national-parks-mcp-server

national-parks-mcp-server: get park detail

nps_get_park

Read-only

Full trip-planning detail for one or more parks by parkCode: description, activities and topics, entrance fees and passes, operating hours by area/season, contacts, directions, a free-text weather overview, representative images, and the NPS page for everything else. Get codes from nps_find_parks. Accepts up to ten codes per call. Use the fields parameter to return only the sections you need.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`fields`	No	Optional detail sections to include beyond the always-present core (name, designation, states, description, coordinates, weather, url). Omit for all sections. Narrow to reduce payload when you only need, say, hours and fees.
`parkCode`	Yes	One to ten park codes per call, each a 4-letter lowercase code (e.g. "yose", "grca", "zion"). Get codes from nps_find_parks.

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`error`	No	Present when the call failed. Absent on success.
`parks`	No	Requested parks with trip-planning detail.
`notice`	No	Guidance when one or more codes did not resolve, or when none did.
`missingCodes`	No	Requested park codes that matched no NPS site — likely misspelled. Populated only when some codes did not resolve.
`returnedCount`	No	Number of requested parks found.
`requestedCount`	No	Number of park codes requested.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed11 schema fields changedSep 24, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / parkCode / description

Previous value: -"One to ten park codes (each a 4-letter lowercase code like \"yose\", \"grca\", \"zion\"). Get codes from nps_find_parks. Multiple codes are fetched in a single request."New value: +"One to ten park codes per call, each a 4-letter lowercase code (e.g. \"yose\", \"grca\", \"zion\"). Get codes from nps_find_parks."

removedInput schema / properties / parkCode / items / pattern
```
Removed value: -"^[a-z]{4}$"
```

changedOutput schema / properties / error / properties / data / properties / reason / description

Previous value: -"Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `no_parks_found`: The API returned zero records for every requested code. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler."New value: +"Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `invalid_park_code`: A parkCode element isn't 4 lowercase letters. `no_parks_found`: None of the requested codes matched an NPS site. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler."

changedOutput schema / properties / error / properties / data / properties / reason / examples

Previous value: -[
-  "no_parks_found"
-]New value: +[
+  "invalid_park_code",
+  "no_parks_found"
+]

changedOutput schema / properties / missingCodes / description

Previous value: -"Requested park codes the API returned no record for — likely invalid/misspelled codes. Populated only when some codes did not resolve."New value: +"Requested park codes that matched no NPS site — likely misspelled. Populated only when some codes did not resolve."

changedOutput schema / properties / parks / items / properties / directionsInfo / description

Previous value: -"Free-text driving/access directions, or null."New value: +"Free-text driving/access directions, or null when NPS publishes none (included unless fields excludes \"directions\")."

changedOutput schema / properties / parks / items / properties / directionsUrl / description

Previous value: -"NPS directions page URL, or null."New value: +"NPS directions page URL, or null when NPS publishes none (included unless fields excludes \"directions\")."

changedOutput schema / properties / parks / items / properties / imagesTruncated / description

Previous value: -"True when the park has more images upstream than the 5 returned here — open the park url for the full set. Present only when the images section is included."New value: +"True when the park has more than the 5 images returned here; the park url has the full set. Present only when the images section is included."

changedOutput schema / properties / parks / items / properties / weatherOverview / description

Previous value: -"NPS free-text weather/seasonal overview for the park, or null. For an actual forecast, feed the coordinates to nws-weather or open-meteo."New value: +"NPS free-text weather/seasonal overview for the park, or null. General seasonal guidance, not a forecast."

changedOutput schema / properties / parks / items / required

Previous value: -[
-  "parkCode",
-  "fullName",
-  "designation",
-  "states",
-  "description",
-  "latitude",
-  "longitude",
-  "weatherOverview",
-  "directionsInfo",
-  "directionsUrl",
-  "url"
-]New value: +[
+  "parkCode",
+  "fullName",
+  "designation",
+  "states",
+  "description",
+  "latitude",
+  "longitude",
+  "weatherOverview",
+  "url"
+]

changedOutput schema / properties / returnedCount / description

Previous value: -"Number of parks the API returned."New value: +"Number of requested parks found."

Changed10 schema fields changedSep 20, 2026
- removedOutput schema / properties / parks / items / properties / directionsInfo / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / parks / items / properties / directionsInfo / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```
- removedOutput schema / properties / parks / items / properties / directionsUrl / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / parks / items / properties / directionsUrl / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```
- removedOutput schema / properties / parks / items / properties / latitude / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "number"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / parks / items / properties / latitude / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "number",
+  "null"
+]
```
- removedOutput schema / properties / parks / items / properties / longitude / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "number"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / parks / items / properties / longitude / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "number",
+  "null"
+]
```
- removedOutput schema / properties / parks / items / properties / weatherOverview / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / parks / items / properties / weatherOverview / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```

Changed6 schema fields changedAug 24, 2026

changedInput schema / $schema

Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"

addedInput schema / additionalProperties
```
Added value: +false
```

changedOutput schema / $schema

Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"

addedOutput schema / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "not": {
+      "required": [
+        "error"
+      ]
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "parks",
+      "requestedCount",
+      "returnedCount"
+    ]
+  },
+  {
+    "required": [
+      "error"
+    ]
+  }
+]

addedOutput schema / properties / error

Added value: +{
+  "additionalProperties": {},
+  "description": "Present when the call failed. Absent on success.",
+  "properties": {
+    "code": {
+      "description": "JSON-RPC error code for this failure.",
+      "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+      "minimum": -9007199254740991,
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "data": {
+      "additionalProperties": {},
+      "properties": {
+        "reason": {
+          "description": "Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `no_parks_found`: The API returned zero records for every requested code. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler.",
+          "examples": [
+            "no_parks_found"
+          ],
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "recovery": {
+          "additionalProperties": {},
+          "description": "Actionable next step for the caller.",
+          "properties": {
+            "hint": {
+              "type": "string"
+            }
+          },
+          "required": [
+            "hint"
+          ],
+          "type": "object"
+        },
+        "retryable": {
+          "description": "Whether retrying may succeed.",
+          "type": "boolean"
+        }
+      },
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    "message": {
+      "description": "Human-readable description of what went wrong.",
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "code",
+    "message"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

removedOutput schema / required

Removed value: -[
-  "parks",
-  "requestedCount",
-  "returnedCount"
-]

Changed2 schema fields changedJul 16, 2026

changedOutput schema / properties / parks / items / properties / images / description

Previous value: -"Representative park images (included unless fields excludes \"images\"). Capped at 5. May be empty."New value: +"Representative park images (included unless fields excludes \"images\"). Capped at 5; imagesTruncated flags when the park has more. May be empty."

addedOutput schema / properties / parks / items / properties / imagesTruncated

Added value: +{
+  "description": "True when the park has more images upstream than the 5 returned here — open the park url for the full set. Present only when the images section is included.",
+  "type": "boolean"
+}

First observedJun 16, 2026

TDQS

A4.3/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and openWorldHint=true Edition. Beyond those, the description adds useful behavioral context: the default returns all sections, up to ten codes are supported per call, and fields can narrow the response. It also indicates the NPS page covers anything not returned. It does not cover rate limits or errors, but the output schema and read-only hint reduce that burden.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Three sentences with no filler. The first sentence names what the tool does and enumerates the return sections; the second tells the agent where to get inputs; the third warns about the ten-code limit and points to payload filtering. All information earns its place.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a read-only retrieval tool with an output schema, the description is complete: it names all return sections, explains the fields filter, sets the 10-code limit, and directs the agent to nps_find_parks for valid codes. No critical gap remains for an agent to call it correctly.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, and the parkCode and fields descriptions already explain formats, examples, limits, and optional behavior. The tool description mostly repeats these rather than adding new parameter-level meaning. It provides useful narrative context (trip-planning detail) but does not materially improve on the schema's already thorough parameter documentation.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description states a specific verb ('get'), a clear resource ('parks by parkCode'), and enumerates what the detail includes: description, activities/topics, fees, hours, contacts, directions, weather, images. It distinguishes itself from nps_find_parks by saying codes should come from that sibling and by focusing on full detail rather than discovery.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

It gives clear usage context: obtain codes from nps_find_parks, pass one to ten codes, and use the fields parameter to reduce payload. It does not explicitly state when not to use this tool versus other siblings, but the 'Get codes from nps_find_parks' instruction and full-detail framing make the intended workflow obvious.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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