Google ties National Parks Week to new AI features in Maps, Search and Gemini

National Parks Week, which marks 110 years of the U.S. National Park Service, is arriving with a surge of interest in outdoor travel, according to Google. In a new update posted ahead of the holiday, the company says searches related to hiking and park trip planning have hit record levels, and it is pushing users toward a set of Google tools it says can translate wanderlust into an itinerary, including AI Mode in Search, Ask Maps for route planning and Gemini’s “Live” camera feature for on-trail identification.

Google’s post frames the moment as both a demand story and a product one. It says overall Search interest in hiking has reached an all-time high this year, with “hiking for beginners” up 165% over the past month. It also singles out Rocky Mountain National Park as the top trending park searched alongside “beginner hiking.”

On the planning side, Google says people are increasingly using Search and Google Maps for ideas and itineraries. Over the past month, it names Acadia National Park as the top trending national park travel itinerary on Google Search. For Maps users looking for highly rated destinations, it points to Haleakalā National Park and Mount Rainier National Park as the top rated national parks on Maps this year.

Google also highlighted what it called “AI Mode in Search,” describing it as a way for users to type exactly what they are looking for so Google can return options tailored to their needs, including shoppable product listings. In the example Google provides, the feature is used to find hiking boots with good ankle support, suggesting a more guided path from query to purchase.

For route planning, Google is emphasizing Ask Maps, which it describes as an AI-assisted assistant that can suggest scenic stops and popular places to eat, while also surfacing traffic delays and disruptions. Google says Ask Maps can help users find a hotel along the way, and it urges users to download maps so they can navigate even in more remote areas with limited connectivity.

The company ties the surge in trip-planning behavior to a set of specific “what to do next” workflows it says its products can support. Google says it uses Gemini in the Gemini app to help users create a custom, visual “invitation or packing list” for a travel group. It gives a scenario that asks Gemini for suggested attractions, packing and food ideas, and activities for a Yellowstone National Park trip over a Labor Day weekend, including hiking, camping and viewpoints.

Google’s post also focuses on in-the-moment exploration using Gemini’s “Live” mode. It describes a camera workflow where users can tap a Live icon and click the camera, then point the lens at wildflowers, rock formations, or historical trail markers to get “real-time insights” while they hike.

Beyond its app features, Google promotes the United Parks of America collection on Google Arts and Culture, which it says is an interactive way to build a bucket list. In the same section, Google points users to themed interactive explorations, including the Everglades and wildlife in Yellowstone.

Some of the specifics Google shared, such as how it defines “all-time high” Search interest and which exact datasets, geographies, or time windows underpin its top-trending rankings, are not detailed in the post. The company also does not provide figures on how many users adopt each tool, nor does it break out whether the most searched items reflect itinerary planning, ticketing behavior, gear shopping, or other activities within Google’s ecosystem.

Looking ahead, the most notable thing to watch is whether Google expands the real-time identification and itinerary generation workflows it highlighted, especially as more beginner hikers adopt the trail and use maps for navigation. The rankings for hiking and park searches may also offer a rough read on where demand is concentrating leading into the 110-year milestone for the National Park Service, even as the company’s product messaging makes the push toward AI-enabled planning and discovery increasingly central.