U.S. National Parks Quiz

About U.S. National Parks Quiz

Give your memory a workout with U.S. National Parks Quiz: 15 multiple-choice questions with a mix of 7 medium, 6 easy, 2 hard questions, free to play right in your browser. Test your recall of America's beloved national parks, from Yellowstone's geysers to the Grand Canyon's rims. Expect to spend about 7 minutes; every question comes with an explanation, so you learn something even when you miss.

A few sample questions

1. 1. Old Faithful, the famous geyser that erupts roughly every 60 to 110 minutes, is located in which national park?

   Answer: Yellowstone National Park

   Old Faithful is the crown jewel of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, which became the world's first national park in 1872. It earned its name because early visitors marveled at how reliably it erupted.

2. 2. Half Dome, the iconic granite peak that rises about 4,737 feet above the valley floor, is the signature landmark of which park?

   Answer: Yosemite National Park

   Half Dome towers over Yosemite Valley in California and has been a symbol of Yosemite National Park since the park was established in 1890. Its sheer northwest face is one of the most recognizable rock formations in the world.

3. 3. The Everglades, the only subtropical wilderness in North America, is located in which U.S. state?

   Answer: Florida

   Everglades National Park occupies the southern tip of Florida and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. It is home to rare and endangered species including the Florida panther and American crocodile.

4. 4. The Grand Canyon was carved over millions of years by which major river?

   Answer: The Colorado River

   The Colorado River carved the Grand Canyon over roughly 5 to 6 million years, exposing rock layers that tell nearly two billion years of Earth's geological history. The canyon stretches about 277 miles long and reaches a mile deep.

5. 5. Acadia National Park, famous for its rocky coastline and Cadillac Mountain, is located in which New England state?

   Answer: Maine

   Acadia National Park sits on Mount Desert Island along the coast of Maine and was the first national park established east of the Mississippi River. From October through early March, Cadillac Mountain is the first place in the continental U.S. to see the sunrise.

Things you'll learn along the way

• ✓The tall, thin spires of rock at Bryce Canyon are called hoodoos, formed by the weathering of Claron limestone over millions of years. Bryce Canyon has the largest concentration of hoodoos anywhere on Earth.
• ✓Hyperion, discovered in 2006, stands about 380 feet tall and lives within Redwood National and State Parks in northern California. Its exact location is kept secret to protect it from excessive foot traffic.
• ✓Mammoth Cave has more than 400 miles of surveyed passageways, making it the longest known cave system in the world by a wide margin. Archaeologists have found evidence that Native Americans explored the cave over 4,000 years ago.