The Great Smoky Mountains remain America’s most visited national park.
About 13 million people visited the park, which straddles North Carolina and Tennessee, last year, according to newly released National Park Service figures. This is less than her 14.1 million visitors in 2021, but still far more than the other 62 national parks.
“The 2022 Visitation Report confirms what we have long known to be true: Great Smoky Mountains National Park remains a special place for millions of visitors.” Superintendent Cassius Cash said in a news release. “We are thinking about what the past 10 years’ average attendance means for the next 10 years and how we can maintain a quality admission experience and park resources.”
The most popular parks are just about all the famous ones, including the Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree, and America’s first national park, Yellowstone, but there are two parks that may surprise casual fans.
Both Cuyahoga Valley and Indiana Dunes had more visitors last year than places like Arches and Everglades that didn’t make the top 15.
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Quiz: How much do you know about America’s national parks?
15 Most Visited National Parks in 2022
Great Smoky Mountains National Park – 12,937,633 Grand Canyon National Park – 4,732,101 Zion National Park – 4,692,417 Rocky Mountain National Park – 4,300,424 Acadia National Park – 3,970,260 Yosemite National Park – 3,667,550 Yellowstone National Park – 3,290,242 Joshua Tree National Park – 3,0 58,294 Cuyahoga Valley National Park – 2,913,312 Glacier National Park – 2,908,458 Indiana Dunes National Park – 2,834,180 Grand Teton National Park – 2,806,223 Hot Springs National Park – 2,646,133 Olympic National Park – 2,432,972 Bryce Canyon National Park – 2,354,660
Source: National Park Service
For comparison, American Samoa National Park, the least visited park, had just 1,887 recreational visitors last year.
