Overview
For this project, I worked with the National Parks Service (NPS) API to dig into park data and uncover interesting insights. After setting up my account and getting an API key, I spent some time going through the documentation to get a feel for how the data was organized. My goal was to find a story within the data, something that would be both informative and engaging and make a dashboard and publish to Tableau Public. This blog captures my journey with the NPS API, from data exploration to storytelling.
Alteryx Workflow
In this Alteryx workflow, I connected to the National Parks Service API to retrieve data from two endpoints: parks and alerts. The activities data was embedded within the parks endpoint, so I didn’t need a separate connection for it.
I started by using the Download Tool to pull in data from the parks and alerts endpoints. Once I had the raw JSON data, I used the JSON Parse Tool to break it down into a table format for easier handling. I then applied the Text to Columns Tool to separate specific fields, making all necessary details more accessible.
Next, I used the Sample Tool to skip the first three rows in each dataset, removing any extra headers or non-data rows. To ensure only relevant information was retained, I applied the Filter Tool to narrow down the parks data to essential rows. Following this, I used the Cross Tab Tool to reshape the data, converting certain rows into columns for a more structured format that fit the analysis needs.
To wrap up the data preparation, I applied the Data Cleansing Tool to handle any null values and formatting inconsistencies, ensuring a clean and consistent dataset. Finally, I saved each processed dataset using the Output Tool: Park 1.xlsx for park and Activities 1.xlsx for activities data, and alerts.xlsx for alert information. This workflow allowed me to efficiently organize, clean, and structure the data, making it ready for visualization and analysis in Tableau.
Dashboard
This dashboard combines essential information from park options, activities and alerts to help you create a safe, fun, and well-organized visit. With an interactive map, you can hover over any park to explore activities available there. The activity chart highlights what visitors enjoy most, giving insights into trending activities to help plan a day related to your interests. Alerts on the dashboard keep you informed of any park conditions that might affect your visit. Frequent alerts include information updates and park closures. Notably, caution alerts have been on the rise since early 2023, which can relate to some other potential reasons that need further investigation. Dashboard provides actionable insights that enhance the outdoor experience and support better safety planning.
To view the dashboard and start planning your next adventure, check it out on Tableau Public here: