America’s 15 Most-Visited (and Least-Visited) National Parks

America’s national parks have been known to be refuges during the pandemic, as tourists flood the vast open spaces in record numbers. According to a new report from the National Park Service, 312 million people will visit the United States’ national parks in 2022, a 5 percent increase from 2021.

But while crowds keep flocking to places like the Great Smoky Mountains — which was once again named the most visited national park in the United States — something has changed. “Many of the parks that will see record numbers of visits in 2022 are on what we call ‘the road less traveled,'” National Park Service Director Chuck Sams said at a news conference.

That’s good news after several seasons of headaches — including reservations at many parks, crowded and sold-out hotels and campgrounds. “Subtle shifts in park attendance are good for tourists, good for conservation, and good for local communities whose economies benefit from tourism dollars,” Sams said.

These shifts in visiting patterns are the result of a two-year effort by the National Park Service to encourage visitors to seek out lesser-known parks and visit at less popular times of the year.

In fact, there are some lesser-known entries in the latest list of the top 15 most visited national parks, including Ohio’s Cuyahoga Valley and Indiana Dunes, making Utah’s Arches and Florida’s Everglades Other well-known names are eclipsed. This year, Arkansas’ Hot Springs National Park knocked Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park off the list.

While last year was the second-most popular year on record for Great Smoky Mountains National Park, numbers were down from 2021: Nearly 13 million people visited the park in 2022, down from 14.1 million the year before.

On the other hand, some of the least visited parks saw an increase in attendance. Visitors to Alaska’s glacier-carved Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve rose from 7,362 in 2021 to 9,457 in 2022. Visitors to Alaska’s Kabuki Valley National Park increased from 11,540 in 2021 to 16,925 in 2022.

In 2022, the least visited park is American Samoa National Park. The park is located on the US territory of American Samoa and spans three islands: Tutuila, Ofu and Ta’ū. Only 1,887 people visited the park.

Read on for a list of the most and least visited national parks in the United States, ranked by visitor numbers.

The 15 Most Visited National Parks

1. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina and Tennessee) – 12,937,633
2. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona) – 4,732,101
3. Zion National Park (Utah) – 4,692,417
4. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado) – 4,300,424
5. Acadia National Park (Maine) – 3,970,260
6. Yosemite National Park (California) – 3,667,550
7. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana and Idaho) – 3,290,242
8. Joshua Tree National Park (California) – 3,058,294
9. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio) – 2,913,312
10. Glacier National Park (Montana) – 2,908,458
11. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana) – 2,834,180
12. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming) – 2,806,223
13. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas) – 2,646,133
14. Olympic National Park (Washington) – 2,432,972
15. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah) – 2,354,660

15 least visited national parks

1. American Samoa National Park (Samoa) – 1,887
2. Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve (Alaska) – 9,457
3. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska) – 16,925
4. Lake Clark National Park and Preserve (Alaska) – 18,187
5. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan) – 25,454
6. North Cascades National Park (Washington) – 30,154
7. Katmai National Park and Preserve (Alaska) – 33,908
8. Rangel St. Elias National Park and Preserve (Alaska) – 65,236
9. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida) – 78,488
10. Great Basin National Park (Nevada) – 142,115
11. Virgin Islands National Park (St. John’s, USVI) – 196,752
12. Congaree National Park (South Carolina) – 204,522
13. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas) – 219,987
14. Voyagers National Park (Minnesota) – 221,434
15. Pinnacles National Park (California) – 275,023

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