Join the National Parks Playoff Challenge on Twitter!

Note: This article was updated April 8, 2020, to clarify that the challenge is being conducted on Twitter. 

Even during this time of uncertainty, when visits to many national park sites are restricted because of health and safety concerns, we can still enjoy the great outdoors. Whether you love to climb to new heights, hike in a desert, swim in crystalline waters, or immerse in American historic events right where they occurred, the National Park System has something for you.

But our parks are in trouble, with long-postponed repairs that total in the billions of dollars. Priority repair needs alone are estimated at nearly $9 billion. These issues range from crumbling historic buildings and leaking sewage pipes to badly potholed roads and faulty electrical systems. 

To gear up for National Park Week (April 18-26), Pew has crafted some at-home entertainment that enables you to vote for the national park site you’d most like to visit. We’re starting with a list of 16 sites, selected from among Pew staff favorites. Now through April 24, you can vote daily on Twitter for the park you most want to visit in these four categories—mountain, water, historical, and desert/cavern—and follow along as the field narrows to an eventual winner.

Throughout the challenge you, and perhaps children stuck at home with you can also learn more about each site—its geography, when it was established, the number of visitors, and dollars needed for overdue repairs. Play along by following the @FixOurParksUS Twitter feed and the hashtag #ParksPlayoff. The winner will be announced there on April 26, the last day of National Park Week.

Here are the park contestants in each category.

Mountain Parks

Desert/Cavern Parks

Water Parks

Historical Parks 

Marcia Argust directs The Pew Charitable Trusts’ campaign to restore America’s parks.