Clean air supports healthy ecosystems and crisp clear views. Air pollution can harm natural systems like lakes, streams, plants, and wildlife, and air clarity differently in national parks across the country. Select a park on the map below to find park specific information on air quality effects in parks.
The 48 national parks featured in the Park Air Profiles series are Class I Areas. These areas have the highest level of legal protection for air quality, visibility, and resources that could be affected by a change in air quality (known as air quality related values or AQRVs). Class I areas are defined as parks larger than 6,000 acres and national wilderness areas larger than 5,000 acres that were in existence when the 1977 amendments to the Clean Air Act were enacted.
For more information on the Park Air Profiles series, contact us.
Arches National Park (UT)
Badlands National Park (SD)
Bandelier National Monument (NM)
Big Bend National Park (TX)
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (CO)
Bryce Canyon National Park (UT)
Canyonlands National Park (UT)
Capitol Reef National Park (UT)
Carlsbad Caverns National Park (NM)
Chiricahua National Monument (AZ)
Crater Lake National Park (OR)
Craters of the Moon National Monument (ID)
Denali National Park and Preserve (AK)
Everglades National Park (FL)
Glacier National Park (MT)
Grand Canyon National Park (AZ)
Grand Teton National Park (WY)
Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve (CO)
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (TN/NC)
Guadalupe Mountains National Park (TX)
Haleakala National Park (HI)
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (HI)
Isle Royal National Park (MI)
Joshua Tree National Park (CA)
Kings Canyon National Park (CA)
Lassen Volcanic National Park (CA)
Lava Beds National Monument (CA)
Mammoth Cave National Park (KY)
Mesa Verde National Park (CO)
Mount Rainier National Park (WA)
North Cascades National Park (WA)
Olympic National Park (WA)
Petrified Forest National Park (AZ)
Pinnacles National Monument (CA)
Point Reyes National Seashore (CA)
Redwood National Park (CA)
Rocky Mountain National Park (CO)
Saguaro National Park (AZ)
Sequoia National Park (CA)
Shenandoah National Park (VA)
Theodore Roosevelt National Park (ND)
Virgin Islands National Park (VI)
Voyageurs National Park (MN)
Wind Cave National Park (SD)
Yellowstone National Park (WY/MT/ID)
Yosemite National Park (CA)
Zion National Park (UT)
Last updated: May 18, 2023