Great Smoky Mountains National Park leads the list with more than 11.5 million visitors.
From hiking to scenic views, it is easy to see why millions of people flock to national parks all across the country. But some definitely remain more popular than others.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park was the most popular park in the country last year, drawing more than 11.5 million visitors, according to data from the National Park Service. In fact, the park, which straddles North Carolina and Tennessee, accounted for 12.3 percent of all national park visits.
With more than 520,000 acres, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to a variety of waterfalls, lakes, and lookout points. There are more than 800 miles of trails on offer, including 74 miles of the Appalachian Trail, along with opportunities to spot plenty of wildlife from black bears to white-tailed deer, elk, and more.
The town of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, is a popular jumping off point to explore the park, functioning as a great destination for families in its own right thanks to fun activities such as the Dollywood theme park.
The second-most visited national park last year was Utah's Zion National Park, which drew just under 5 million visitors. That was followed by Yellowstone National Park, which saw just over 4.7 million visitors. Arizona's Grand Canyon National Park and California's Yosemite National Park rounded out the top five.
Beyond just parks, the honor of the most-visited NPS site belonged to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Adjacent to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and spanning 469 miles, the parkway saw a total of 16.5 million visitors in 2025.
San Francisco's Golden Gate National Recreation Area was the second-most visited, seeing 15.7 million people.
Outdoor enthusiasts looking to explore the most popular parks this year can save with the NPS' fee-free days, which include Memorial Day on May 25, Flag Day on June 14, the Independence Day weekend from July 3 to 5, the NPS' 110th anniversary on Aug. 25, Constitution Day on Sep. 17, Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday on Oct. 27, and Veterans Day on Nov. 11.
This is the full list of the top 10 most-visited national parks in 2025, according to the NPS.
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park; North Carolina, Tennessee
- Zion National Park; Utah
- Yellowstone National Park; Idaho, Montana, Wyoming
- Grand Canyon National Park; Arizona
- Yosemite National Park; California
- Rocky Mountain National Park; Colorado
- Acadia National Park; Maine
- Grand Teton National Park; Wyoming
- Olympic National Park; Washington
- Glacier National Park; Montana
Copyright People Inc. All rights reserved. From https://www.travelandleisure.com. By Staff Author.
