Often it’s only when you stand in one of the world’s national parks that you can truly realise the sheer scale and beauty of Mother Nature. However, these protected areas are not just beauty spots for intrepid travellers. These parks are vital to everything from conservation efforts to the cultural preservation of Indigenous populations. Here are some of the most recent additions to the world's roster of national parks.

New Mexico has long been home to white gypsum sand dunes. However, it was only in 2019 that this natural marvel gained national park status, which now means 275 square miles (712sq km) of the desert are protected. Although the dunes are popularly known for being white, they do change colour as they reflect the colours of sunrise and sunset.

Visitors to White Sands National Park are able to sledge down the park's numerous sandy dunes – one of the park's most popular activities. However, visitors can also soak up the landscape while camping in the park, on full-moon hikes or watching meteor showers. There’s a lot of biodiversity to be found here and the park’s ranger programmes also provide guided tours for those who wish to learn more.

You may be surprised to see Indiana Dunes among the newest national parks because it was recognised as a national lakeshore way back in 1966, on account of its 15-mile (24km) shoreline running along Lake Michigan. However, it was only in 2019 that the Indiana Dunes were finally declared a national park in recognition of its 15,000 acres of terrain, which includes wetlands, forests and of course, dunes.

Indiana Dune’s status as a national lakeshore had already placed it as a popular spot for visitors looking for a beach day. More recently, its wetlands have contributed to protecting rare birds, which can be seen on the park’s 50 miles (80km) worth of trails. One of these trails is named after Alice Mabel Gray, who hiked and lived in the dunes alone in an abandoned shanty in the early 1900s.

In 2019, Thaidene Nene became Canada’s newest national park. The area, which sits on the east side of the Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories, comprises of barrens and subarctic forests. As the national park is in a remote location, it's inaccessible by road, but visitors can arrive by air, watercraft or snowmobile.

The preservation of Thaidene Nene under the national park scheme is important because it protects Indigenous lands. The park – also known as The Land of the Ancestors in the Dënesųłiné Yati language – is managed alongside the local Indigenous governments operating in the region. Visitors to the land can expect to learn more about cultural practices with the Indigenous tour guides operating on the island.

The Chinese government plans to create a large network of national parks across China by 2030. It started its efforts by opening Sanjiangyuan National Park in 2020. The park covers 1.3 million square feet (123,100sqm) of land and sits on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It’s also the source of three main rivers of China: Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang.

The state of Sanjiangyuan’s landscape has deteriorated due to climate change and overgrazing in the area. The transition to national park status hopes to protect and encourage the breeding of protected animals such as wild yaks, snow leopards, Tibetan antelopes and gazelles – some of which visitors may be able to see as they trek along this mountainous terrain. 

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As the largest remaining portion of natural vegetation on Fleurieu Peninsula, Deep Creek, was upgraded from a conservation park to a national park in 2021. It’s currently home to many species including Western grey kangaroos, beaked echidnas and more than a hundred bird species. The park also oversees the migration route of whales. 

Deep Creek National Park is a prime spot for those looking to be at one with nature. There are five campsites dotted around the area – one of which is only accessible by hiking. Activities on offer include fishing, four-wheel drive trekking and whale watching.

Lake Frome is another example of a conservation site that has been re-designated as a national park in 2021. This is mainly due to its large salt lake which serves as a rare habitat to several animal species. Here, the land is home to animals such as emus, swordgrass brown butterflies and frogs.

One of the best ways to explore Lake Frome is via its four-wheel-drive track. It means visitors have to start from Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park – a flat and stoney route through Balcanoona Creek. When visitors reach Lake Frome’s Conservation area they’ll be able to admire the wildlife from the bird hide on site.

In 2021, Munga-Thirri-Simpson Desert became a national park – making it the biggest in Australia. Its sand dunes are located in Southern Australia, near the border of Queensland and Northern Territory. National park status was awarded to the area to protect it from exploitation by fossil fuel companies. It currently serves as a habitat to animals such as dingoes, wedge-tailed eagles and thorny devils.

As the Munga-Thirri-Simpson Desert is so large, bushwalking is not so much of an option here. However, four-wheel-driving trails are available if visitors have a Desert Park Pass. In addition, there are plenty of camping beauty spots, especially near the famous salt lakes which are located at the heart of the national park.

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Nilpena Ediacara has been precious land in Australia for quite some time. It’s where the earliest traces of animal life were found and is also the homeland of the Indigenous Adnyamathanha people. In 2019, the Australian government bought nearly 150,000 acres of land which extends to Lake Torrens National Park and Ediacara National Park. This new grouped area was declared Nilpena Ediacara National Park in 2021.

Nilpena Ediacara is leaning into its fossil heritage when it comes to tourism. Although it's currently not open to tourists, there’s an immersive fossil experience expected to open to the public at the end of 2022. This attraction will include audio-visual learning and board walking through the fossil fields on guided tours.

Although the area had already been established as a national river in 1978, New River Gorge National Park came to be in 2021. Its mountainous landscape runs across 70,000 acres of land and comprises of New River – which, despite its name, is one of the oldest rivers in the world. The river itself has a powerful white-water flow and its force is continuing to change the terrain by carving deeper river gorges into the Appalachian Mountains.

New River Gorge’s diverse terrain naturally lends itself to rural activities with scenic viewpoints. Visitors can spend time hiking on one of the numerous trails, biking along its old railroad grade or rafting on the river. The park also serves as a beneficial area for wildlife conservation, particularly for aquatic animals such as mussels, crayfish and rare amphibians.

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In 2021, Indian state of Assam was awarded two new national parks. One of these was Raimona National Park – an expanse of land that covers 163 square miles (422sq km). Raimona’s landscape is an essential habitat for long-ranging animals that are particularly prone to poaching. 

Visitors here are able to witness animals they’re unlikely to see anywhere else. This includes elephants, tigers, wild buffalos, clouded leopards and golden langurs. The biodiverse spot is also home to 150 species of butterflies, 170 bird species and nearly 380 plant species. 

Dihing Patkai is the second area of Assam to be declared a national park in 2021. It spreads over 89 square miles (231sq km) of land, falling across the districts of Tinsukia and Dibrugarh. The land mainly comprises of tropical wet evergreen forests.

Dehing Patkai holds some of the last remaining patches of rainforest in Assam and its national park status is a welcomed move by conservationists. This dwindling area is home to vulnerable species like tigers, as well as reptiles and butterflies. It's also an elephant reserve dedicated to support and manage the free-roaming population of the Asian elephants.

In 2021, Cleland Conservation Park was officially made a national park to recognise the area’s efforts to protect natural bushland since 1945. The park stretches from lower woodlands, where you’ll find Waterfall Gully, to higher land with Mount Lofty Summit towering over nearby Adelaide. Its broad terrain is home to numerous species, including the endangered southern brown bandicoot, koalas and kangaroos.

Visitors to Cleland National Park can take to one of the park’s numerous trails by foot or by bike. The park also holds events throughout the year, including workshops and concerts. The wildlife park offers numerous day experiences, from meeting cockatoos to learning how to care for koalas. There are also live feedings, guided night walks and plenty of dedicated kids experiences.

At the beginning of 2022, Dryandra’s State Woodland officially converted to a national park. The park – near Narrogin – is the first to be created in Western Australia’s Wheatbelt region. In total, the 17, 870 hectares of woodland are now protected under the national park scheme.

Dryandra’s importance as a national park sits within its efforts to preserve local wildlife. It is a major habitat for some of Australia’s most endangered species such as woylies, brushtail wallabies, chuditch, quenda and mound-building malleefowl. In recent years, the park has also increased the numbat population and the public are able to meet these creatures in the park’s animal sanctuary.

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