Which U.S. national park became the world's first widely recognized national park when established in 1872?

Yellowstone National Park became the world's first widely recognized national park when established in 1872.

President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act on March 1, 1872. The law set aside the region as a public park and prohibited private settlement, sale, or occupation of its lands.

Yellowstone occupies the northwest corner of Wyoming, with smaller portions extending into Montana and Idaho. Its geysers, hot springs, wildlife, and dramatic landscapes helped persuade Congress that extraordinary natural areas should be protected for public enjoyment.

Yellowstone is often described as the first national park in the world, although the precise meaning of “national park” can vary across historical comparisons. Yosemite received federal protection earlier in some forms, but it became a national park in 1890. The National Park Service did not exist when Yellowstone was created; it was founded in 1916.