List of proposed national parks of the United States

For an area to become a unit of the National Park System, it must possess nationally significant natural, cultural, or recreational resources; be a suitable and feasible addition to the system; and require direct management by the National Park Service (rather than protection by the private sector or other governmental agencies). Members of the United States Congress can authorize the NPS to conduct a special resource study to gather information surrounding potential inclusions into the National Park System. Each special resource study will examine each of the above four criteria individually. However, units of the System are ultimately created by legislation. Proposed parks which have seen legislation put forth in Congress are shaded in green in this list. Other proposals, including those by the public in the form of documents or editorials in local media, are also included.