Air Quality

Current air quality data and webcam in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Did you know Theodore Roosevelt National Park has some of the best air quality in the national park system?

A National Park Service study published in 2009 revealed that during the sampling period from 1998 to 2007, Theodore Roosevelt National Park's air quality was both better than most other parks and, equally important, not changing in quality. The only other park that recorded better overall air quality was Denali National Park in Alaska. The study compared visibility, nitrogen deposition, sulfur deposition, and ozone.

Theodore Roosevelt heartily enjoyed the fresh air in Dakota while visiting here in the 1800s. He suffered severely with asthma as a child and young adult living in New York City, but found that he could breathe easier while in the West. This realization may have contributed to Roosevelt's philosophy of conservation and protection of vast tracts of lands throughout the west.

Source: National Park Service, Air Resources Division. 2009. Air quality in national parks: 2009 annual performance and progress report. Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/ARD/NRR—2009/151. National Park Service, Denver, Colorado.