Texas National Park Map

About Texas National Park Map

Explore the map of Texas showing all the national parks with state parks, country boundary, state boundary and state capital.

List of National Parks in Texas

Park Name	Location	Year Established	Area	Major Features	Managed By
Big Bend National Park	Southwest Texas, along the U.S.-Mexico border	1944	801,163 acres (3,242 km²)	Chihuahuan Desert, Rio Grande, mountains, canyons, hot springs	National Park Service
Guadalupe Mountains National Park	West Texas, near the New Mexico border	1972	86,367 acres (349.5 km²)	Guadalupe Peak (Texas' highest point), fossil reefs, hiking trails	National Park Service
Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park	Brownsville, South Texas	1992	3,400 acres (13.8 km²)	Historic battle site of the Mexican–American War	National Park Service
Padre Island National Seashore	South Texas, along the Gulf Coast	1962	130,434 acres (527.6 km²)	Longest undeveloped barrier island, sea turtles, birding, beaches	National Park Service
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park	Stonewall & Johnson City, Central Texas	1969	1,570 acres (6.4 km²)	LBJ Ranch, Presidential birthplace, Texas White House	National Park Service
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park	San Antonio, Texas	1983	829 acres (3.4 km²)	Four 18th-century Spanish missions; UNESCO World Heritage Site	National Park Service
Waco Mammoth National Monument	Waco, Central Texas	2015	107 acres (0.43 km²)	Ice Age mammoth fossil site, active paleontological dig	National Park Service / City of Waco
Chamizal National Memorial	El Paso, West Texas	1966	55 acres (0.22 km²)	U.S.-Mexico border dispute resolution memorial, cultural center	National Park Service
Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument	Near Lake Meredith, Texas Panhandle	1965	1,371 acres (5.55 km²)	Prehistoric flint quarries used by Native Americans for toolmaking	National Park Service
Amistad National Recreation Area	Del Rio, Southwest Texas	1969	58,500 acres (237 km²)	Lake Amistad, water sports, rock art, borderland canyons	National Park Service

National Parks in Texas

Texas stands as the second-largest state in America by size and human population while maintaining an impressive collection of national parks and monuments and protected areas which display its diverse natural landscapes and geological features and cultural history. The national parks in Texas present diverse experiences for outdoor enthusiasts and history buffs and wildlife lovers through their desert mountain ranges and fossil reefs and coastal barrier islands and Ice Age fossil beds.

Major National Parks

The National Park Service has designated Big Bend National Park and Guadalupe Mountains National Park as the official National Parks of Texas. The two parks situated in western Texas showcase the dramatic Chihuahuan Desert landscape of the region.

Big Bend National Park received its establishment in 1944 to protect its vast 801,000-acre territory which stands as one of America's most distant and infrequently visited national parks. The park features spectacular Rio Grande-carved canyons together with diverse desert environments and the majestic Chisos Mountains. The park holds International Dark Sky Park status which provides outstanding opportunities for stargazing. The park offers visitors more than 150 miles of trails and natural hot springs and scenic desert drives.

The Guadalupe Mountains National Park was established in 1972 near the New Mexico border and contains Guadalupe Peak which stands as the highest point in Texas at 8,751 feet. The park protects a section of the ancient Capitan Reef which was a massive fossil reef system from the Permian period. The park provides challenging hiking trails which lead through canyons and pine forests and high desert plateaus and attracts many backpackers and birdwatchers.

Other National Park Units in Texas

Texas has multiple federally protected sites beyond its two national parks which are managed by the National Park Service through National Historical Parks and National Monuments and National Memorials and National Recreation Areas.

Padre Island National Seashore extends 70 miles along the Gulf Coast as the longest barrier island without human development in the world. The protected coastal habitats serve as an essential nesting site for the endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle. Thousands of visitors visit the seashore each year to enjoy camping and fishing and beachcombing and birdwatching.

The San Antonio Missions National Historical Park safeguards four Spanish missions from the 18th century including Concepción, San José, San Juan and Espada which display colonial-era architectural styles and cultural elements. The four missions alongside the Alamo create a UNESCO World Heritage Site that showcases essential Texas historical events.

The Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park marks the initial battle of the Mexican–American War while Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park serves as a tribute to the 36th U.S. president and Waco Mammoth National Monument contains active paleontological excavations of Columbian mammoth fossils which date back more than 65,000 years.

The prehistoric Native American flint toolmaking quarries at Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument in the Texas Panhandle remain preserved as a historical site. The Chamizal National Memorial in El Paso serves as a tribute to the peaceful border dispute resolution between the United States and Mexico that spanned a century.

The National Recreation Area Amistad National Recreation Area provides visitors with water-based activities such as boating and fishing and scuba diving while offering access to rock art and distant desert regions surrounding Lake Amistad near Del Rio.

Importance and Visitation

Texas national parks receive millions of visitors annually which drives substantial growth to the state's tourism industry. The protected areas provide outdoor recreation and educational opportunities while preserving ecosystems and historic landmarks and cultural landscapes that are distinct to the Lone Star State. The national park sites in Texas draw visitors from diverse backgrounds across the United States and worldwide because of their growing popularity in sustainable travel and heritage tourism.