America’s 5 Most Famous National Parks – and Less Famous
You might think that finding an empty trail in a national park is impossible these days. It sure feels like that when you’re stuck in traffic looking at a shiny bear. The National Park Service recorded hundreds of millions of visits last year.
The show is more popular than ever, and that brings a different set of challenges. While a number of popular parks see millions of people in the middle of nowhere, others offer pristine wilderness.
When you’re planning your next outdoor getaway, it helps to know what you’re getting into. Let’s take a look at the most popular and least popular parks based on the latest data from the National Park Service.
1. Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Straddling the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, this fertile mountain region holds the upper hand by a large margin. The park welcomed more than 12 million visitors last year.
The appeal is easy to understand. The park is free to enter and is within a day’s drive of most of the country. You get scenic drives, historic rooms and endless hiking trails.
Because there is no entrance fee, people often drive to enjoy the view. If you want to avoid the traffic, start your hike before sunrise or explore the quieter east side of the park.
2. Zion National Park
Utah has several great parks, but this one draws the biggest crowds. About 5 million people passed through its gates last year.
Visitors flock here to hike the Narrows and challenge themselves on the steep terrain of Angels Landing. Because the main canyon is narrow, the crowds feel even more crowded.
You will need to rely on the park shuttle system to travel during the peak months. Private vehicles are restricted to scenic drives most of the year to manage traffic.
3. Grand Canyon National Park
This natural wonder in Arizona is a bucket list destination for people around the world. Just under 5 million tourists stopped by the pier last year to take the trip.
Many visitors stick to the South Rim because it offers easy access and an abundance of amenities. You’ll find lodging, restaurants and paved walkways right on the edge.
If you want a slightly quieter experience, the North Rim takes a bit more effort to reach. It sits at a very high altitude and is only open for a few months out of the year.
4. Yellowstone National Park
America’s first national park remains one of the most popular. Millions of people visit the park that covers Wyoming, Montana and Idaho to watch the geysers erupt and see wildlife.
Traffic jams caused by buffaloes crossing the road are a daily occurrence here. The roads around Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic Spring are almost always full of tour groups.
To avoid the worst congestion, try to visit during the shoulder seasons. You can also escape the crowds entirely by walking a few miles down any back road.
5. Rocky Mountain National Park
Colorado offers amazing mountain vistas, and this park delivers them in abundance. More than 4 million people visited last year to drive Trail Ridge Road and hike the mountain lakes.
The park is so popular that it operates a timed admission system during the summer. You need to plan your visit months in advance if you want to drive the main corridors.
If you fail to get a permit, you can still enter the park before sunrise or in the afternoon. Early arrivals often get the best parking spots and early morning light.
Less visited national parks
These parks are beautiful, but they don’t have very high visitor numbers.
The gates of the Arctic National Park
If you really want to escape civilization, head to Alaska. This large park sits north of the Arctic Circle and saw less than 12,000 visitors last year.
There are no roads, no paths and no visitor centers within the park boundary. You have to fly in a small bush plane or ride from a remote highway.
It is a place for backcountry explorers who can navigate the wilderness. You are completely alone when the pilot drops you off.
North Cascades National Park
You don’t have to fly to Alaska to find solitude. This park in the state of Washington is just three hours from Seattle, but it has received about 16,000 visitors.
Low numbers are deceiving. A highway runs through the center of the park, but that road resides in a separate area of ​​the recreation area.
A real national park requires you to ride in the desert, on the cliffs. Those who work hard are rewarded with rugged peaks and hundreds of glaciers.
Kobuk Valley National Park
Back in Alaska, this remote park is famous for an amazing feature – the giant sand dunes found above the Arctic Circle. About 17,000 people made this trip last year.
Like the Gates of the Arctic, there are no roads here. He arrives in a small plane from a neighboring village. Flights can easily cost more than $500 per person.
In autumn, visitors can witness a wonderful natural event. Thousands of caribou cross the Kobuk River during their annual southward migration.
Lake Clark National Park
This Alaskan park offers a condensed version of everything the state is known for. You’ll find volcanoes, glaciers, brown bears, and salmon running here. However, it only received about 18,000 visitors.
Access is limited to small aircraft or boats. Many people visit as part of a guided bear watching day trip from Anchorage or Homer.
It’s an expensive option, but the wildlife viewing is incomparable. You can safely watch bears fishing in the rivers without having to deal with the crowds found in other parks.
National Park of American Samoa
The only nature reserve in the southern hemisphere is very far from the continent. Getting there requires a flight to Hawaii and then another long flight to the South Pacific.
About 22,000 people made the trip last year. Those who experience pristine coral reefs, tropical rainforests and rich Polynesian culture.
It is completely different from any other park in the American system. You can snorkel in the warm waters and walk through forests full of unique bird species.
