America’s 25 Most Popular National Parks

America is exemplified by our National Park System. In this article, we take the 25 most-visited American parks and ranked them based on their degree of beauty and adventure. Here are the results:

Capitol Reef National Park Utah

This park features the Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile fold in the ground. Additionally, the International Dark Sky Association designated it a “Gold Tier” Dark Sky Park because it’s a great place for stargazers to camp.

Hot Springs National Park Arkansas

The state’s leading tourist stop, it features “Bathhouse Row.”  Soak in the natural healing waters of the hot springs. Climb the mountain tower and take in the memorable view of the Ouachita Mountains.

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Saguaro National Park Arizona

Straddling Tucson, this park was created to preserve Giant Saguaro cacti–the large cacti on which Wile E. Coyote sometimes fell. It’s challenging for hikers. You hike 5,000 feet up 15 miles into the iconic desert.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park Ohio

This park includes the former location of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Richfield Coliseum. It also includes 33,000 acres of biking/horse trails, caves, waterfalls, and historic parts of the Ohio and Erie Canal.

Everglades National Park Florida

Situated in the Everglades 45 minutes out of Miami, this swath of unfriendly terrain and cypress trees is part of a distinct ecosystem. Board an airboat in Everglades City and get into the heart of it.

Shenandoah National Park Virginia

This park is found just 70 miles from D.C. Cruise the 105-mile-long Skyline Drive through the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Hike the Appalachian Trail or see Rose River or the South River Falls.

Death Valley National Park California/Nevada

This section of the famed Mojave Desert includes the official lowest point on the continent at Badwater Basin. Hit Dante’s View at sunrise and see the multi-colored sunlight reflecting off the Sierra Nevada.

Joshua Tree National Park California

Made world-famous thanks to the 1987 U2 album, this park is the official 11th most-visited park. It is home to 501 archeological sites and the best group of rock-climbing faces in the nation.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Tennessee, North Carolina

The official most visited park in the country, it spans two states. It includes over 1,660 different flowering plants and a 50-foot observation deck at its highest point–Clingman’s Dome.

Arches National Park Utah

Just outside of Moab, this 120-square-mile park is all about the 2,000 arches it contains. The arches were formed by millions of years of sandstone erosion. The 65-foot Delicate Arch is the most well-known.

Haleakala National Park Hawaii

Want to climb into a volcano? Visit the 10,023-foot Haleakala Mountain ensconced here on Maui. There are many hiking trails and the park includes more endangered species than any other park in America.

Olympic National Park Washington

This park is the official seventh-most-visited one in the nation. It neighbors the Twilight-famous Forks, Washington. It also includes active tide pools, the Olympic Mountain range, and the only temperate rainforest in the continental U.S.

Sequoia National Park California

Found near Visalia, this is the official second-oldest park in the country. It features five of the 10 largest trees on the planet, and General Sherman, the largest which is 275 feet high and 60 feet wide.

Badlands National Park South Dakota

One of the country’s best archeological sites, the park contains million-year-old fossil deposits, bison, and bighorn sheep. At sunrise here, you can enjoy the landscape being bathed in shades of blue, green, and orange.

Rocky Mountain National Park Colorado

This park encompasses a 415-square-mile area of the mountain range. Split by the famous Continental Divide, The eastern side includes the mountainous section, and the western half contains green vegetation. The park has 359 hiking trails.

Mount Rainier National Park Washington

Approximately 80 miles south of Seattle, is the snow-capped dormant volcano Mount Rainier. The park itself features lava fields, 25 glaciers, waterfalls, forests, and other vegetation. Climbers use the peak to practice.

Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

Bryce Canyon is actually a group of natural amphitheaters. They are situated one mile up and are only called a “canyon” for publicity purposes. If you like stars, attend the annual astronomy event.

Acadia National Park Maine

Located on Mount Desert Island, this park has campgrounds, beaches, and over 100 miles of hiking trails. Climb Cadillac Mountain and see Bar Harbor, the Porcupine Islands, Frenchman Bay, and Somes Sound too.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Hawaii

This park covers 500 square miles and is home to two active volcanoes. One, Kilauea, is the most active in the world. See the lava fields and witness the eruptions of Mauna Loa.

Grand Teton National Park Wyoming

This park includes the Teton range, the 13,775-foot Grand Teton mountain, and Jackson Hole. Every year, 3.2 million people fish for trout, relax by the lake, or to hike to the glaciers.

Glacier National Park Montana

This park reaches to Alberta and British Columbia in Canada. The lakes and mountains here were created by glaciers. It covers more than one million acres and 25 of the glaciers are active.

Zion National Park Utah

This famous 15-mile canyon is situated at the crossroads of the Great Basin, the Colorado Plateau, and the Mojave Desert. It features deserts, crimson rocks, waterfalls, and wildlife species that don’t otherwise live together.

Grand Canyon National Park Arizona

This is the most famous park in the country. Take a day trip to one of the rims, visit the popular Skywalk observation deck, or make the two-day hike from rim to rim.

Yosemite National Park California

Here you’ll find the world’s largest piece of granite–the El Capitan. It features over 20 waterfalls, including the famous 2,425-foot Yosemite Falls, the 2,140-foot Snow Creek Falls, giant sequoias, glaciers, and the Half Dome.

Yellowstone National Park Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho

This is the oldest park in the U.S. and the inspiration for Yogi Bear’s famous Jellystone Park. Spanning three states, it’s home to the iconic geyser Old Faithful, and the Grand Prismatic Hot Spring.