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An example of New Deal developments in U.S. state parks: Bunker Tower, Cheaha State Park, Alabama, US

State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational potential. There are state parks under the administration of the government of each U.S. state, some of the Mexican states, and in Brazil. The term is also used in the Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales.^[1] The equivalent term used in Canada, Argentina, South Africa, and Belgium, is provincial park. Similar systems of local government maintained parks exist in other countries, but the terminology varies.

State parks are thus similar to national parks, but under state rather than federal administration. Similarly, local government entities below state level may maintain parks, e.g., regional parks or county parks. In general, state parks are smaller than national parks, with a few exceptions such as the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in California, and Wood-Tikchik State Park in Alaska, the largest state park in the United States.

State parks by country

United States

There are 6,792 state park units in the United States, according to the National Association of State Park Directors (NASPD).^[2] There are some 813 million annual visits to the country's state parks.^[2] The NASPD further counts over 43,000 miles (69,000 km) of trail, 217,367 campsites, and 8,277 cabins and lodges across U.S. state parks.^[2] The largest state park system in the United States is Alaska State Parks, with over 100 sites encompassing 3.3 million acres.^[3]

Many states include designations beyond "state park" in their state parks systems. Other designations might be state recreation areas, state beaches, and state nature reserves. Some state park systems include long-distance trails and historic sites. To encourage tourism in rural areas, several states have simple lodges, inns, hotels, or motels (usually with a restaurant) for lodging at some parks. These typically use "Resort" in the name, such as "_____ Resort State Park" in West Virginia state parks and "_____ State Resort Park" in neighboring Kentucky state parks, which has 17 such resort parks, the most of any state. Other states use the Resort name inconsistently (like DeGray Lake Resort State Park, the only one out of three resorts in Arkansas state parks), or have only one such park (South Carolina state parks' Hickory Knob State Resort Park), or do not use the designation at all (such as the lodges of Georgia state parks). The term "lodge" may also refer to a hiking lodge, essentially a large cabin for hikers rather than a large facility with private rooms and a restaurant. Other lodging may include yurts and tipis.

Not all parks owned by a state are necessarily part of its state-park system, such as Stone Mountain Park near Atlanta. Some Texas state parks are a land lease from the U.S. government, while Mackinac National Park was handed down to become the first of the Michigan state parks. As with national parks, facilities at state parks are often leased to concessionaires to operate. Breaks Interstate Park is operated under an interstate compact by Virginia state parks, although it is also one of the Kentucky state parks, straddling both sides of the state line. Other multi-state parks are legally two separate parks with the same name and more informal cooperation between them.

History

The title of oldest state park in the United States is claimed by Niagara Falls State Park in New York, established in 1885.^[4]^[5] Several public parks previously or currently maintained at the state level pre-date it.^[6] Indian Springs State Park has been operated continuously by the state of Georgia as a public park since 1825, although it did not gain the title "State Park" until 1931.^[7] In 1864 Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove were ceded by the federal government to California^[6] until Yosemite National Park was proclaimed in 1890.^[8] In 1878 Wisconsin set aside a vast swath of its northern forests as "The State Park" but, needing money, sold most of it to lumber companies within 20 years.^[9] Mackinac National Park was established in 1875 as the second U.S. national park before being converted to a state park in 1895. The first state park with the designation of "state park" was Itasca State Park in Minnesota, established in 1891.^[10]

Many state park systems date to the 1930s, when around 800 state parks (and several national ones) across the country were developed with assistance from federal job-creation programs like the Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration.^[11]

Brazil

References

^ "Collaborative Australian Protected Area Database (CAPAD) - Terrestrial Protected Areas in Australia by Type (2014) (refer "TYPE" tab)". Department of the Environment (DoE). Retrieved April 16, 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Get to know America's State Parks". National Association of State Park Directors. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
^ Alaska State Parks
^ Niagara Frontier State Parks & Recreation Commission. "The Niagara Reservation - A Historical Perspective". New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
^ "Niagara Falls State Park". New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
^ ^a ^b Edmondson, Brad (2001). "Publication #72 - Environmental Affairs in New York State: A Historical Overview" (PDF). New York State Archives. pp. 7–9. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
^ "Indian Springs State Park". Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original on March 23, 2009. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
^ "Yosemite National Park: Stories". National Park Service. January 19, 2011. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
^ "Wisconsin State Parks through the Years". Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original on October 18, 2009. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
^ General Laws
^ Don (January 9, 2006). "The monument builders - CCC: The Depression-era corps built roads, parks and bridges, and now people are raising money for a monument to them". Duluth News Tribune. Duluth, Minn.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{short description|Protected area managed at the federated state level}}
+{{Short description|Protected area managed at the federated state level}}
-{{refimprove|date=January 2018}}
+{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
-{{imagestack|
+{{stack|
-[[Image:Niagara Falls 2009.jpg|thumb|[[Niagara Falls State Park]], [[New York (state)|New York]], USA]]
+[[Image:Niagara Falls 2009.jpg|thumb|[[Niagara Falls State Park]], [[New York (state)|New York]], US]]
-[[Image:Bison.jpg|thumb|[[American bison]] in [[Custer State Park]], [[South Dakota]], USA]]
+[[Image:Adult bison and calf, Custer State Park, South Dakota (2009-08-25).jpg|thumb|[[American bison]] in [[Custer State Park]], [[South Dakota]], US]]
-[[Image:Bodie Ghost Town Storm.jpg|thumb|[[Bodie, California|Bodie State Historical Park]], [[California]], USA]]
+[[Image:Bodie Ghost Town Storm.jpg|thumb|[[Bodie, California|Bodie State Historical Park]], [[California]], US]]
-[[Image:West-virginia-autumn-grist-mill-fall-foliage.jpg|thumb|[[Babcock State Park]], [[West Virginia]], USA]]
+[[Image:West-virginia-autumn-grist-mill-fall-foliage.jpg|thumb|[[Babcock State Park]], [[West Virginia]], US]]
-[[Image:Alabama4.jpg|thumb|An example of [[New Deal]] developments in U.S. state parks: [[Bunker Tower]], [[Cheaha State Park]], [[Alabama]], USA]]
+[[Image:Alabama4.jpg|thumb|An example of [[New Deal]] developments in U.S. state parks: [[Bunker Tower]], [[Cheaha State Park]], [[Alabama]], US]]
 [[Image:Mount Worth National Park02.jpg|thumb|[[Mount Worth State Park]]. [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], Australia]]
 }}
+[[File:Hocking Hills State Park.jpg|thumb|Old Man's Cave in [[Hocking Hills State Park]], Ohio, US]]
+'''State parks''' are [[park]]s or other [[protected area]]s managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational potential. There are state parks under the administration of the government of each [[U.S. state]], some of the [[political divisions of Mexico#States|Mexican states]], and in [[Brazil]]. The term is also used in the [[Australian state]]s of [[template:state parks of Victoria|Victoria]] and [[state parks of New South Wales|New South Wales]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Collaborative Australian Protected Area Database (CAPAD) - Terrestrial Protected Areas in Australia by Type (2014) (refer "TYPE" tab) |url=http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/d00ca066-1c8c-412a-9e16-2a37647454a7/files/capad2014national.xlsx |publisher=Department of the Environment (DoE) |access-date=16 April 2016}}</ref> The equivalent term used in Canada, Argentina, South Africa, and Belgium, is [[provincial park]]. Similar systems of local government maintained parks exist in other countries, but the terminology varies.
+State parks are thus similar to [[national park]]s, but under state rather than federal administration. Similarly, [[local government]] entities below state level may maintain parks, e.g., [[regional park]]s or [[county park]]s. In general, state parks are smaller than national parks, with a few exceptions such as the [[Anza-Borrego Desert State Park]] in California, and [[Wood-Tikchik State Park]] in Alaska, the largest state park in the [[United States of America|United States]].
-'''State parks''' are [[park]]s or other [[protected area]]s managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational potential. There are state parks under the administration of the government of each U.S. state, some of the [[political divisions of Mexico#States|Mexican states]], and in Brazil. The term is also used in the [[Australia|Australian]] state of [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Collaborative Australian Protected Area Database (CAPAD) - Terrestrial Protected Areas in Australia by Type (2014) (refer "TYPE" tab) |url=http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/d00ca066-1c8c-412a-9e16-2a37647454a7/files/capad2014national.xlsx |publisher=Department of the Environment (DoE) |accessdate=16 April 2016}}</ref> The equivalent term used in Canada, Argentina, South Africa and Belgium, is [[provincial park]]. Similar systems of local government maintained parks exist in other countries, but the terminology varies.
-State parks are thus similar to [[national park]]s, but under state rather than federal administration. Similarly, [[local government]] entities below state level may maintain parks, e.g., [[regional park]]s or [[county park]]s. In general, state parks are smaller than national parks, with a few exceptions such as the [[Adirondack Park]] in New York and [[Anza-Borrego Desert State Park]] in California.
 == State parks by country ==
-=== United States of America ===
+=== United States ===
-{{As of|2014}}, there were 10,234 state park units in the United States, according to the [[National Association of State Park Directors]] (NASPD).<ref name="NASPD">{{cite web |url=http://www.naspd.org/about-us/state-park-facts/ |title=State Park Facts |publisher=National Association of State Park Directors |accessdate=2016-10-08}}</ref> There are some 739 million annual visits to the country's state parks.<ref name="NASPD" />  The NASPD further counts over {{convert|43000|mi|km}} of trail, 217,367 campsites, and 8,277 cabins and lodges across U.S. state parks.<ref name="NASPD" /> The largest state park system in the United States is [[Alaska State Parks]], with over 100 sites encompassing 3.3 million acres.<ref>[http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/interp/pdf/aspbrochure.pdf Alaska State Parks]</ref>
+There are 6,792 state park units in the United States, according to the [[National Association of State Park Directors]] (NASPD).<ref name="NASPD">{{cite web |url=http://www.stateparks.org/about-us/ |title=Get to know America's State Parks |publisher=National Association of State Park Directors |access-date=2022-11-29}}</ref> There are some 813 million annual visits to the country's state parks.<ref name="NASPD" />  The NASPD further counts over {{convert|43000|mi|km}} of trail, 217,367 campsites, and 8,277 cabins and lodges across U.S. state parks.<ref name="NASPD" /> The largest state park system in the United States is [[Alaska State Parks]], with over 100 sites encompassing 3.3 million acres.<ref>[http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/interp/pdf/aspbrochure.pdf Alaska State Parks]</ref>
+Many states include designations beyond "state park" in their state parks systems.  Other designations might be state [[recreation area]]s, state beaches, and state [[nature reserve]]s.  Some state park systems include long-distance trails and [[historic site]]s.  To encourage [[tourism]] in [[rural]] areas, several states have simple lodges, inns, hotels, or motels (usually with a restaurant) for lodging at some parks.  These typically use "Resort" in the name, such as "_____ Resort State Park" in [[West Virginia state parks]] and "_____ State Resort Park" in neighboring [[Kentucky state parks]], which has 17 such resort parks, the most of any state.  Other states use the Resort name inconsistently (like [[DeGray Lake Resort State Park]], the only one out of three resorts in [[Arkansas state parks]]), or have only one such park ([[South Carolina state parks]]' [[Hickory Knob State Resort Park]]), or do not use the designation at all (such as the lodges of [[Georgia state parks]]).  The term "lodge" may also refer to a [[hiking lodge]], essentially a large cabin for hikers rather than a large facility with private rooms and a restaurant.  Other lodging may include [[yurt]]s and [[tipi]]s.
+Not all parks owned by a state are necessarily part of its state-park system, such as [[Stone Mountain Park]] near Atlanta. Some [[Texas state parks]] are a [[land lease]] from the [[U.S. government]], while [[Mackinac National Park]] was handed down to become the first of the [[Michigan state parks]].  As with national parks, facilities at state parks are often leased to [[concessionaire]]s to operate.  [[Breaks Interstate Park]] is operated under an [[interstate compact]] by [[Virginia state parks]], although it is also one of the [[Kentucky state parks]], straddling both sides of the state line.  Other multi-state parks are legally two separate parks with the same name and more informal cooperation between them.
-Many states include designations beyond "state park" in their state parks systems.  Other designations might be state [[recreation area]]s, state beaches, and state [[nature reserve]]s.  Some state park systems include long-distance trails and [[historic site]]s.
 ==== History ====
-The title of oldest state park in the United States is claimed by [[Niagara Falls State Park]] in [[New York (state)|New York]], established in 1885.<ref>{{cite web | title = The Niagara Reservation - A Historical Perspective | author = Niagara Frontier State Parks & Recreation Commission | url = http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/46/history.aspx | archive-url = https://archive.is/20120712155259/http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/46/history.aspx | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2012-07-12 | publisher = New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation | accessdate = 2011-05-13}}</ref><ref name=NYSP_NFSP>{{cite web |url=http://parks.ny.gov/parks/46/details.aspx |title=Niagara Falls State Park |publisher=New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation |accessdate=2016-10-08}}</ref>  However several public parks previously or currently maintained at the state level pre-date it.<ref name=NYSA_EnvHist>{{cite web |url=http://www.archives.nysed.gov/common/archives/files/mr_pub72.pdf |title=Publication #72 - Environmental Affairs in New York State: A Historical Overview |publisher=New York State Archives |date=2001 |author=Edmondson, Brad |pages=7–9 |accessdate=2016-10-08}}</ref> [[Indian Springs State Park]] has been operated continuously by the state of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] as a public park since 1825, although it did not gain the title "State Park" until 1931.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://gastateparks.org/info/indspr/ | title = Indian Springs State Park | publisher = Georgia Department of Natural Resources | accessdate = 2009-08-07 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20090323052237/http://www.gastateparks.org/info/indspr/ | archivedate = 2009-03-23 }}</ref>  In 1864 [[Yosemite Valley]] and [[Mariposa Grove]] were ceded by the federal government to California<ref name=NYSA_EnvHist/> until [[Yosemite National Park]] was proclaimed in 1890.<ref>{{cite web | title = Yosemite National Park: Stories | url = http://www.nps.gov/yose/historyculture/stories.htm | publisher = National Park Service | date = 2011-01-19 | accessdate = 2011-05-20}}</ref>  In 1878 [[Wisconsin]] set aside a vast swath of its northern forests as "The State Park" but, needing money, sold most of it to lumber companies within 20 years.<ref>{{cite web | title = Wisconsin State Parks through the Years | url = http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/Centennial/ | publisher = Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | accessdate = 2011-05-20 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20091018205443/http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/Centennial/ | archivedate = 2009-10-18 }}</ref>  The first state park with the designation of "state park" was [[Mackinac Island State Park]] in 1895, which was first a national park before being transferred to the state of [[Michigan]].<ref>{{cite web | title = Mackinac Island State Park | url = http://www.mackinacparks.com/history/index.aspx?l=0,1,4,32,192 | publisher = Mackinac Island State Park Commission | accessdate = 2011-05-13}}</ref>
+The title of oldest state park in the United States is claimed by [[Niagara Falls State Park]] in [[New York (state)|New York]], established in 1885.<ref>{{cite web | title = The Niagara Reservation - A Historical Perspective | author = Niagara Frontier State Parks & Recreation Commission | url = http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/46/history.aspx | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120712155259/http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/46/history.aspx | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2012-07-12 | publisher = New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation | access-date = 2011-05-13}}</ref><ref name=NYSP_NFSP>{{cite web |url=http://parks.ny.gov/parks/46/details.aspx |title=Niagara Falls State Park |publisher=New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation |access-date=2016-10-08}}</ref>  Several public parks previously or currently maintained at the state level pre-date it.<ref name=NYSA_EnvHist>{{cite web |url=http://www.archives.nysed.gov/common/archives/files/mr_pub72.pdf |title=Publication #72 - Environmental Affairs in New York State: A Historical Overview |publisher=New York State Archives |date=2001 |author=Edmondson, Brad |pages=7–9 |access-date=2016-10-08}}</ref> [[Indian Springs State Park]] has been operated continuously by the state of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] as a public park since 1825, although it did not gain the title "State Park" until 1931.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://gastateparks.org/info/indspr/ | title = Indian Springs State Park | publisher = Georgia Department of Natural Resources | access-date = 2009-08-07 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090323052237/http://www.gastateparks.org/info/indspr/ | archive-date = 2009-03-23 }}</ref>  In 1864 [[Yosemite Valley]] and [[Mariposa Grove]] were ceded by the federal government to California<ref name=NYSA_EnvHist/> until [[Yosemite National Park]] was proclaimed in 1890.<ref>{{cite web | title = Yosemite National Park: Stories | url = http://www.nps.gov/yose/historyculture/stories.htm | publisher = National Park Service | date = 2011-01-19 | access-date = 2011-05-20}}</ref>  In 1878 [[Wisconsin]] set aside a vast swath of its northern forests as "The State Park" but, needing money, sold most of it to lumber companies within 20 years.<ref>{{cite web | title = Wisconsin State Parks through the Years | url = http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/Centennial/ | publisher = Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | access-date = 2011-05-20 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091018205443/http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/Centennial/ | archive-date = 2009-10-18 }}</ref>  Mackinac National Park was established in 1875 as the second U.S. national park before being converted to a state park in 1895. The first state park with the designation of "state park" was [[Itasca State Park]] in [[Minnesota]], established in 1891.<ref>[https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/1891/0/General+Laws/Chapter/56/pdf/ General Laws]</ref>
+Many state park systems date to the 1930s, when around 800 state parks (and several national ones) across the country were developed with assistance from federal [[job-creation program]]s like the [[Civilian Conservation Corps]] and [[Works Progress Administration]].<ref>{{cite news | last = Don | title = The monument builders - CCC: The Depression-era corps built roads, parks and bridges, and now people are raising money for a monument to them | newspaper = Duluth News Tribune | location = Duluth, Minn. | date = 2006-01-09}}</ref>
-Many state park systems date to the 1930s, when around 800 state parks across the country were developed with assistance from federal [[job creation program]]s like the [[Civilian Conservation Corps]] and [[Works Progress Administration]].<ref>{{cite news | last = Don | title = The monument builders - CCC: The Depression-era corps built roads, parks and bridges, and now people are raising money for a monument to them | newspaper = Duluth News Tribune | location = Duluth, Minn. | date = 2006-01-09}}</ref>
 ===Brazil===
 {{main|State park (Brazil)}}
@@ Line 32: / Line 34: @@
 {{Commons category|State parks}}
 [[File:Denalibeyersflatcalm.JPG|thumb|[[Denali State Park]], Alaska]]
-*[[List of U.S. state parks]]
+*[[Lists of state parks by U.S. state]]
-*[[Wilderness preservation systems in the United States]]
+*[[National Wilderness Preservation System]] (United States)
+*[[State forest]]
+*[[Regional park]]
+*[[Open space reserve]]
 ==References==
@@ Line 39: / Line 44: @@
 ==Further reading==
-* Ahlgren, Carol. "The Civilian Conservation Corps and Wisconsin State Park Development." ''Wisconsin Magazine of History'' (1988): 184-204. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/4636125 in JSTOR]
+* Ahlgren, Carol. "The Civilian Conservation Corps and Wisconsin State Park Development." ''Wisconsin Magazine of History'' (1988): 184–204. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/4636125 in JSTOR]
 * Landrum, Ney C. ''The State Park Movement in America: A Critical Review'' (2013) [https://www.amazon.com/State-Park-Movement-America-Critical/dp/0826220185/  excerpt and text search]
 * Larson, Zeb. "Silver Falls State Park and the Early Environmental Movement." ''Oregon Historical Quarterly'' (2011) 112#1 pp: 34-57 [https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5403/oregonhistq.112.1.0034 in JSTOR]
 * Newton, Norman T. "The State Park Movement: 1864-1933;" and "State Parks and the Civilian Conservation Corps, Parkways and Their Offspring." in ''Design on the Land: the Development of Landscape Architecture'' (Harvard UP 1971)
-* Parker, Eugene Phillip. "When Forests Trumped Parks: The Maryland Experience, 1906-1950." ''Maryland Historical Magazine'' (2006) 101#2 pp: 203-224.
+* Parker, Eugene Phillip. "When Forests Trumped Parks: The Maryland Experience, 1906-1950." ''Maryland Historical Magazine'' (2006) 101#2 pp: 203–224.
 [[Category:State parks| ]]