The U.S. is home to 63 national parks, from pristine lakes and towering mountains to vast deserts and arctic preserves. The National Park Service reported 325.5 million recreational visits to its parks across the country in 2023, an increase of 13 million from the previous year. Twenty parks set a record for annual visits, but some parks did not enjoy the same popularity. If you’re wondering how busy a park might be or looking for a quiet one to visit, here are the most and least visited national parks in the U.S.
The most visited national parks should come as no surprise. These are iconic, must-visit spots as well as some that you might not even realize are National Parks. The most popular national park in 2023 was the Blue Ridge Parkway, with more than 16.7 million visitors. The beautiful stretch of highway through the Blue Ridge Mountains garnered 5.15% of all park visits in 2023. The remaining ten most visited parks include parkways, recreation areas and monuments, but topping the list of straightforward parks are the Grand Canyon, Zion, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Acadia National Parks.
For wilderness-seekers looking for solitude, the least visited parks will be of interest. Whether because of a remote location or limited camping opportunities, these parks did not see hoards of visitors this past year. Five of the least visited parks are in Alaska. Coming in at number one is Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve in Alaska, followed by National Park of American Samoa, Lake Clark National Park & Preserve in Alaska, Kobuk Valley National Park in Alaska and Isle Royale National Park in Michigan. Don’t let the numbers fool you, these parks are well worth the visit for natural beauty and solitude, if you have the means to get there.