Story at a glance
- Nearly 300 million people visited U.S. National Parks in 2021.
- The National Park Service said only 25 out of its 423 parks accounted for around 50 percent of all park visitors last year.
- Yet 44 parks set records for recreation visits.
Nearly 300 million people visited U.S. national parks in 2021 — a 60 million visitor increase from the coronavirus pandemic’s first year.
The National Park Service said only 25 out of its 423 parks accounted for around 50 percent of all park visitors last year, and numbers across national parks fell below pre-pandemic levels. Still, 44 parks set records for recreation visits. Great Smoky Mountains National Park broke 14 million visits for the first time.
“It’s wonderful to see so many Americans continuing to find solace and inspiration in these incredible places during the second year of the pandemic,” National Park Service Director Chuck Sams said in a statement.
“We’re happy to see so many visitors returning to iconic parks like Yellowstone and Yosemite, but there are hundreds more that should be on everyone’s bucket list. Whatever experience you’re looking for in 2022, national parks are here to discover.”
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Visitors logged approximately 1.3 billion hours in 2021.
Overall, 73 parks recorded more than 1 million visits, which is equal to the pre-pandemic number. Meanwhile, Blue Ridge Parkway and Golden Gate National Recreation Area joined the Great Smoky Mountains national park with more than 10 million visitors.
Here’s a breakdown of the top ten national parks visited in 2021.
- Blue Ridge Parkway: 15.9 million
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park: 14.1 million
- Golden Gate National Recreation Area: 13.7 million
- Gateway National Recreation Area: 9.1 million
- Lake Mead National Recreation Area: 7.6 million
- George Washington Memorial Parkway: 6.8 million
- Natchez Trace Parkway: 6.4 million
- Lincoln Memorial: 5.8 million
- Gulf Islands National Seashore: 5.5 million
- Zion National Park: 5 million
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