Discover How Native American Cultures Shaped Some of the Most Famous National Parks in the Country
The breathtaking landscapes of America’s national parks often inspire awe and admiration, drawing millions of visitors each year. These parks are celebrated for their towering mountains, sweeping canyons, vast forests, and unique geological formations. However, the history behind these natural wonders is often more complex than what is commonly portrayed. Long before the establishment of national parks, these lands were home to Indigenous peoples who lived, thrived, and developed deep spiritual connections with the land for thousands of years. This essay explores the hidden stories of how Native American cultures influenced, and continue to influence, some of the most iconic national parks in the United States.
The Legacy of Displacement: The Creation of National Parks
When discussing Native American influence on national parks, it’s important to acknowledge the painful legacy of displacement. The creation of many national parks in the late 19th and early 20th centuries often involved forcibly removing Indigenous communities from their ancestral homelands. The concept of setting aside land as “wilderness” or “untouched nature” was rooted in European-American ideals, which disregarded the presence of Native peoples who had managed and inhabited these landscapes for millennia. This erasure of Native communities from their lands is a dark chapter in the history of conservation.
Yosemite National Park, for example, is one of the most famous cases of displacement. The Ahwahneechee people, who lived in the Yosemite Valley for generations, were driven out when the area was designated as a protected space. The same occurred in Yellowstone, where the Crow, Shoshone, and Bannock tribes were pushed out, and in Glacier National Park, where the Blackfeet were forced to cede much of their territory. These actions were justified under the belief that nature needed to be preserved in a “pristine” state—free from human interference—despite the fact that Indigenous peoples had been active stewards of these lands for thousands of years.
Indigenous Land Management: Stewardship and Traditional Ecological Knowledge
The idea that national parks were “untouched wilderness” before European settlement ignores the sophisticated land management practices that Native Americans developed over millennia. Indigenous peoples actively shaped their environments through controlled burns, hunting practices, agricultural systems, and more. These practices, known today as Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), were based on a deep understanding of local ecosystems and helped maintain biodiversity and ecological balance.
For example, in the Sierra Nevada region, the Miwok and other tribes used controlled burns to manage the growth of forests and meadows. These burns helped reduce the risk of large wildfires, encouraged the growth of certain plants, and created habitats for wildlife. Today, the National Park Service is beginning to reintroduce prescribed burns as a method of forest management—a practice directly inspired by Indigenous techniques.
In the Everglades, the Miccosukee and Seminole tribes managed the flow of water and cultivated crops like corn and beans in harmony with the wetlands. Their practices informed sustainable agricultural systems that allowed them to thrive in a challenging environment. The wisdom of these communities continues to be relevant as modern conservationists work to restore the delicate ecosystems within Everglades National Park.
Cultural Landscapes: Sacred Sites in National Parks
For Native American communities, the landscapes preserved within national parks are not just natural wonders—they are sacred spaces filled with spiritual significance. Many mountains, valleys, rivers, and rock formations within national parks are central to Indigenous creation stories, ceremonies, and cultural identities. However, the spiritual importance of these landscapes is often overlooked in mainstream narratives about the parks.
One prominent example is Devil’s Tower in Wyoming, known as Mato Tipila (Bear Lodge) to the Lakota Sioux and other Plains tribes. This towering rock formation is a sacred site where ceremonies and vision quests have been conducted for centuries. While it was declared the first national monument in 1906, its spiritual significance to Indigenous peoples predates that designation by millennia. The National Park Service now works closely with tribes to ensure that climbers and visitors respect the site, particularly during the month of June, when many tribes conduct religious ceremonies there.
In the Grand Canyon, the Havasupai, Hopi, Navajo, and Zuni peoples have long viewed the canyon as a sacred place. The Havasupai, who were largely displaced when the park was established, continue to reside in a small area at the bottom of the canyon, while the Hopi consider the confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado rivers as the point of emergence from their creation story. The Grand Canyon is not merely a stunning geological formation; it is a place where the spiritual and physical worlds are intertwined for these tribes.
Mount Rainier in Washington, called Tahoma or Tacobet by the Yakama and Puyallup tribes, is another example. The mountain is considered sacred, representing the presence of powerful spirits. Native stories describe the mountain as the home of deities and ancestors, and the surrounding area was historically used for vision quests and gatherings. Despite its cultural significance, these perspectives were largely excluded from early park narratives. However, in recent years, the National Park Service has made efforts to include Native voices and integrate Indigenous history into the interpretation of these landscapes.
Modern Partnerships: Collaborative Stewardship
Over the past few decades, there has been a growing recognition of the need to include Native American voices in the management of national parks. Collaborative stewardship initiatives have emerged in which tribal nations and the National Park Service work together to protect and manage these lands in ways that respect both conservation goals and Indigenous cultural practices.
At Glacier National Park, the Blackfeet Nation is actively involved in managing the park’s eastern boundary, which borders their reservation. The Blackfeet have long held a deep connection to the region’s mountains, which are considered sacred. The park and the Blackfeet Nation have developed partnerships that allow for traditional hunting practices and the gathering of medicinal plants within the park. These agreements reflect a shift toward recognizing Indigenous rights and integrating TEK into park management.
Similarly, in Yosemite National Park, the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation is engaged in efforts to reintroduce traditional land management practices, such as controlled burns and the restoration of meadows. The park’s interpretation programs have also evolved to include the stories, history, and ongoing presence of the Miwuk people, offering visitors a more holistic understanding of the land’s cultural significance.
In Bears Ears National Monument, located in Utah, five tribes—the Hopi, Navajo, Ute Indian Tribe, Ute Mountain Ute, and Zuni—came together to advocate for the protection of a region rich in archaeological sites and spiritual importance. When Bears Ears was designated as a national monument in 2016, it marked a historic moment, as it was the first monument to be co-managed by tribal nations. Although the monument’s status has faced challenges, the collaborative model set by Bears Ears represents a significant step forward in recognizing Indigenous leadership in land conservation.
Reclaiming History: Indigenous Narratives in National Park Interpretation
For much of their history, national parks primarily presented a Euro-American narrative that emphasized exploration, wilderness, and “conquering” the land. Indigenous histories, if mentioned at all, were often relegated to prehistory or treated as a static part of the past. However, this is changing as more parks incorporate Indigenous perspectives into their interpretation and educational programs.
At Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, which protects the ancient cliff dwellings of the Ancestral Puebloans, the park’s interpretation has shifted to highlight the living descendants of those who built these structures—the Hopi, Zuni, and other Pueblo tribes. The park works closely with these communities to ensure that the story told is not just about the past, but also about the present-day cultural connections that continue to exist.
In Acadia National Park in Maine, the Wabanaki Confederacy, which includes the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Maliseet, and Mi’kmaq tribes, has been increasingly involved in the park’s interpretation and management. The Wabanaki people have lived in the region for thousands of years, and their stories and knowledge are now more prominently featured in visitor centers and educational programs. This partnership represents a growing recognition that national parks can be places where Native histories are not just remembered, but actively integrated into the present.
Conclusion: The Path Forward
The story of Native American influence on U.S. national parks is one of both loss and resilience. While the creation of these parks often involved the displacement and marginalization of Indigenous peoples, it is also a story of survival, cultural continuity, and growing recognition of Indigenous rights. Native American communities are reclaiming their voices and their roles as stewards of the lands that have always been central to their identities.
As visitors to these parks, it is important to recognize the deep histories and spiritual connections that Native peoples have with these landscapes. Understanding the hidden stories of Indigenous influence can lead to a more respectful and enriching experience, one that honors the cultures that have shaped these lands for millennia. By embracing partnerships with Native communities, integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge into land management, and telling more inclusive histories, the National Park Service and the broader public can move toward a future where national parks truly reflect the diversity and complexity of the American landscape.
The hidden stories of Native American influence in U.S. national parks remind us that these lands are more than just scenic destinations—they are living cultural landscapes, filled with meaning and significance for the tribes who have called them home for generations. As we explore these parks, we have the opportunity to deepen our understanding of what it means to protect and preserve not just the natural world, but the cultural heritage that is inseparable from it