Do I need an API key for this MCP?

Yes, you will need to provide an NPS API key. You can get one for free at the official NPS developer website.

Which AI clients can I use with this?

You can use this MCP with any compatible client, including Claude, Cursor, and Windsurf.

Is the park data official?

Yes, this MCP pulls data directly from the National Park Service API, so the information is authoritative.

Can I see live video of the parks?

Yes, the MCP includes a capability to find metadata and links for live streaming park webcams.

Can I find specific park information by state?

Yes, you can ask your agent to list parks in a specific state or use a specific park code.

Is the NPS API Key free?

Yes! You can sign up for a free API key at nps.gov/subjects/developer by providing your name and email. The key is typically issued instantly.

How can I find the correct 'Park Code'?

You can find park codes by using the list_parks capability or by looking at the URL of a park on nps.gov (e.g., nps.gov/yose/ has the code 'yose').

What kind of alerts are provided?

The list_alerts capability provides information on park closures, safety warnings (like weather or fire conditions), and general notices about road work or facility changes.

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Connect National Park Service to ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini

Set it up once and it works in ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and any other client you love. It all runs safely in the background, so you can relax and focus on what really matters. Get live U.S. National Park data through your AI agent.

Ask AI about this Connector

Developed, maintained, and hosted by Vinkius.

MCP VERIFIED · PRODUCTION READY · VINKIUS GUARANTEED

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Works with modern AI clients that support MCP, including ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and more.

Your AI does the work. We keep it safe and sound.

No other AI tool gives you this. Your workflow runs in the client you already love, your account stays protected, and you decide what the agent can and cannot do. It is the whole reason to make the switch.

Each Connector lives inside our infrastructure, the same place where your workflow runs. The three things below are already part of it, working quietly in the background so you never have to think about them. Nothing to add, nothing to set up, nothing to worry about.

V8 Isolate01

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed environment.

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed V8 runtime — no access to your files, your system, or other servers. A Connector never sees past its own request.

Kill Switch02

One switch stops every agent. Instantly.

One action deactivates every Connector, revokes every token, and ends every session at once. AI Governance keeps the record.

FinOps per User03

Spending limits that pause instead of surprise.

Every user keeps their own connections and credentials, isolated from everyone else. Anything that would cross your spending limit is held for your approval, not billed.

Three controls, built into the layer your AI connects through.

Curated set · 10 capabilities

We ship only the actions that matter.

Capability set01 / 03

01-04

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 10 available through National Park Service.

01
List visitor centers
Finds the locations of visitor centers within a park.
02
List articles
Retrieves official NPS articles for reading or research.
03
List events
Gets a list of scheduled activities and events happening in the parks.
04
List lesson plans
Provides access to official NPS lesson plans for educational use.

Capability set02 / 03

05-07

3 capabilities in this set.

Part of 10 available through National Park Service.

05
List news releases
Fetches the latest official news releases from the National Park Service.
06
List parks
Lists U.S. National Parks, with the ability to filter by state or park code.
07
List webcams
Provides metadata and links for live streaming park webcams.

Capability set03 / 03

08-10

3 capabilities in this set.

Part of 10 available through National Park Service.

08
List alerts
Checks for active safety alerts, weather warnings, or park closures.
09
List campgrounds
Lists available campgrounds within the park system.
10
List places
Identifies significant points of interest and locations within a park.

Real work

What teams actually run

Pre-trip Safety Check

Ask your agent to check for any active alerts or closures before you drive to a park.

Camping Logistics

Use the agent to find available campgrounds and nearby visitor centers.

Classroom Preparation

Have your agent pull official NPS lesson plans for a biology or geography lesson.

Real-time Conditions

Check live webcams through your agent to see the weather or crowds at a specific location.

Automate a task

Put National Park Service to work on one thing.

Step-by-step automations your AI runs through this Connector: the workflow, the prompts to start with, and the exact capabilities behind each move.

One connector, every AI

National Park Service works with the most popular AI clients.

These are the most popular clients, each with a step-by-step guide: one link, set up once, with governance and visibility built in. And because everything runs on the MCP standard, the same connection also works in any other compatible client — nothing to rebuild.

Building your own app? The connector is yours to use.

You don't need a client to put National Park Service to work: the same hosted connection plugs into your own applications and agent code, with the same governance on every request. Build with it, chat with it — one connection for both.

Observed, not estimated

977ms average. Fast in production.

National Park Service is checked daily against the live service.

Daily averagePeak 1257ms

Oct 3Today

Fastest day: 816ms
Slowest day: 1257ms
14-day trend: Stable-3%

Connect your client

One URL. Every client.

Activate the Connector, copy your link, and paste it into the client you already use. 10 capabilities arrive ready to run.

Preview access · not provider authentication

The vk_preview_* token belongs to Vinkius preview infrastructure. It lets Claude discover and display the capabilities of National Park Service, so you can see the experience inside your AI.

It does not authenticate your account with National Park Service. Actions requiring credentials or live account data may not run until you activate the Connector and authorize the service.

National Park Service Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_GUku5zV3apLtTA0kECpq4wqrtMPInBxyjbExI6Fq/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
3Click Add and start a new chat — National Park Service capabilities are ready to use.

Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "national-park-service-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_GUku5zV3apLtTA0kECpq4wqrtMPInBxyjbExI6Fq/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Claude
ChatGPT
Cursor
VS Code
Windsurf
Claude Code
JetBrains
Cline

Step-by-step instructions for each client are in the guide. How to connect

Guided setup for Claude? Set up National Park Service in Claude and other AIs

See all the AI clients this connector works with ↑

Who it's for

Built for the work National Park Service owners hand off.

This MCP is built for anyone needing reliable, official data from the U.S. National Park system.

01
Travelers
They use the agent to check for closures and find places to camp.
02
Educators
They hand off the task of finding official lesson plans and articles to the AI.
03
Nature Enthusiasts
They use the agent to track live webcams and upcoming park events.

FAQ

Questions National Park Service owners ask.

01
Do I need an API key for this MCP?
Yes, you will need to provide an NPS API key. You can get one for free at the official NPS developer website.
02
Which AI clients can I use with this?
You can use this MCP with any compatible client, including Claude, Cursor, and Windsurf.
03
Is the park data official?
Yes, this MCP pulls data directly from the National Park Service API, so the information is authoritative.
04
Can I see live video of the parks?
Yes, the MCP includes a capability to find metadata and links for live streaming park webcams.
05
Can I find specific park information by state?
Yes, you can ask your agent to list parks in a specific state or use a specific park code.
06
Is the NPS API Key free?
Yes! You can sign up for a free API key at nps.gov/subjects/developer by providing your name and email. The key is typically issued instantly.
07
How can I find the correct 'Park Code'?
You can find park codes by using the list_parks capability or by looking at the URL of a park on nps.gov (e.g., nps.gov/yose/ has the code 'yose').
08
What kind of alerts are provided?
The list_alerts capability provides information on park closures, safety warnings (like weather or fire conditions), and general notices about road work or facility changes.

Explore

More in Government Public Data

Connect National Park Service to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more

Your AI does the work. We keep it safe and sound.

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed environment.

One switch stops every agent. Instantly.

Spending limits that pause instead of surprise.

We ship only the actions that matter.

01-04

List visitor centers

List articles

List events

List lesson plans

05-07

List news releases

List parks

List webcams

08-10

List alerts

List campgrounds

List places

What teams actually run

Pre-trip Safety Check

Camping Logistics

Classroom Preparation

Real-time Conditions

Building your own app? The connector is yours to use.

National Park Service Connector

Claude Desktop

Travelers

Educators

Nature Enthusiasts

Do I need an API key for this MCP?

Which AI clients can I use with this?

Is the park data official?

Can I see live video of the parks?

Can I find specific park information by state?

Is the NPS API Key free?

How can I find the correct 'Park Code'?

What kind of alerts are provided?

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