Ranking: least visited US national parks

Ranking: least visited US national parks

As America's public land registry records record numbers, we explore the least visited U.S. national parks

It's well-documented that America's national parks and hiking trails saw a surge in visitors as lockdown-weary Americans flocked to the outdoors. In 2021, Yellowstone recorded a staggering 4.8 million recreational visits, up 28% from 2020 (3.8 million), making it the busiest year on record.

In 2022, as international tourists return, visitor numbers across the national park system – which is responsible for over 400 sites, including 63 national parks – are expected to rise even further. In response, several destinations have introduced reservation systems to address the surge.

Looking ahead, it might be worth considering alternatives to congested public areas such as the Great Smoky Mountains (14.1 million visitors in 2021), Zion (5 million), or the Grand Canyon (4.5 million). Not only will you have more natural property to yourself, your visit will also reduce pressure on these well-trodden landscapes and their ecosystems.

10 Least Visited US National Parks

Below are the 10 least visited U.S. national parks based on the total number of recreational visits they received in 2021. Not surprisingly, America's 49th state, Alaska, is home to six of the 10 least visited states.

1. Arctic National Park & ​​Preserve Gates

Location: Alaska2021 Visitors: 7,362More information: www.nps.gov

BlueBarronPhoto/ShutterstockGates of the Arctic National Park

It's hardly surprising that a vast backcountry like the Gates of the Arctic — which contains no roads or trails — is the least visited U.S. national park. Travelers to the remote region must fly or hike into the park via the gateway communities of Bettles, Anaktuvuk Pass and Coldfoot, usually after passing through Fairbanks. This is wilderness in its purest form.

2. National Park of American Samoa

Location: American Samoa2021 Visitors: 8,495More information: www.nps.gov

Peto Laszlo/ShutterstockAmerican Samoa is located in the South Pacific

American Samoa, an unincorporated U.S. territory in the South Pacific, has only one national park, protecting virtually pristine landscapes on three islands and 33 square kilometers of ocean. The area includes mountain rainforests, thriving birdlife and a magnificent coastline with wild surf and windswept beaches.

3. Kobuk Valley National Park

Location: Alaska2021 Visitors: 11,540More information: www.nps.gov

Picryl/Public DomainCaribou near Onion Portage in Kobuk Valley National Park

The Kobuk Valley is known for its breathtaking caribou migrations, with over 500,000 of the magnificent animals traveling more than 1,500 km (930 miles) north to reach their calving grounds in the spring, before repeating the feat and returning south in the fall. Flowing rivers, arctic tundra, towering sand dunes and pristine boreal forests make the Kobuk Valley one of the most untamed hinterlands on earth.

4. North Cascades National Park

Location: Washington2021 Visitors: 17,855More information: www.nps.gov

Anna Abramskaya/ShutterstockDiablo Lake in the North Cascades

Even though North Cascades National Park is just three hours from Seattle, the park somehow only receives a trickle of visitors compared to other protected areas in the Northwest. Names like Mount Terror, Mount Fury and Mount Despair may deter some visitors, but it's more likely that the park is inaccessible. It has only one road that leads through the landscape of rugged peaks and green valleys that are home to more than 300 glaciers.

5. Lake Clark National Park and Preserve

Location: Alaska2021 Visitors: 18,278More information: www.nps.gov

Wildnerdpix/ShutterstockCrescent Lake in Lake Clark National Park

Lake Clark is perhaps Alaska's most diverse national park in terms of topography and ecosystems. It's possible to hike among hills covered in tundra carpets, rugged peaks, huge glaciers, two active volcanoes and a dramatic coastline. Of course, the rich landscape is home to a variety of wildlife, including bears, seabirds and the world's largest sockeye salmon fishery.

6. Katmai National Park & ​​Reserve

Location: Alaska2021 Visitors: 24,764More information: www.nps.gov

Wirestock Creators/ShutterstockBrooks River in Katmai

Not connected to any town by road, Katmai has earned a reputation as Alaska's premier wildlife viewing destination, with bear watching at Brooks Camp being the most popular. The park is an important habitat for salmon, so thousands of brown bears flock to the cold, clear waters of the Brooks River to feast on the abundant fish each summer. Other activities include fishing, hiking, rafting and kayaking.

7. Isle Royale National Park

Location: Michigan2021 Visitors: 25,844More information: www.nps.gov

Steven Schremp/ShutterstockHarbor Lighthouse in Isle Royale

Located in the middle of Michigan's Lake Superior, accessible only by ferry and seaplane, Isle Royale offers a variety of activities including hiking, trekking, camping, boating, sailing, paddling and even scuba diving. Other attractions include over 2,000 elk that call the island home, some of the best-preserved shipwrecks in the United States, and the 45-mile (72 km) Greenstone Ridge Trail that traverses the summit of Mount Desor, which is the park's highest point at 1,300 feet (425 m).

8. Wrangell St. Elias National Park & ​​Reserve

Location: Alaska2021 Visitors: 50,189More information: www.nps.gov

Martin Capek/ShutterstockWrangell-St. Elias National Park

The huge Wrangell-St. Elias is America's largest national park, measuring 53,320 km², the same size as Yellowstone, Yosemite and Switzerland combined!

The park is also home to Mount Saint Elias, one of the most beautiful mountains in the United States and, since the mountain straddles the U.S.-Canadian border, America's second highest peak after Denali (as well as Canada's after Logan). As such, the park rises from sea level to 5,489 m (18,008 ft).

9. Dry Tortugas National Park

Location: Florida2021 Visitors: 83,817More information: www.nps.gov

Varina C/ShutterstockHistoric Fort Jefferson in Dry Tortugas

Located 113 km (70 miles) west of Key West, the distinctive Dry Tortugas National Park encompasses seven islands in the Gulf of Mexico but is mostly open water. Accessible only by seaplane, the park is famous for its rare birds, historic military fort, and aquamarine waters that are home to coral reefs and diverse marine life.

10. Glacier Bay National Park & ​​Preserve

Location: Alaska2021 Visitors: 89,768More information: www.nps.gov

Maridav/ShutterstockA humpback whale breaches Glacier Bay

Many visitors pass through the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Glacier Bay National Park on an Inside Passage cruise. However, far fewer explore their hinterland. The vast protected area covers over 13,044 square kilometers of diverse wilderness with snow-capped mountains, glaciers, rainforest, rugged coastlines and remote fjords, not to mention wildlife: bears, moose, mountain goats, sea otters, humpback whales, porpoises, orcas, sea lions, seals and a variety of birds.

Complete rankings

Below, all 63 U.S. national parks are ranked by the total number of recreational visits they received in 2021.

RangNationalparkBesucher 1Gates of the Arctic, Alaska7.362 2Amerikanisch-Samoa, Amerikanisch-Samoa8.495 3Kobuk Valley, Alaska11.540 4North Cascades, Washington17.855 5Lake Clark, Alaska18.278 6Katmai, Alaska24.764 7Isle Royale, Michigan25.844 8Wrangell–St.  Elias, Alaska50.189 9Dry Tortugas, Florida83.817 10Glacier Bay, Alaska89.768 11Great Basin, Nevada144.875 12Congaree, South Carolina215.181 13Denali, Alaska229.521 14Voyageurs, Minnesota243.042 15Guadalupe Mountains, Texas243.291 16Gunison of thenison , Colorado308.910 17Kanalinseln, Kalifornien319.252 18Virgin Islands, Amerikanische Jungferninseln323.999 19Pinnacles, Kalifornien348.857 20Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico349.244 21Lassen Volcanic, Kalifornien359.635 22Kenai Fjords, Alaska411.782 23Redwood, Kalifornien435.879 24.879 Kentucky515.774 25Mesa Verde, Colorado548.477 26Kings Canyon, Kalifornien562.918 27Big Bend, Texas581.220 28Petrified Forest, Arizona590.334 29Great Sand Dunes, Colorado602.613 30Crater Lake, Oregon647.751 31Biscayne, Florida705.655 32 South.Wind Cave705 32 .001 33White Sands, New Mexico782.469 34Theodore Roosevelt, North Dakota796.085 35Haleakalā, Hawaii853.181 36Canyonlands, Utah911.594 37Everglades, Florida942.130 38Sequoia, Kalifornien1.059.548 39Sagua  ro, Arizona1,079,786 40Gateway Arch, Missouri1,145,081 41Death Valley, California, Nevada1,146,551 42Badlands, South Dakota1,224,226 43Hawaiʻi Volcanoes, Hawaii1,262,747 44Capitol Reef, Utah1,405,353 45Shenandoah, Virginia1,592,312 46Mount Rainier, Washington1,670,063 47New River Gorge, West Virginia1,682,720 48Arches, Utah1,806,865 49Bryce Canyon, Utah2,104,600 50Hot Springs, Arkansas2,162,884 51Cuyahoga Valley, Ohio2,575,275 52Olympic, Washington2,718,925 53Joshua Tree, California3,064,400 54Glacier, Montana3,081,656 55Indiana Dunes, Indiana3, 177,210 56Yosemite, California3,287,595 57Grand Teton, Wyoming3,885,230 58Acadia, Maine4,069,098 59Rocky Mountain, Colorado4,434,848 60Grand Canyon, Arizona4,532,677 61Yellowstone, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho4,860,242 62Zion, Utah5,039,835 63Great Smoky Mountains, North Carolina, Tennessee14.161.548

Main image: Tobin Akehurst/Shutterstock

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