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NPS MCP Server

Provides an MCP server to query National Park Service data (park lists by state and park details) using an API key.

Installation

Add the following to your MCP client configuration file.

Configuration

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "amysatterlee-nps_mcp": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/<Path to Server>/build/index.js"
      ],
      "env": {
        "API_KEY": "YOUR_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

This MCP Server provides a direct interface to National Park Service data, enabling you to list national parks in a state and retrieve detailed park information through MCP tooling. It is useful for building chat flows, data dashboards, or research tools that need up-to-date park details.

How to use

You will interact with this MCP server through an MCP client. To retrieve parks in a specific state, request the park list for the two-letter state code you are interested in. To get more information about a particular park, request the park details using the park’s lookup code. Ensure your MCP client is configured with your API key so requests to the National Park Service data source succeed.

Typical usage patterns include combining the two tools to build a state-wide park directory and then drilling into individual parks for more information. If you plan to rely on the National Park Service data consistently, keep your API key secure and rotate it periodically according to your organization’s security practices.

How to install

Prerequisites you need before installing this server:

- Node.js version 18 or newer

- npm (or yarn)

- A valid National Park Service API key

- Claude Desktop (for running MCP servers) if you intend to manage the server via Claude

Next, run these commands in your shell to set up and start the server locally

# 1) Install dependencies
npm install

# 2) Build the server
npm run build

# 3) Start the MCP server
node ./build/server.js

Additional notes

Configuration and runtime details are provided through the MCP server wiring. An environment variable named API_KEY must hold your National Park Service API key. When running via Claude Desktop, you can reference the server with the standard stdio configuration and supply the API key in the environment section.

If you prefer to integrate into a local workflow via Claude Desktop, you can add the MCP server to Claude’s configuration using the following blueprint. Replace the placeholder with your actual path and API key.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nps": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/<Path to Server>/build/index.js"
      ],
      "env": {
        "API_KEY": "Your NPS API Key"
      }
    }
  }
}

Available tools

park-list

Fetches a list of National Parks for a given two-letter state code. Returns park name, description, and park code.

park-details

Fetches detailed information for a specific National Park using its parkCode. Returns full name, description, and states.