To Honor America’s 250th, Department of the Interior Officially Launches the Great American Expedition

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of the Interior announced the Great American Expedition, a nationwide initiative that will bring Interior officials and the Department's stakeholder groups to some of the nation’s most iconic national parks, wildlife refuges, public lands, reclamation sites, and national monuments over this year for our nation’s 250. At each stop, participants will display an expedition flag and highlight the people, places, and stories that define America’s public lands heritage.

The initiative honors the communities who enjoy these places, who steward their natural resources, and sustain America’s legacy. Each chapter of the journey will be documented on the Great American Expedition website, creating a living record of the flag’s travels and the stories of the people who care for our nation’s most treasured landscapes and landmarks. Together, these stories will form a national record celebrating America’s first 250 years of history.

“The Great American Expedition is a powerful tribute to the spirit of America and the enduring legacy of our nation’s public lands and historic treasures,” said Secretary Doug Burgum. “As we celebrate 250 years of American history, the Great American Expedition is already inspiring pride, patriotism, and a renewed appreciation for the places that tell the story of our country. By connecting Americans with these iconic landscapes and landmarks, this journey will help ensure their stories and significance are preserved for generations to come.”

How the Great American Expedition will work:

Many of the best ideas from America’s first 250 years are reflected not only in what we built, but also in how we came to understand this land and how we choose to care for it. 

At every official stop, a group, organization, or individual will present an Expedition Flag and share a clear, place-based story about why that site matters, what it teaches us, and what stewardship looks like today. The Great American Expedition will highlight the people who make this system possible, including rangers, firefighters, scientists, engineers, conservation professionals, tribal partners, volunteers, and gateway communities. Their work protects these places while keeping them accessible and meaningful for the American people.

The official record of the journey will live online, allowing Americans to follow the Great American Expedition and explore each chapter as it is published. The public is also invited and encouraged to participate. Families, students, veterans, and anyone who loves public lands can create their own Expedition Flags, embark on their own journeys, share stories, and help renew a culture of respect, stewardship, and connection to the land. During America’s first 250 years, expeditions helped make the nation knowable. They transformed movement into discovery by mapping, measuring, naming, and documenting the continent. These efforts produced enduring national records, including maps, journals, surveys, specimens, and data. Over time, this growing body of knowledge turned vast regions from rumor and blank space into navigable geography. 

That tradition eventually evolved into something uniquely American: a system of public stewardship that is professional, science-based, and built to endure. The Great American Expedition continues that tradition by celebrating the places, people, and institutions that help preserve our nation’s natural and cultural heritage for future generations. Expeditions have long been a part of Interior’s mission, and this initiative reflects that enduring commitment to exploration, stewardship, and public service.

Great American Expedition stops made by Department of the Interior leadership:

Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Deputy Secretary Kate MacGregor and additional Interior officials have begun displaying flags in Denali National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and others to mark the official rollout of the expedition and celebrate the hardworking Americans who steward our public lands.  

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