April 20 through 28, 2024, is National Parks Week, and the National Parks Service will waive entrance fees on April 20 to kick off the celebration and encourage everyone to visit their favorite park. You probably have your own favorite park, but Google has revealed a by-the-numbers ranking of the most popular and the highest-rated national parks, plus a list of the top-rated hidden gems.
The parks with the most direction requests and interactions on Google Maps in the last year are considered the most popular. The list, not surprisingly, is topped by Yosemite National Park in California, Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and Zion National Park in Utah. Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah is number one on the list of top-rated parks—those with ratings of 4.8 or higher and more than 1,000 reviews on Google Maps—followed by Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in Alaska. America’s newest park, New River Gorge National Park & Preserve in West Virginia, made its debut at No. 14.
For outdoor enthusiasts looking for a little more peace and quiet, Google rankings also reveal the top hidden gem national parks. These are parks with ratings of 4.5 or higher with fewer than 1,000 reviews. Redwood National Park in California, Yellowstone National Park Gateway Garden in Montana and Isle Royale National Park in Michigan top the list.
To find your favorite, there’s no better time to start than National Parks Week.