Top Five Visited National Parks

The Great Smoky Mountains has achieved the rank of the most visited national park, with over 12 million visitors in 2024. This national park sits right between the border between Tennessee and North Carolina, otherwise known as the Appalachian Mountains. The top attractors of the Great Smoky Mountains are their infamous mountain peaks, which are great for hiking and black bear sightings, and include ten campgrounds and the scenic valley, Cades Cove. According to the National Park Service, “The Elkmont area in Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to a large population of synchronous fireflies.” When this intriguing news spread, there was a surge in visitors, which damaged the area and heightened safety concerns. Due to this, a lottery system has been put in place, allowing a limited number of visitors to experience this natural phenomenon. The Smoky Mountains natural caves are home to upside-down resting bats, which are protected by preservation laws. For visitors who have fishing or boating as an interest, multiple captivating rivers are available for these activities. Black bear sightings, pine forests, synchronous fireflies, infamous mountain peaks, and fun adventures-- what more can be asked from nature? The Great Smoky Mountains is the most popular national park out of all 63 national parks in the United States. So take advantage of the multiple months of break this summer to visit the Great Smoky Mountains! 

Zion National Park attracted almost five million visitors in the year 2024. Zion is located in Utah, where it is known for its deep history and present beauty. Zion's main feature is the skyscraping canyon that runs for 15 miles, with a popular watery trail called “The Narrows” straight down the middle of the canyon. In the 1860s, Mormon pioneers discovered Zion. According to National Geographic, they “were so overwhelmed by the natural beauty of Zion Canyon and its surroundings that they named it after the Old Testament name for the city of Jerusalem.” This is an interesting past of Zion Canyon; the pioneers were not wrong. Today, the park works hard to preserve the natural beauty while sharing it with the world. The park's ecosystem is home to about 800 native plant species, with more flowers than anywhere else in Utah. Aside from the multiple diverse hiking trails within the park, there are also accessible biking trails for families in the spring and fall. Every one of these natural features within the park, including its sandstone cliffs, desert lush, and the hikable river in between, can all be considered contributing reasons to why it is the second most visited national park 

Grand Canyon’s National Park enticed a little less than five million visitors in the year 2024. The Grand Canyon is one of the largest canyons on Earth, measuring an impressive 277 miles along the Colorado River. Through the astounding multi-colored layered canyon, the cerulean Colorado River runs right through this historic sight. This national park is located in Arizona, a hot-dry desert state known most for red-rock canyons. Campers can explore the Colorado River by taking boat guides, rafting, or hiking on various trails and mule riding where they get an in-depth, guided tour of the inner south rims of the canyon.  These unique sights hide a secret and, according to National Geographic, the secret is an interesting piece of history: “Native Americans have lived in and around the canyon for at least 12,000 years and Spanish explorers laid eyes upon the rift in the 16th century.” There is even evidence of this left in the Grand Canyon, where historic homes for the 11 tribes in the region. These were built into the rock, where gaping holes resembling doors were home to the Native people of the Colorado region. The Grand Canyon staff have put in a lot of effort to preserve the history of these historic sites while also sharing the intriguing history with modern-day visitors. So come visit Grand Canyon National Park if rafting the Colorado River through a red rock canyon, mule riding along the south rims, or touring the ancient tribal homes sounds like a good time. 

The world's first established national park: Yellowstone, with 4.7 million visitors in the year 2024. This national park stretches over 2.2 million acres, crossing borders through Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. Yellowstone is mostly made up of a rocky landscape with glistening streams and waterfalls throughout. Yellowstone is home to one of the tallest waterfalls in North America, with an astounding 2,425 feet split into three sections. Yellowstone also has beautiful scenic drives, like Glacier Point Road, Tioga Drive, and a short panorama trail that takes visitors to a less busy scenic spot. In peak summer, there are meadows filled with fragrant flowers, and a two-mile trail leads to the upper view of the meadow. One of the top sights associated with Yellowstone is its busy wildlife, from deer to black bears to Golden Eagles and roaming wild bison. There is also a high chance of seeing one of Yellowstone's geological wonders. National Parks Gov states that there are over “10,000 different hydrothermal features…estimated to be active within the park.” Hydrothermal features can be considered geysers that shoot out steam and water into the air, along with other natural hot springs. The top activities in Yellowstone National Park are hiking, wildlife spotting, boating, biking, visiting geysers and hot springs, as well as horseback riding. Yellowstone National Park takes the cake for being the fourth most visited national park. This may be due to its extraordinary hydrothermal features, roaming wildlife, and scenic landscape.