The U.S. Interior Department designated 1934 as National Parks Year. The US Postal Service issued a series of 10 stamps to promote national parks and encourage domestic tourism. The stamps were the first American commemoratives that were not connected to a historical event, technological achievement, or exposition, and included the first US postage stamp designed by a woman.

Described as "the greatest campaign ever launched by the federal government to promote the scenic wonders of the United States," the national park stamps became one of the most recognized series of US stamps. Despite being in the middle of the Great Depression, over one billion of the 10 national park stamps were printed in under two years.

The parks to be represented were Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Mount Rainier, Mesa Verde, Yellowstone, Zion, Acadia, Sequoia, Glacier, and Great Smoky Mountains in denominations of 1¢ to 10¢, respectively.

This stamp series along with the WPA Posters of the time both personified the "See America First" campaign, where the message evoked local travel as patriotic and a cornerstone of national identity.