National Park Services MCP Server

The NPS MCP Server bridges Claude’s conversational AI with the official National Park Service API, enabling developers to surface up‑to‑date park information directly within AI workflows. By exposing two lightweight tools— and —the server translates simple user intents into authenticated API calls, returning structured JSON that Claude can embed in responses or pass to downstream processes. This eliminates the need for developers to write custom wrappers, manage API keys, or handle pagination, making it a plug‑and‑play component for any application that wants to enrich conversations with real‑world park data.

What Problem Does It Solve?

Many AI assistants need to answer questions about public resources, but most developers struggle with authentication, rate limiting, and data consistency when calling external services. The NPS MCP Server solves this by providing a single, authenticated entry point that:

• Handles API key management through environment variables.
• Abstracts HTTP details, returning clean JSON objects rather than raw API responses.
• Implements state‑specific filtering and park lookup in a declarative way, so developers can focus on higher‑level logic.

For teams building travel assistants, educational tools, or civic engagement apps, this means instant access to authoritative park listings without wrestling with the National Park Service’s REST endpoints.

Core Features & Capabilities

• State‑level park discovery (): Pass a two‑letter state code and receive an array of parks, each with its full name, description, and lookup code.
• Park detail retrieval (): Supply a park’s unique code and get comprehensive information, including the states it spans.
• Prompt integration: Pre‑defined prompts (, ) allow Claude to trigger the appropriate tool automatically, streamlining user interactions.
• Environment‑based configuration: The server reads the from a file or command‑line arguments, keeping credentials out of source code.
• Lightweight Node.js implementation: Built on a minimal server that starts with , ensuring quick deployment in Docker or local setups.

Real‑World Use Cases

• Travel Planning Assistants: A chatbot can list all parks in a user’s destination state or provide details on a specific park, helping travelers build itineraries.
• Educational Platforms: Teachers can ask for information about parks relevant to a lesson plan, and the assistant can pull accurate descriptions and historical facts.
• Conservation Awareness Campaigns: Apps that promote park visitation can display up‑to‑date visitor statistics or alerts, sourced through the MCP server.
• Voice‑Enabled Devices: Smart speakers can answer “Which parks are in Colorado?” by invoking the tool, delivering concise spoken responses.

Integration with AI Workflows

Adding the server to Claude Desktop’s configuration file exposes its tools in the chat interface. Once running, Claude can automatically match user queries to the appropriate prompt, invoke the corresponding tool, and embed the JSON response into the conversation. Because the server adheres to MCP’s standard for resource definitions, it can be replaced or extended with minimal changes—developers might add a new tool for park events or seasonal closures without touching the core logic.

Unique Advantages

• Official Data Source: Pulls directly from the National Park Service’s API, ensuring accuracy and compliance with public data licensing.
• Simplicity: Two concise tools cover the most common interactions, reducing cognitive load for developers and users alike.
• Extensibility: The modular design allows additional endpoints (e.g., park activities, visitor centers) to be added in the future without disrupting existing functionality.

Overall, the NPS MCP Server empowers developers to enrich AI conversations with reliable park information, streamlining development and delivering a richer user experience.