Great American Outdoors Act National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund Newsroom

The National Park Service (NPS) invites interested members of the public to attend an open house on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, where the NPS will provide information regarding its proposal to demolish 16 deteriorating and non-historic excess structures in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced the reopening of Look Rock Campground following a nine-year closure. The 68-site campground will open on Saturday, October 15 through Sunday, November 13, providing a unique, fall camping opportunity in 2022. 

Funded by the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), Yosemite National Park was recently awarded an approximately $31.6 million construction contract to upgrade the historic Ahwahnee Hotel. The project includes a major seismic upgrade throughout the historic hotel as well as a kitchen renovation.

Minute Man National Historical Park will receive approximately $27 million from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) to address maintenance needs for the park’s buildings, structures, landscape, trails, signage and monuments. A $14.8 million contract was recently awarded to start phase 1 of the project which will include interior and exterior rehabilitation and preservation work on 16 historic structures, including the repair or upgrade of mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. 

Funded by the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), a $79,876 trail bridge reconstruction project in Morristown National Historical Park was recently completed through a partnership with Stephen T. Mather Building Arts & Craftsmanship High School. The project was a priority due to the age of the bridge supports and the erosion of soil and stones along the stream bank that supported the bridge.   

 Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) has received approximately $14 million through the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) to assure continued access to recreational experiences in CVNP. The project will stabilize the riverbank at sites along the Cuyahoga River where erosion threatens the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail and the tracks for Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.

The National Park Service has awarded a $22 million construction contract to make repairs to the historic fort that serves as the foundation for the Statue of Liberty and its pedestal. Funded by the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), the project will make drainage and safety improvements that will help preserve the structure and enhance accessibility for visitors.  

The National Elk Refuge is working with partners, including the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce, Grand Teton Association, U.S. Forest Service, and the National Park Service, to reimagine its visitor services role in the valley and refocus the operations of the existing Visitor Center to better meet the mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Mammoth Cave National Park will receive approximately $6.5 million from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) to rehabilitate about one mile of cave trail inside Mammoth Cave starting in fall 2022. The project will address deferred maintenance associated with these facilities, visitor safety, tour experience, and natural and cultural resource protection from the New Entrance to the Frozen Niagara entrance.

Golden Gate National Recreation Area will receive approximately $35 million in Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) funding for an infrastructure project on Alcatraz Island, the park’s most visited site. The project will repair and seismically strengthen the concrete wharf on Alcatraz Island, a contributing feature of the Alcatraz Island National Historic Landmark District.