U.S. National Parks

Top 3 Most Visited National Parks in the United States

Each year, there are over 200 million visits to the over 400 national parks in the United States. The top three most visited parks bring in over 19 million people combined! Here we look at those three parks: Zion National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

3. Zion National Park, Utah

Angel's Landing, Zion National Park, Utah
Angel's Landing, Zion National Park, Utah

Located in sunny Springdale, UT, Zion National Park is the third most visited national park in the United States. The Virgin River and its tributaries run through Zio, carving and shaping the canyon. Its most famous hike, Angel's Landing, is only 2.2 miles but stands 1,488 feet above the Virgin River at its base. Zion National Park is a climber's paradise, with world-renowned sandstone cliffs standing over 2,000 feet tall.

Learn more about Zion

2. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

On March 1, 1872, Yellowstone became the United State's first national park. Yellowstone sits on top of an active volcano and experiences anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 earthquakes anually. Rumbles and all, it still attracts over 3 million visitors each year. There is no wonder why so many flock to Wyoming each year to experience Yellowstone's beauty, with it being home to over half the world's geysers and the largest concentration of mammals in the lower 48 states.

Learn more about Yellowstone

1. The Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee

Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee
Great Smoky Mountains, North Carolina and Tennessee

Ranking in at #1 is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which straddles the border between North Carolina and Tenneessee. There are over 10 million park visits to the Smokies each year– and with good reason! It is home to a large diversity of plants and animals, over 800 miles of hiking trails, and 2,900 miles of streams.

Learn more about the Smokies