For a long time, national parks in the United States have been a sanctuary of natural beauty and cultural heritage. They attracted millions of visitors each year, reaching a record 331.9 million visits in 2024.
But today, these precious places are exposed to serious tensions that have faced challenges over the past decade, including overcrowding, wildfires, climate-related threats, and years of funding that has stretched resources thinly. Worse, in early 2025, roughly 1,000 Probation National Park Service (NPS) employees were fired as part of budget cuts implemented by the Trump administration, causing seasonal employment to halt system-wide. Recent laws could potentially reclaim some of these fired employees, but the park system is still in peak visits months of understaffed. This will reduce time, delayed maintenance, reduced ranger-driven programs, and increased pressure on already over-expanded staffing teams.
At this moment, visiting a national park is more than a summer holiday. Visits can actively support the future of public lands. Whether you’re on a summer adventure or trying to support from home, here are some meaningful ways to help you take care of these extraordinary places.
Be a responsible visitor
Please visit with sincere heartfelt care. The lack of staff affecting everything from trail maintenance to visitor safety allows travelers to lighten the load by treading carefully. To avoid increased damage to delicate ecosystems and erosion, stick to established trails, stuff all the garbage (even if bins are available) and give wildlife a respectful distance. These small acts of personal responsibility become important when there are few rangers available to monitor vulnerable environments.
It’s expanding
Parks such as Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and Zion are routinely facing summer crowds that see amazing visits during the summer, harming the environment and reducing the visitor’s experience. Explore equally spectacular and lesser known national parks and consider that you need your support. In Washington, North Cascade National Park offers glacially grown lakes and solitude just hours from Seattle. In Nevada, the great Basin National Park attracts ancient Bristol Corn pines and some of the darkest night sky in the country. Mount Guadalupe National Park in Texas rewards hikers with its rugged desert beauty and state top peaks. Choosing a quieter destination or moving to shoulder season or mid-week will provide a more even distribution of visitor influence across the system.
Donate to organizations where the park continues to flourish
The admission fee is a sliver of what you need to run through the park. If there is a measure, strengthening the park infrastructure, funding wildlife research, and donating directly to organizations supporting rangers can have a huge impact. Even small and repetitive donations can have lasting impact, especially as Parks is decorated through another record-breaking summer. Some options:
Similarly, if you’re going to spend money on Park Swag, let it count. Consider purchasing guidebooks, maps or items directly from the official park store. These dollars help raise funds for education programs, trail signs and visitor centers. Companies like Parks Project, which sell gear for apparel and other protected land brands, donate a portion of the profits to conservation work. Between 2014 and 2023, it provided more than $2.6 million in park restoration efforts.
Volunteer if possible
Volunteering is a practical way to repay the favor. Opportunities include many roles still open despite staffing constraints, from day-to-day trail restoration projects to seasonal settlements. You can use Volunteer.gov to search by park or interest, whether you prefer to restore native plants, support educational programs, or provide visitors information.
Organizations like the Student Protection Association provide opportunities for young volunteers, but the National Parks Arts Foundation invites creatives to apply for artist residencies in exchange for location-based work that connects people with public lands.
Supporting nearby communities
Many national parks are surrounded by small, rural communities that rely on tourism. Choosing a local lodge, cafe or outfitter will ensure that the dollar stays in the ecosystem of the place you are visiting. Take plenty of tips, buy handmade items, and look for an experience led by a local or indigenous guide.
It can also support outdoor afro, indigenous women hiking, nonprofits that make national parks more accessible to all Americans. Hiker with disabilities. The work of an organization helps to expand those who belong to these landscapes and see themselves.
Talk for public land
Many of the challenges facing public lands are policy-driven, and changing the tide requires public involvement. Please keep an eye out for park-related policy discussions. You can contact your elected officials to express your support for conservation funding, responsible recreation policies and cultural inclusion in public land narratives. Organizations such as the National Parks Conservation Association and the Automotive Alliance can easily send pre-written letters to elected officials by making them available with just a few clicks.
