Top 10 Most Visited National Parks

With 58 National Parks located across the country, everyone should be lucky enough to take in such beautiful sights at least once. Start here with these top 10 most visited National Parks.

Grand Canyon National Park (AZ)

Most visitors (90%) see Grand Canyon from the "South Rim" from overlooks accessed by free park shuttle buses or by their personal vehicles. The South Rim is open all year.

A much smaller number of people (10%) see the canyon from the North Rim of the park, which lies just 10 miles (16 km) across the canyon from the South Rim, (as the California condor (https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/nature/california-condors.htm) flies) but is a 220 mile/ 354 km drive by car. The North Rim has a short season. Lodging and food services are open between May 15th and October 15th of each year.

Where to Stay: Tusayan, AZ (https://etravel.southjersey.aaa.com/hotel/search?location=Tusayan%2C%20Arizona%2C%20United%20States)
Season: South rim open all year

Yosemite National Park (CA)

Not just a great valley, but a shrine to human foresight, the strength of granite, the power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierra.

First protected in 1864, Yosemite National Park is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more.

Where to Stay: YNP, CA (https://etravel.southjersey.aaa.com/hotel/search?location=Yosemite%20National%20Park%2C%20California%2C%20United%20States)
Season: Open all year; with seasonal road closures Nov - May/June. Check park for specific travel restrictions.

Yellowstone National Park (WY, MT, ID)

Yellowstone has something for everyone. Whether you delight in the challenge of a strenuous hike or prefer to sit quietly and watch the sunset, the park offers a great diversity of activities for you to enjoy. With so many adventures to choose from, you’ll have some tough decisions to make.

Where to Stay: West Yellowstone, MT (https://etravel.southjersey.aaa.com/hotel/search?location=West%20Yellowstone%2C%20Montana%2C%20United%20States)
Season: Open all year; with seasonal road closures Oct - May/June. Check park for specific travel restrictions.

Rocky Mountain National Park (CO)

Rocky Mountain National Park’s 415 square miles encompass and protect spectacular mountain environments. Enjoy Trail Ridge Road – which crests at over 12,000 feet including many overlooks to experience the subalpine and alpine worlds – along with over 300 miles of hiking trails, wildflowers, wildlife, starry nights, and fun times. In a world of superlatives, Rocky is on top!

Where to Stay: Estes Park, CO (https://etravel.southjersey.aaa.com/hotel/search?location=Estes%20Park%2C%20Colorado%2C%20United%20States)
Season: Open all year; with seasonal road closures. Check park for specific travel restrictions.

Olympic National Park (WA)

With its incredible range of precipitation and elevation, diversity is the hallmark of Olympic National Park. Encompassing nearly a million acres, the park protects a vast wilderness, thousands of years of human history, and several distinctly different ecosystems, including glacier-capped mountains, old-growth temperate rain forests, and over 70 miles of wild coastline. Come explore!

Where to Stay: Port Angeles, WA (https://etravel.southjersey.aaa.com/hotel/search?location=Port%20Angeles,%20Washington,%20United%20States)
Season: Open all year; with seasonal road closures. Check park for specific travel restrictions.

Zion National Park (UT)

Follow the paths where ancient native people and pioneers walked. Gaze up at massive sandstone cliffs of cream, pink, and red that soar into a brilliant blue sky. Experience wilderness in a narrow slot canyon. Zion’s unique array of plants and animals will enchant you as you absorb the rich history of the past and enjoy the excitement of present day adventures.

Where to Stay: Springdale, UT (https://etravel.southjersey.aaa.com/hotel/search?location=Zion%20National%20Park%2C%20United%20States)
Season: Open all year.

Grand Teton National Park (WY)

Rising above a scene rich with extraordinary wildlife, pristine lakes, and alpine terrain, the Teton Range stands monument to the people who fought to protect it. These are mountains of the imagination. Mountains that led to the creation of Grand Teton National Park where you can explore over two hundred miles of trails, float the Snake River or enjoy the serenity of this remarkable place.

Where to Stay: Jackson Hole, WY (https://etravel.southjersey.aaa.com/hotel/search?location=Teton%20Village%2C%20Wyoming%2C%20United%20States)
Season: Open all year; with seasonal road closures. Check park for specific travel restrictions.

Glacier National Park (MT)

Come and experience Glacier's pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains, and spectacular lakes. With over 700 miles of trails, Glacier is a hiker's paradise for adventurous visitors seeking wilderness and solitude. Relive the days of old through historic chalets, lodges, and the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road. Explore Glacier National Park and discover what awaits you.

Where to Stay: Whitefish, MT (https://etravel.southjersey.aaa.com/hotel/search?location=Whitefish%2C%20Montana%2C%20United%20States)
Season: Open all year; with seasonal road closures. Check park for specific travel restrictions.

Acadia National Park (ME)

Acadia National Park protects the natural beauty of the highest rocky headlands along the Atlantic coastline of the United States, an abundance of habitats with high biodiversity, clean air and water, and a rich cultural heritage. Each year, more than 3.3 million people explore seven peaks above 1,000 feet, 158 miles of hiking trails, and 45 miles of carriage roads with 16 stone bridges.

Where to Stay: Bar Harbor, ME (https://etravel.southjersey.aaa.com/hotel/search?location=Bar%20Harbor%2C%20Maine%2C%20United%20States)
Season: Seasonal closures. Check park for specific travel restrictions.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park (TN, NC)

Ridge upon ridge of forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. World renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture, this is America's most visited national park.

Where to Stay: Gatlinburg, TN (https://etravel.southjersey.aaa.com/hotel/search?location=Gatlinburg%2C%20Tennessee%2C%20United%20States)
Season: Open all year, with seasonal road closures. Check park for specific travel restrictions.