From a human-level perspective, Yosemite National Park is undoubtedly massive. Yet when it comes to stacking up all the national parks in the U.S. against one another, it doesn't even make the top ten. In fact, America's largest national park is actually a national monument in Hawaii.
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Yosemite is, however, home to California's hardest hikes, and at least one feature that earns the label of "world's largest." It might be the world's largest pine tree, rather than the largest national park, but Yosemite National Park is clearly on travelers' radar for many other breathtaking reasons. Unfortunately, it's just not for overall size.
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Yosemite National Park Only Measures 759,620 Acres
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According to the National Park Service, Yosemite National Park measures 759,620 acres, or 1,187 square miles.
Sure, 759,620 acres sounds like a lot -- and it is! Per the NPS, that's 1,187 square miles, meaning Yosemite National Park would cover all over Rhode Island's land area and then some. For another size comparison that will blow your mind, over 901 Central Parks could fit inside Yosemite National Park.
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Yosemite National Park size breakdown
Yosemite is huge, but there's more than the overall acreage to consider. Here's a look at how Yosemite's sprawling size is broken down, per the National Park Service:
704,624 acres of designated wilderness per the NPS (94% of the park per Yosemite.com) 214 miles of paved roads 20 miles of paved paths for walking and cycling 800 miles of trails 29 bridges 102 foot bridges 1,553 camp sites across four campgrounds 774 NPS buildings 380 concession buildings
Given its vastness, it's not surprising that travelers have found several underrated, secret spots in Yosemite. However, there are many national parks that are much larger than Yosemite National Park, by a long shot.
While Yosemite isn't the largest national park in the country, it does receive the most visitors of any in NP California .
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Yosemite National Park Is The 16th Largest National Park In The United States
Map of Yosemite National Park
Based on acreage, Yosemite National Park appears to rank as the 16th largest national park in the U.S. Larger parks than Yosemite include a handful of Alaska national parks, plus some in California, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Florida, Arizona, Washington, and Texas.
Given how vast and relatively unpopulated some of these states are (like Alaska!), it's not entirely surprising that there are larger parks than Yosemite.
NP
Size in Acres
State
Wrangell-St. Elias
13.2 million
Alaska
Gates of the Arctic
8,472,505
Alaska
Denali
6,075,030
Alaska
Katmai
4.3 million
Alaska
Lake Clark
4,030,006
Alaska
Death Valley
3,408,395
California/Nevada
Glacier Bay
3,223,383
Alaska
Yellowstone
2,219,790
Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
Kobuk Valley
1,750,716
Alaska
Everglades
1,508,938
Florida
Grand Canyon
1,218,375
Arizona
Glacier
1,012,837
Montana
Olympic
922,651
Washington
Big Bend
801,163
Texas
Joshua Tree
796,623
California
Yosemite
759,620
California
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Acreages are reported by the NPS, and appear to differ slightly from other sources' figures. Some sources also separate wilderness areas from other areas in the national parks.
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve is the largest national park in the U.S.
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve is the country's largest national park with 13.2 million acres. Around 17 Yosemite National Parks could fit into that area! However, much of Wrangell-St. Elias is actually water or, rather, ice.
"The park contains over 1.8 million hectares (4.5 million acres) of glaciers including the Nabesna Glacier, which is over 71 km (44 mi.) long. Glaciers cover 34.8% of the park and in the summer contribute a significant portion of the rivers' high runoff and heavy sediment load." -- NPS
Which National Park is bigger Yosemite or Yellowstone?
As noted in the above table, Yellowstone National Park is much larger than Yosemite National Park, by more than a million acres!
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"Yosemite Falls, North America's tallest waterfall, cascades 2,425 feet to the Valley floor far below." -- Yosemite.com
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How long does it take to drive around Yosemite?
A direct drive through Yosemite National Park will take about an hour and a half, but you can make the trip take longer by stopping off at various vista points -- which is highly recommended!
How many miles across is Yosemite?
Yosemite is roughly a mile wide, so it's longer than it is wide. The entire park is roughly 7 miles by 1 mile, though the width varies at different points.
References: National Park Service, National Park Foundation, Yosemite.com