In 1858 the first step towards protection of these forests was initiated by Major Ramsey in the form of a comprehensive plan, wherein farming and cattle intrusion were banned in the lower Patlidun valley- which today is a large portion of the Corbett Tiger Reserve.

The Forest Department took control of the area and declared it a Reserve forest in 1879 under the Forest Act. Soon after, the condition of these forests showed improvement.

Possibilities of forming a game sanctuary were proposed in the early 1900 by Michael Keen, an officer with the Forest Department. The proposal was turned down by the then Governor of United Province, John Hewett. More futile attempts were made in 1916 & 1917 by E.R. Stevens and Smythies, both Divisional Forest Officer's of the area, but they were turned down too.

In 1934, Governor Malcolm Hailey supported the proposal and declared the Reserve Forest into a Sanctuary. Soon after Governor Hailey and Sir Smythies proposed the up gradation of the Sanctuary into a National Park.

During this period Major James E. Corbett was getting famous for his "man-eating-tiger shoots". Corbett, who was well versed with area was consulted and helped in marking the boundaries for the proposed National Park.

On August 6th 1936, the United Province National Park Act was enacted and Hailey National Park - named after Governor Hailey, came into being as India’s first National Park and the world's third, covering an area of about 325 sq.kms.

Post independence the park was renamed after the Ramganga River - the main perennial lifeline of the area and was called the Ramganga National Park.

James E. Corbett died on 19th April 1955 in Nyeri, Kenya. In 1957 the park was again renamed Corbett National Park, in honor of the legendary hunter turned conversationalist, author and photographer, Jim Corbett who spent most his life in the area and helped in setting up the park.

The Wildlife Protection Act was enacted in the year 1972 and on 1st April 1973, Corbett National Park was one of the first national park to launch “Project Tiger” a government sponsored program for the conservation of the Tiger and it's habitat.

1974 saw the Kalagarh dam - built on the Ramganga River, submerging tracts of healthy forest and grasslands, thus affecting the flora and fauna of the area.
In 1991 the area of the reserve was further increased with the inclusion of the Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary.

Today Corbett stands as one of the prime examples of efforts to conserve and is one of the best protected forests in the world.