Top 10 Most Visited National Parks in 2016

The National Park Service posted the visitation statistics for 2016 this week in its “Annual Park Ranking Report for Recreation Visits.”

In total, the National Park Service saw more than 330.9 million visitors in its Centennial Year.  This was boosted by fee-free days and the “Every Kid in a Park” initiative to provide 4th graders with free admission.  It was was a large increase from the already record-breaking 307 million visitors in 2015.  Many park enthusiasts are beginning to raise concern about overuse from so many travelers.

Most Visited National Parks in 2016

Great Smoky Mountains National Park tops the list of most visited national parks in 2016 with more than 11 million visitors.  It was followed closely by Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Parks, each with more than 5 million visitors. There were no big changes this year; all the parks on this year’s list were also featured in the Top 10 of 2015.

And while not designated as a national park, Golden Gate National Recreation Area continues to be the most visited unit among the 417 units of the National Park Service.  It logged more than 15.6 million visitors in 2016.

Wondering about the least visited? That honor goes to Aniakchak National Monument & Preserve in Northern Alaska with only 100 visitors in 2016.

 

Search
Picture of THE PARK CHASERS

THE PARK CHASERS

Greg & Amy
Chasing a visit to all 400+ units in the NPS
Current Count: 130/423
Next Stop: @hawaiivolcanoes

WHERE WE ARE NOW

1 thought on “Top 10 Most Visited National Parks in 2016”

  1. Pingback: Camping in Olympic National Park: Heart O' the Hills Campground - Park Chasers

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

You May Also Like

3 Easy Day Hikes in Colorado National Monument

Since the monument was established in 1911, hikers have enjoyed the stunning scenery in Colorado National Monument.  While many of the parks 40+ miles of

Read More »
All About Colorado National Monument

All About Colorado National Monument

Sometimes our favorite national park units aren’t the end destinations but the parks we find on the way.  Colorado National Monument (Park #95 of 423)

Read More »
Least Visited National parks in 2021

The Least Visited National Parks in 2021

Even though more than 297 million people visited a national park last year, there are still some places you can find wilderness, quiet, and solitude

Read More »

Start Park Chasing Today

Download your free .pdf checklist of all 400+ national park units and start planning your next adventure.