The most and least visited National Parks in 2024

In a long-awaited report, the National Park Service has finally released its list of the most and least visited national parks in the United States for 2024. The NPS set a new record with 331M visitors, breaking the total from 2016.

The most visited park didn’t shock anyone, as Great Smoky Mountains National Park took the top prize for another year. They’ve been the most visited national park for a long time, thanks to the population density of the East Coast, its size, and its ease of access. (ChatGPT told me since 1944, but I haven’t been able to verify it.)

Don’t expect this to be shared by federal agencies, though. They’ve been told not to publicize the record-breaking data, according to a memo that was leaked.

Who made up the 10 most visited national parks in 2024?

1. Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Visitors: 12,191,834 (12.93% of total visits)
As the most visited national park for decades, the Smokies continue to draw millions with their breathtaking mountain views, diverse wildlife, and free entry.

2. Zion National Park

Visitors: 4,946,592 (5.25%)
Famous for its towering red rock cliffs and world-class hikes like Angels Landing, Zion remains a top destination for adventurers.

3. Grand Canyon National Park

Visitors: 4,919,163 (5.22%)
One of the world’s most iconic natural wonders, the Grand Canyon never fails to impress with its vast, awe-inspiring landscapes.

4. Yellowstone National Park

Visitors: 4,744,353 (5.03%)
Home to geysers, hot springs, and incredible wildlife, Yellowstone continues to captivate visitors seeking raw, untamed beauty.

5. Rocky Mountain National Park

Visitors: 4,154,349 (4.41%)
With alpine lakes, towering peaks, and abundant wildlife, Rocky Mountain remains a favorite for hikers and nature lovers.

6. Yosemite National Park

Visitors: 4,121,807 (4.37%)
From the towering granite walls of El Capitan to the roaring Yosemite Falls, this park offers some of the most iconic scenery in the U.S.

7. Acadia National Park

Visitors: 3,961,661 (4.20%)
New England’s crown jewel, Acadia is beloved for its rugged coastline, fall foliage, and Cadillac Mountain sunrises.

8. Olympic National Park

Visitors: 3,717,267 (3.94%)
A true wilderness wonderland, Olympic boasts lush rainforests, glacier-capped peaks, and a stunning Pacific coastline.

9. Grand Teton National Park

Visitors: 3,628,222 (3.85%)
With dramatic mountain views and abundant wildlife, Grand Teton is a paradise for photographers and outdoor enthusiasts.

10. Glacier National Park

Visitors: 3,208,755 (3.40%)
Nicknamed the “Crown of the Continent,” Glacier offers jaw-dropping alpine scenery, glacial lakes, and epic hiking trails.

The Least Visited National Parks in the USA

The following are the least visited national parks in the US, from 1 to 10, which is really 54 down to 63. Five of Alaska’s seven National Parks fall into this category. The rugged and hard-to-access North Cascades reached a new low, with 24,000 fewer visitors in 2024 than in 2023.

1. Great Basin National Park – 152,068 visitors (0.16%) – Read my guide
2. Dry Tortugas National Park – 84,873 visitors (0.09%)
3. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve – 81,670 visitors (0.09%) – Read my guide
4. Katmai National Park & Preserve – 36,230 visitors (0.04%) – Read my guide
5. Isle Royale National Park – 28,806 visitors (0.03%)
6. National Park of American Samoa – 22,567 visitors (0.02%)
7. Lake Clark National Park & Preserve – 18,505 visitors (0.02%) – Read my guide
8. Kobuk Valley National Park – 17,233 visitors (0.02%)
9. North Cascades National Park – 16,485 visitors (0.02%) – Read my guide (NOTE: The Ross Lake National Recreational Area saw 971,173 visitors, which is how most people see the North Cascades.)
10. Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve – 11,907 visitors (0.01%)

The rest of the national park rankings

11. Joshua Tree NP – 2,991,874 (3.17%)
12. Cuyahoga Valley NP – 2,912,454 (3.09%)
13. Indiana Dunes NP – 2,705,209 (2.87%)
14. Gateway Arch NP – 2,563,052 (2.72%)
15. Bryce Canyon NP – 2,498,075 (2.65%)
16. Hot Springs NP – 2,461,812 (2.61%)
17. New River Gorge NP & PRES – 1,811,937 (1.92%)
18. Shenandoah NP – 1,720,211 (1.82%)
19. Mount Rainier NP – 1,620,006 (1.72%)
20. Arches NP – 1,466,528 (1.56%)
21. Death Valley NP – 1,440,484 (1.53%)
22. Hawaii Volcanoes NP – 1,433,593 (1.52%)
23. Capitol Reef NP – 1,422,490 (1.51%)
24. Sequoia NP – 1,309,573 (1.39%)
25. Badlands NP – 1,094,245 (1.16%)
26. Saguaro NP – 946,369 (1.00%)
27. Canyonlands NP – 818,492 (0.87%)
28. Mammoth Cave NP – 747,042 (0.79%)
29. Everglades NP – 741,983 (0.79%)
30. Glacier Bay NP & PRES – 736,282 (0.78%)
31. Theodore Roosevelt NP – 732,951 (0.78%)
32. Haleakala NP – 732,477 (0.78%)
33. White Sands NP – 702,236 (0.74%)
34. Kings Canyon NP – 699,389 (0.74%)
35. Redwood NP – 622,883 (0.66%)
36. Big Bend NP – 561,458 (0.60%)
37. Petrified Forest NP – 559,254 (0.59%)
38. Biscayne NP – 512,213 (0.54%)
39. Crater Lake NP – 504,942 (0.54%)
40. Wind Cave NP – 489,399 (0.52%)
41. Mesa Verde NP – 480,065 (0.51%)
42. Denali NP & PRES – 466,227 (0.49%)
43. Carlsbad Caverns NP – 460,474 (0.49%)
44. Great Sand Dunes NP & PRES – 437,661 (0.46%)
45. Virgin Islands NP – 423,029 (0.45%)
46. Kenai Fjords NP – 419,468 (0.44%)
47. Lassen Volcanic NP – 357,651 (0.38%)
48. Pinnacles NP – 354,076 (0.38%)
49. Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP – 335,862 (0.36%)
50. Channel Islands NP – 262,581 (0.28%)
51. Congaree NP – 242,049 (0.26%)
52. Guadalupe Mountains NP – 226,134 (0.24%)
53. Voyageurs NP – 199,030 (0.21%)

Notable Changes in Visitation from 2023 to 2024 for most and least visited national parks in America:

Here are some more interesting figures from the 2024 national park visitation list.

• Great Smoky Mountains NP: Although still the most visited park, it saw a decrease in visitation by about 1.1 million, from 13.3 million (2023) to 12.2 million (2024), a -8.3% decrease.
• Zion NP: Visitation increased from 4.6 million (2023) to 4.9 million (2024), up by 7.0%.
• Grand Canyon NP: Visits rose slightly from 4.7 million (2023) to 4.9 million (2024), showing a 3.9% increase.
• Yellowstone NP: This park saw a small increase in visits, from 4.5 million (2023) to 4.7 million (2024), a 5.4% increase.
• Olympic NP: Strong growth with a significant rise from 2.9 million (2023) to 3.7 million (2024), an almost 27% increase.
• New River Gorge NP & PRES: There was a notable increase from 1.7 million (2023) to 1.8 million (2024), a 6.1% increase.

Final thoughts on the most and least visited national parks

Thanks for reading this most-visited and least-visited national parks piece. The top 10 seems to usually stay the same, though there’s movement within the top tier.

And I get a kick out of 13, 14, and 16, which are hardly worthy of national park status. They pulled in 6+ million visitors simply due to their location near major population centers or because there is nothing else around it.

Until next time, adventurers, stay safe.

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