National Parks

What is National Parks about?

Provides access to the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) API, allowing users to retrieve up‑to‑date data about parks, alerts, visitor centers, campgrounds, events, and activity‑based searches.

How to use National Parks?

1. Obtain a free API key from the NPS Developer Portal.
2. Install the server (e.g., npx -y mcp-server-nationalparks).
3. Set the environment variable NPS_API_KEY with your key.
4. Call the exposed tools (findParks, getParkDetails, getAlerts, getVisitorCenters, getCampgrounds, getEvents) from any MCP‑compatible client such as Claude Desktop.

Key Features of National Parks

• findParks – Search parks by state, keyword, activity, pagination, and result limit.
• getParkDetails – Retrieve comprehensive information for a specific park code.
• getAlerts – Get current alerts, closures, and hazards, optionally filtered by park.
• getVisitorCenters – List visitor centers with locations, hours, and contacts.
• getCampgrounds – Access campground amenities, fees, and reservation details.
• getEvents – Discover upcoming events with date filtering and keyword search.

Use Cases of National Parks

• Trip planning – Identify parks in a region, check fees, and find suitable activities.
• Safety monitoring – Pull real‑time alerts to avoid closures or hazards.
• Event discovery – Show visitors upcoming programs or festivals at a park.
• Camping reservations – Locate campgrounds with required amenities (e.g., electrical hookups).
• Activity‑based recommendations – Filter parks by hiking, camping, wildlife viewing, etc.

FAQ from the National Parks

• Do I need an API key? Yes, set NPS_API_KEY in the environment.
• What is the maximum number of results? Up to 50 per request (configurable via limit).
• Can I query multiple parks at once? Yes, provide a comma‑separated list of park codes.
• How is pagination handled? Use the start parameter to specify the offset.
• Is there a rate limit? The NPS API imposes its own limits; respect them to avoid throttling.

National Parks MCP Server

MCP Server for the National Park Service (NPS) API, providing real-time information about U.S. National Parks, including park details, alerts, and activities.

Tools

1. findParks

   • Search for national parks based on various criteria
   • Inputs:
     • stateCode (optional string): Filter parks by state code (e.g., "CA" for California). Multiple states can be comma-separated (e.g., "CA,OR,WA")
     • q (optional string): Search term to filter parks by name or description
     • limit (optional number): Maximum number of parks to return (default: 10, max: 50)
     • start (optional number): Start position for results (useful for pagination)
     • activities (optional string): Filter by available activities (e.g., "hiking,camping")
   • Returns: Matching parks with detailed information

2. getParkDetails

   • Get comprehensive information about a specific national park
   • Inputs:
     • parkCode (string): The park code of the national park (e.g., "yose" for Yosemite, "grca" for Grand Canyon)
   • Returns: Detailed park information including descriptions, hours, fees, contacts, and activities

3. getAlerts

   • Get current alerts for national parks including closures, hazards, and important information
   • Inputs:
     • parkCode (optional string): Filter alerts by park code (e.g., "yose" for Yosemite). Multiple parks can be comma-separated (e.g., "yose,grca")
     • limit (optional number): Maximum number of alerts to return (default: 10, max: 50)
     • start (optional number): Start position for results (useful for pagination)
     • q (optional string): Search term to filter alerts by title or description
   • Returns: Current alerts organized by park

4. getVisitorCenters

   • Get information about visitor centers and their operating hours
   • Inputs:
     • parkCode (optional string): Filter visitor centers by park code (e.g., "yose" for Yosemite). Multiple parks can be comma-separated (e.g., "yose,grca")
     • limit (optional number): Maximum number of visitor centers to return (default: 10, max: 50)
     • start (optional number): Start position for results (useful for pagination)
     • q (optional string): Search term to filter visitor centers by name or description
   • Returns: Visitor center information including location, hours, and contact details

5. getCampgrounds

   • Get information about available campgrounds and their amenities
   • Inputs:
     • parkCode (optional string): Filter campgrounds by park code (e.g., "yose" for Yosemite). Multiple parks can be comma-separated (e.g., "yose,grca")
     • limit (optional number): Maximum number of campgrounds to return (default: 10, max: 50)
     • start (optional number): Start position for results (useful for pagination)
     • q (optional string): Search term to filter campgrounds by name or description
   • Returns: Campground information including amenities, fees, and reservation details

6. getEvents

   • Find upcoming events at parks
   • Inputs:
     • parkCode (optional string): Filter events by park code (e.g., "yose" for Yosemite). Multiple parks can be comma-separated (e.g., "yose,grca")
     • limit (optional number): Maximum number of events to return (default: 10, max: 50)
     • start (optional number): Start position for results (useful for pagination)
     • dateStart (optional string): Start date for filtering events (format: YYYY-MM-DD)
     • dateEnd (optional string): End date for filtering events (format: YYYY-MM-DD)
     • q (optional string): Search term to filter events by title or description
   • Returns: Event information including dates, times, and descriptions

Setup

Installing via Smithery

To install mcp-server-nationalparks for Claude Desktop automatically via Smithery:

npx -y @smithery/cli install @KyrieTangSheng/mcp-server-nationalparks --client claude

NPS API Key

1. Get a free API key from the National Park Service Developer Portal
2. Store this key securely as it will be used to authenticate requests

Usage with Claude Desktop

To use this server with Claude Desktop, add the following to your claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nationalparks": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-server-nationalparks"],
      "env": {
        "NPS_API_KEY": "YOUR_NPS_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Example Usage

Finding Parks in a State

Tell me about national parks in Colorado.

Getting Details About a Specific Park

What's the entrance fee for Yellowstone National Park?

Checking for Alerts or Closures

Are there any closures or alerts at Yosemite right now?

Finding Visitor Centers

What visitor centers are available at Grand Canyon National Park?

Looking for Campgrounds

Are there any campgrounds with electrical hookups in Zion National Park?

Finding Upcoming Events

What events are happening at Acadia National Park next weekend?

Planning a Trip Based on Activities

Which national parks in Utah have good hiking trails?

License

This MCP server is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

Appendix: Popular National Parks and their codes

Park Name	Park Code
Yosemite	yose
Grand Canyon	grca
Yellowstone	yell
Zion	zion
Great Smoky Mountains	grsm
Acadia	acad
Olympic	olym
Rocky Mountain	romo
Joshua Tree	jotr
Sequoia & Kings Canyon	seki

For a complete list, visit the NPS website.