Importance Score: 82 / 100 🟢
A striking mix of national parks, gay country music, and alluring content are generating buzz online. These seemingly disparate elements have converged in a viral trend, using captivating visuals of nature to draw attention.
Hundreds of TikTok posts blending suggestive audio, playful memes, and breathtaking vistas of nature have inundated social media feeds. This popular trend has emerged amid significant funding reductions for federal parks, forests, monuments, seashores, and trails.
The core message of #ParkTok and #MountainTok is clear: conserve and protect public lands. The risqué content serves as a creative method to attract followers and amplify this vital message to a wide audience.
At first glance, fan accounts for Yellowstone and Joshua Tree, along with numerous other national parks and recreation areas, seem to be engaged in a lively competition. Some speculate whether these accounts are the effort of park rangers or marketing specialists aiming to attract external financial support.
However, these unofficial accounts, continually growing in number, are managed by independent content creators unaffiliated with the government. The National Park Service (NPS) has no official presence on TikTok, as there are no formal agreements between federal agencies and the platform.
“Viral trends focused on national parks can significantly increase visibility and drive interest and awareness,” the National Park Service informed FASTNET. “We appreciate the enthusiasm for our nation’s parks and the creative ways individuals share their experiences online.”
Millions of social media users support this trend. Highlighting the country’s expansive landscape and promoting its preservation for future generations can provide a source of inspiration during challenging times.
A Call to Action
Nature’s Appeal vs. Budgetary Concerns
Beyond the suggestive content, a common goal unites these videos featuring cascading waterfalls, towering trees, seductive deserts, and captivating wildlife. Research indicates that national parks are crucial for preserving biodiversity and enhancing human well-being. These public lands appeal to a broad audience; last year, US national parks recorded nearly 332 million recreational visits.
“If you truly appreciate all this, you develop a deep connection to its beauty,” stated Kim Tanner, the creator of the Joshua Tree fan account. “And then you understand that you don’t want that beauty harmed.”
The Trump administration’s 2026 fiscal plan proposes cutting over $1 billion from the National Park Service, with an additional $33 billion cut from recreation management programs and conservation grants. These grants play a vital role in maintaining 433 individual areas of public lands.
The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) warns that these proposed reductions represent the largest cuts to the National Park Service in its 109-year history, potentially “devastating at least 350 National Park sites.” Critics contend that these actions could lead to the sale of public lands and transfer recreational areas to state management.
According to Kristen Brengel, senior vice president of government affairs for the National Parks Conservation Association, the NPS has already lost nearly 2,500 employees due to departures of environmental experts.
“The current efforts to dismantle the National Park Service from within are unprecedented and disturbing,” Brengel stated.
#ParkTok and #MountainTok ignite social media
Going Wild for the Wilderness
TikTok and provocative content often spark debate, giving trends like these a political edge, attracting both supporters and detractors, and drawing diverse audiences into important conversations.
“The polarization on social media mirrors the real-world political divide,” said FASTNET social media reporter Katelyn Chedraoui.
The #ParkTok and #MountainTok creators, who include former park employees and nature enthusiasts, hold diverse political views. Many openly criticize the administration’s threats against the parks, directing viewers to demonstrations or fundraisers, but the trend avoids overt partisanship or activism.
“Most of their posts operate on a subconscious level, encouraging viewers to reflect on the national parks and their personal experiences,” explained Chedraoui. “It’s a simple but effective strategy.”
Engagement surrounding public lands on TikTok began before the budget cuts. The initial fan accounts – Mount Hood, Mount Rainier, and Yellowstone – emerged shortly after the elections last November. Managed by three friends passionate about the outdoors, the accounts initially featured a mix of comic content.
Early Content Focus
- Initially, the focus was on waterfalls, vistas, and sunsets.
- The risqué content came later.
Initially, the content was largely composed of scenic vistas and natural beauty. “It was just waterfalls and vistas and sunsets,” said Jaime Wash, the creator behind the Mount Hood and Mount St. Helens fan accounts. Then, two of the creators started playful banter, which users loved.
This diss-track approach proved successful. By January, the trend gained momentum, with more fan accounts participating. Over recent months, the popularity of posts has fluctuated, with the risqué content causing #MountainTok and #ParkTok to surge.
The suggestive content became a viral formula that creators capitalized on. “Social media users are accustomed to brands acting unconventionally on TikTok,” Chedraoui noted.
Building a Bridge of Support
Some critics have condemned the parody accounts, accusing creators of seeking to profit from a worthy cause, or alleging that the sexually charged content damages the parks’ reputations.
However, the creators, who regularly communicate in a group chat, insist that monetization is not their primary goal. Wash stated that any future earnings from the content will be donated to the parks.
Community Engagement and Awareness
- The creators are committed to supporting the parks.
- They aim to use their platform to promote causes and events.
After gaining a substantial following, Wash felt obligated to engage people. In April, the Mount Hood fan account mobilized followers to attend Portland’s Hands Off protest.
“We’re building a community to demonstrate that change is possible and to support one another,” Wash explained. These posts offer comic relief amid doomscrolling and anxiety.
Tanner believes #ParkTok and #MountainTok can raise awareness about the vulnerability of nature. By highlighting endangered species and the impact of logging, drilling, and mining, they inform millions of followers about what is at stake.
The Unexpected Impact of Social Media
Social media functions as a gauge, reflecting public sentiment and highlighting prominent issues. Platforms like TikTok empower grassroots movements, enabling individuals to bypass traditional media and communicate directly with broad audiences.
“Digital activity can lead to tangible action,” noted Sheila Nguyen, associate director of communications and engagement for the National Parks Conservation Association. “Increased social media engagement translates to a larger pool of individuals who may take action and collectively create a greater impact,” Nguyen told FASTNET.
Social media promotion has been shown to boost national park visitation. Recent research indicates that positive social media posts, enriched with photos or videos, drive the largest increases in visitation.
“The more people we bring to these parks, the better. Experiencing them firsthand fosters a love for these places and a desire to protect them,” emphasized Tanner.
The National Parks Conservation Association advises people to sign up for alerts on its advocacy page to voice concerns with congressional representatives. “We believe that Congress is the best avenue to prompt the administration to reconsider these damaging proposals,” stated the NPCA’s Brengel. “Congress must be urged to stop these detrimental actions.”
Several TikTok creators expressed their commitment to holding elected officials accountable.
“It’s disheartening to consider that the places I cherish may be irrevocably changed,” Wash said, “and I’m committed to preventing that from happening.”