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I’ve been to the 10 most-visited US national parks. The most popular ones weren’t necessarily my favorites.

August 15, 20240
The crowding has detracted from my experience at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Emily Hart

Many people may be surprised to find that not only is the most-visited national park not in the West, but it has nearly three times as many visitors as the Grand Canyon, the next most-visited park.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, located in North Carolina and Tennessee, is the most-visited park annually by a long shot. Although it’s in an undeniably gorgeous part of the country, the colossally high visitation rate is also due to its proximity to over 50% of the US population.

Although I’ve enjoyed visiting several times — and hopefully will return soon — the crowds have forced me to rank it at the bottom of my list.

Joshua Tree National Park is uniquely beautiful, but it can get overly hot.
Despite the crowds, I’ll always stop to watch Old Faithful erupt at Yellowstone.

Emily Hart

Yellowstone is undoubtedly legendary. As the first designated national park in the US, it’s on most people’s travel bucket list — for a good reason. However, it feels very crowded as the fourth most-visited park in 2023, with many visiting the same geothermal sights.

Although I’ll stop to see Old Faithful erupt on every visit, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a bit annoying to jockey for a parking space in the summer and be stuck in traffic when trying to get outdoors.

Zion National Park is beautiful, but I prefer visiting some of Utah’s other parks.
The Grand Canyon is simply jaw-dropping.

Emily Hart

Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park is a place you must see to believe. The steep-sided canyon is more massive than any photo could convey.

The second most-visited park has fascinating history and geology, ample hiking opportunities, and viewpoints perfect for staring in awe.

Despite being the first stop on my solo national park quest nearly a decade ago — and having visited over a half dozen times since then — it’s not higher on my list simply due to the crowds.

Olympic National Park is easily one of my favorites.
Rocky Mountain National Park has a great system in place to mitigate the effects of the crowds.

Emily Hart

As a resident of Colorado, I may be biased, but in my opinion, Rocky Mountain National Park will forever be one of the most stunning places in the world.

Whether I’m driving along Trail Ridge Road, hiking the popular Bear Lake Corridor, or heading into some of the less-visited areas of the park, there is nothing quite like the mountain majesty you experience here.

As the fifth most-visited national park, it’s always near the top of the list for visitors. But with its large size of 415 square miles and timed vehicle entry reservation system, it doesn’t tend to feel as crowded as some of the other parks with similar visitation.

Maine’s Acadia National Park offers lots of unique experiences.
Yosemite sometimes uses a reservation system to help prevent overcrowding.

Emily Hart

Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park is a place that brings me to tears every time I visit. The dramatic granite cliff faces, towering waterfalls, and giant sequoia trees are awe-inspiring.

Beyond the valley, the California park offers lots of activities like hiking and rock climbing, drawing millions of visitors annually. However, to mitigate some of the crowding, the park uses a timed-entry system during certain parts of the year.

Despite being a popular park, I’ll still happily return to this magical landscape.

Grand Teton National Park is my favorite.
I’ve visited Grand Teton National Park over a dozen times.

Emily Hart

I always hesitate to name Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park my favorite and draw even more visitors. Although it’s the eighth most-visited national park, it’s never felt unmanageably crowded in the over a dozen times I’ve visited.

The jagged peaks are unlike any other mountain range I’ve seen, and the wildlife, lakes, and proximity to Jackson make it one of my favorite national parks to visit.