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Between mining, drilling, climate change deniers, and budget cuts, our National Parks System is in trouble.
2025 has been an utter nightmare for the National Park Service. Along with extensive budget cuts and the mass layoffs of park employees, our “best idea” is currently under attack from the Trump administration. While fighting for our public lands is nothing new, it has been a battle since they were created, the challenges Americans face protecting our favorite places have never loomed so large.
While all 433 park units are under threat, national park units are some of our most beloved and iconic natural spaces. If you would like to express your concerns about the future of our parks, protesting, sharing accurate information online, and alerting others to the danger they face are good places to start.
1 OF 10
Grand Canyon National Park
WHERE: Arizona
With President Donald Trump proposing a $900 million budget cut to our parks in 2026, the Grand Canyon might be one of the most at-risk in the near future. The current ban on uranium mining was under scrutiny during his last term in 2017, meaning it is likely on the docket over the next three years to be repealed. Protection for watershed areas might also be revisited for a park that has already fought battle after battle over the use of the Colorado River. As one of the system’s most iconic parks, the Canyon serves as a dire warning if no action is taken.
2 OF 10
Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park
WHERE: Utah
Located right next to Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, these twin parks are being eyed for drilling, only 0.25 miles from the park boundaries. Proposed in 2020, the plan was pulled after advocacy from a number of organizations, including Tribal communities, park lovers, and outdoor enthusiasts. However, with limited funding, the use of 80,000 acres for oil extraction is likely to be revisited. This could lead to pollution and spoil the area’s famous clear skies, which are ideal for stargazing.
3 OF 10
Great Sand Dunes National Park
WHERE: Colorado
Like Arches and Canyonlands, Great Sand Dunes is also on the list of parks that might be fighting off companies looking to lease land near the park for drilling. In 2018, it was proposed that 18,000 acres would be used for development–the equivalent of 14,000 football fields. If the current administration were to encroach on the nearby BLM land, visitors can expect poor air and water quality, as well as a threat to its status as a Dark Sky Park.
4 OF 10
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
WHERE: North Dakota
Theodore Roosevelt is located right on top of the Bakken Formation, a massive reserve of oil and gas. The park has already dealt with the ramifications of increased development–the surrounding Little Missouri National Grassland has had 90% of its land leased out for new infrastructure. This is likely to continue to be a target since it has been expressed that drilling is a top priority for Trump and the secretary of the interior, Doug Burgum.
5 OF 10
Rocky Mountain National Park
WHERE: Colorado
Rollbacks of clean air initiatives initiated by this administration are likely to affect Rocky Mountain National Park. This popular and beloved park, located not far from the Denver area, has also been viewed as a resource for drilling, meaning that it could be hit with two compounding problems. The region already faces air pollution from the metro area and the leases that have been granted by the BLM at the western entrance.
6 OF 10
Everglades National Park
WHERE: Florida
Climate change looms as a threat over the preservation of the Everglades. Not only is the park located next to Big Cypress National Preserve and the South Florida Detention Center (a.k.a. Alligator Alcatraz), but the budget cuts in both climate research and park services are likely to impact this fragile ecosystem. Stronger storms and rising sea levels serve as a warning for what is to come, and the lack of funding will only contribute to the destruction of the park.
7 OF 10
Joshua Tree National Park
WHERE: California
Joshua Tree is another beloved park facing climate change as a challenge. Hotter conditions and less rainfall have caused fires that have destroyed its namesake tree. The 2020 Dome Fire burned nearly 70 square miles within the park and killed 1.3 million Joshua trees. Vandalism is another common issue that park rangers face, and with fewer staff and a lack of funding, it becomes even harder to manage both wildfires and tourists.
8 OF 10
Gates of the Arctic National Park
WHERE: Alaska
During the Biden administration, permits were canceled for the 211-mile Ambler mining industrial road that was set to cut through Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve. This was hailed as a victory since the road would have severed 20 million acres of national park land and would have disrupted the lives of 66 Native Alaskan communities. With Trump in office, this is likely to be revisited, meaning the migration route for the Western Arctic Caribou herd is once again in danger.
9 OF 10
Big Bend National Park
WHERE: Texas
Big Bend National Park faces environmental concerns as well as a potential border wall. This remote area of Texas has been spared from the construction of a wall, though troops from the United States Army were sent into the park itself to patrol the border. A border wall would disrupt migration patterns for species such as jaguar, ocelot, and black bear, as well as compound storm damage. Under the 2005 Real ID Act, the Department of Homeland Security is allowed to waive all environmental impact statements, leaving Big Bend especially vulnerable.
10 OF 10
Glacier National Park
WHERE: Montana
Receding glaciers due to climate change have drastically changed Glacier National Park’s landscape. This is almost certain to continue because of the lack of federal climate action. In Trump’s previous term, 92 documents describing the National Park System’s climate plan were removed from its website. While it was protested, the severe budget cuts facing both the parks and the Environmental Protection Agency mean that parks like Glacier have a fight ahead of them as remaining park employees, protestors, advocates, and Tribal leaders continue to care for our incredible public lands.