We recently returned from an amazing trip to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and National Park of American Samoa (our 62nd of 63 National Parks).  While in Hawai‘i, we noticed two cool license plates on cars celebrating the state’s two parks, which you can even purchase in keychain form.  This made us reflect on all of the interesting plates we have seen that commemorate National Park Service sites across the country.  We also added photos to our previous posts on the Big Island’s Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park, Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, and Pu‘ukoholā Heiau National Historic Site.  Click here to see all of our Top 10 Lists.

10. National Parks of Washington

The standard license plate for Washington state depicts Mount Rainier, but this new one seemingly covers North Cascades and Olympic National Parks as well

9. Yellowstone National Park (Montana)

The first ever National Park is mostly located in Wyoming, but only Montana offers a special plate

8. Glacier National Park (Montana)

Another of the approximately 200 different license plates available in Montana, which is by far the most of any state

7. Yosemite National Park (California)

We always found the image on this specialty plate a little too washed out to see while driving down the road when we lived in California (but more interesting than the state’s white plate)

6. Big Bend National Park (Texas)

The image on this plate is tucked into the corner, sort of like Big Bend in Texas itself

5. Everglades National Park (Florida)

A roseate spoonbill adorns this plate commemorating the River of Grass

4. Haleakalā National Park (Hawai‘i)

This plate depicts the endangered Hawaiian goose (nēnē), which we have only seen at the landfill on Kauai

3. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)

A beautiful license plate for a beautiful National Park

2. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park (Hawai‘i)

Seeing lava is the best reason to visit this park, although it is harder to predict since Pu‘u Ō‘ō stopped flowing into the ocean in 2018

…and finally our #1 National Park License Plate:

1. Arches National Park (Utah)

This stunning plate has been standard issue for all Utah drivers for decades and depicts Delicate Arch while not specifically mentioning the National Park (there is a mostly white Zion plate, too)

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Honorable Mentions

Devils Tower National Monument (Wyoming)

Our home state changes its license plate background image every 10 years by law, so currently it shows Bridger National Forest, but who knows in 2027

Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)

This was the beautiful license plate when we moved to Wyoming in 2012

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park (Alaska)

This was the cool plate depicting the golden stairs in Dyea when Scott moved to Alaska for grad school

Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina)

This park split evenly across two states is famous for its large population of black bears

Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Tennessee)

The second license plate dedicated to the most visited of the 63 National Parks

Blue Ridge Parkway (North Carolina)

This distinctive plate has been available since we lived in North Carolina almost 20 years ago

Blue Ridge Parkway (Virginia)

We have never seen this neat plate on the road and discovered it while researching this Top 10 List

Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)

We have never seen this neat plate on the road and discovered it while researching this Top 10 List

San Juan National Historic Site (Puerto Rico)

The garitas on the walls of Old San Juan are an iconic symbol of Puerto Rico

National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa)

Flowerpot Rock is not actually in the park, but we liked this colorful plate the best during our recent trip