wrangell, and Chugach.

    • Date established: 1980
    • Can’t miss: Hubbard Glacier

    Yellowstone (Wyoming)

    The American bison (Bison bison) is a species of bison native to North America (Getty)

    Geothermal wonders have created hot springs and geysers that feed lush forests and valleys that span four distinct mountain ranges. Expect to see some of North America’s most rugged mammals, from bears to bison.

    • Date established: 1872
    • Can’t miss: Old Faithful & Grand Prismatic Spring

    Yosemite (California)

    The famous Tunnel View at Yosemite (Getty)

    Glaciers carved Yosemite Valley eons ago. Now, it’s a fertile stretch of old-growth forests interspersed with granite cliffs and dramatic waterfalls.

    • Date established: 1890
    • Can’t miss: Half Dome & El Capitan granite cliffs


  • Activities and Interests
  • History and Culture
  • National Parks
  • UNESCO World Heritage Sites
  • United States National Parks
    • Image of Tay Belgeri Tay Belgeri View Full Profile

      Tay Belgeri is a writer and traveler from the Heartland who now lives in the Mediterranean. She has almost two decades of international travel, learning, and immigration experience under her belt. She also has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Global Studies—yes, it’s a thing. With Travel Awaits, Tay is demystifying the act of travel for fellow Americans by covering her favorite adventures, latest bucket-list experiences, and lessons she learned the hard way. She focuses on the little details that make trips easier to plan and more magical to experience. During her career, Tay has been published on AP News, Ranker, MSN, and other major publications. But don’t think of her as a travel writer—she’s a traveler and a writer. Travel is her nature; writing is her trade.