News Release

Public Interest in National Parks Remains Strong as Visits Top 323 Million in 2025

Kid standing next to a raft pointing to a bridge over a river lined with trees
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, pictured, saw record visitation in 2025.

NPS / Victoria Stauffenberg

News Release Date: March 13, 2026

Contact: NewsMedia@nps.gov

WASHINGTON - The National Park Service today announced it recorded more than 323 million recreation visits in 2025, including over 13 million overnight stays, with 26 parks setting new visitation records.

Despite a 43-day partial government shutdown – the longest ever – the National Park Service worked to keep parks open and accessible whenever possible so visitors could continue to experience the nation’s natural and historic treasures. 

“America’s national parks continue to be places where people come to experience our country’s history, landscapes and shared heritage,” said Jessica Bowron, Comptroller, Exercising the Delegated Authority of the Director. “We are committed to keeping parks open, accessible and well-managed so visitors can safely enjoy these extraordinary places today and for generations to come.” 

Visitation data helps the National Park Service manage parks to provide safe, enjoyable visitor experiences while protecting the natural and cultural resources entrusted to its care. The Visitation Statistics Dashboard on NPS.gov provides recreation visit data for every park in the U.S. for 2025 and previous years—dating back to 1979 for some parks.  

With at least one national park site in every state, the national park system offers opportunities for recreation, learning and inspiration to visitors of all ages. For an in-depth look at 2025 visitation, including individual park figures, please visit the NPS Social Science web site. 

This year, the National Park Service is celebrating 250 years of American freedom. We stand ready to welcome millions of visitors to national parks as we help the country celebrate this tremendous achievement. 

Visitor Use by the Numbers  

  • 323,014,305 recreation visits (406 parks report visitation figures) 

  • 1,386,749,187 recreation visitor hours 

  • 13,016,577 overnight stays 

  • 26 parks set visitation records 

Top 10 - All Sites in the National Park System                    

  1. Blue Ridge PKWY 16,533,753 

  1. Golden Gate NRA 15,748,676 

  1. Great Smoky Mountains NP 11,527,939 

  1. Natchez Trace PKWY 7,994,783 

  1. Lincoln MEM 7,743,295 

  1. Gateway NRA 7,696,939 

  1. Gulf Islands NS 7,576,923 

  1. George Washington MEM PKWY 6,732,932 

  1. Appalachian NST 6,215,118 

  1. Lake Mead NRA 6,135,586 

Top 10 - National Parks 

  1. Great Smoky Mountains NP 11,527,939 

  1. Zion NP 4,984,525 

  1. Yellowstone NP 4,762,988 

  1. Grand Canyon NP 4,430,653 

  1. Yosemite NP 4,278,413 

  1. Rocky Mountain NP 4,171,431 

  1. Acadia NP 4,079,318 

  1. Grand Teton NP 3,800,648 

  1. Olympic NP 3,584,187 

  1. Glacier NP 3,136,557 

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    About the National Park Service.  Established in 1916, the National Park Service preserves America’s most treasured natural and cultural places for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of current and future generations. Learn more at nps.gov.    



Last updated: March 13, 2026

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