Most Visited Places in 2023: National Parks

(NEXSTAR) — U.S. national parks have seen an increase in visitor numbers this year despite inclement weather in many parks, continuing a trend that started during the pandemic.

The National Park Service on Thursday released 2023 visitor numbers for the 400 sites it tracks visitors to. Together they recorded 325.5 million recreational visits last year. This is an increase of 13 million people compared to 2022, but still about 2 million people short of the 2019 total.

About 24 parks (a broad term that refers to all NPS sites, even if they are not parks) broke visitation records. This includes parks you haven’t visited yet.

“From Hawaii’s Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park to South Carolina’s Congaree National Park, thousands of visitors flock to our parks each year to learn about our shared history,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. stated in a news release. “Our National Parks tell the story of America we share. We want visitors to discover hidden gems, explore in the off-season, and find new ways to have fun in our National Parks. I’m glad you gave it to me.”

In addition to Joshua Tree and Dry Tortugas National Parks, 18 other locations have broken previous visit records.

More than 70 sites received more than 1 million visits in 2023, and, unsurprisingly, only the Blue Ridge Parkway received the most visits.

The park is reported to have more than 16.7 million recreational visitors. The park features a series of forested areas connected by 469 miles of roads through the Appalachian Highlands of Virginia to the western tip of North Carolina. That’s about 1 million more visitors than the Blue Ridge Parkway had in 2022, and almost 2 million more than the next location, Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

The Blue Ridge Parkway may not be the first national park that comes to mind, but it has consistently been one of the most visited national parks for the past 20 years. 2002 was the site’s most visited year, with more than 21 million guests. Since then, his 2014 was the only year the number of visitors to the parkway was less than his 14 million. Between 2011 and his 2023, the Blue Ridge Parkway was his most visited eight times. For his other five years, Golden Gate National Recreation Area was at the top of the list.

Not surprisingly, the Blue Ridge Parkway is the most visited national park on record, according to NPS data. As if that weren’t bad enough, the park is the longest road planned as a single unit in the United States, according to the NPS.

Follow the parkway to its southern end and you’ll arrive at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which will be the third most visited national park in 2023.

The Great Smoky Mountains are among the 10 most visited NPS sites in 2023 and are the only site with “National Park” in the title. Here is the complete list:

1. Blue Ridge Parkway: 16.7 million visitors
2. Golden Gate National Recreation Area: 14.9 million visitors
3. Great Smoky Mountains National Park: 13.3 million visitors
4. Gateway National Recreation Area: 8.7 million visitors
5. Gulf Islands National Seashore: 8.3 million visitors
6. Lincoln Memorial: 8.1 million visitors
7. George Washington Memorial Parkway: 7.4 million visitors
8. Natchez Trace Parkway: 6.8 million visitors
9. Lake Mead National Recreation Area: 5.8 million visitors
10. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area: 5.2 million visitors

When ranked based on park unit type, NPS reports that 28% of total visits are true national parks and 16% are national recreation areas. You can view complete NPS data here, but please note that the data is preliminary.

The agency said visitor numbers in the spring and fall were higher than in past years, adding that “recent trends in recreational visitation suggest a return to more typical visitation patterns post-pandemic.” ” he said.

Looking to check out a new national park (or parkway, recreation area, beach, or other type of location) this year? When is NPS waiving admission fees for facilities that would otherwise require an admission fee? There are only 5 days left this year.