National Parks
...summarized links to all national parks we visited
So far we have visited 43 of the 63 national parks in the USA. This overview should help to find certain parks faster. They are listed here in alphabetical order. A click on the respective photos leads to our detailed reports on the national parks.
In 2021, 297,115,406 visitors were recorded in all areas managed by the National Park Service. With 14.1 million visitors, Smoky Mountains NP is by far the most visited national park.
Top Ten 2021
1. Great Smoky Mountains NP - 14.1 million visitors
2. Zion NP - 5 million visitors
3. Yellowstone NP - 4.9 million visitors
4. Grand Canyon NP – 4.5 million visitors
5. Rocky Mountain NP - 4.4 million visitors
6. Acadia NP - 4 million visitors
7. Grand Teton NP - 3.9 million visitors
8. Yosemite NP - 3.3 million visitors
9. Indian Sand Dunes NP - 3.2 million visitors
10. Glacier NP - 3.1 million visitors
Top Ten 2022
1. Great Smoky Mountains NP – 13 Millionen Besucher
2. Grand Canyon NP – 5.7 Millionen Besucher
3. Zion NP – 4.7 Millionen Besucher
4. Rocky Mountain NP – 4.4 Millionen Besucher
5. Acadia NP – 4.1 Millionen Besucher
6. Yosemite NP – 3.7 Millionen Besucher
7. Yellowstone NP – 3.3 Millionen Besucher
8. Joshua Tree NP – 3.1 Millionen Besucher
9. Cuyahoga Valley NP – 2.9 Millionen Besucher
10. Glacier NP – 2.9 Millionen Besucher
Top Ten 2023
1. Great Smoky Mountains NP- 13.3 Millionen Besucher
2. Grand Canyon NP – 4.7 Millionen Besucher
3. Zion NP – 4.6 Millionen Besucher
4. Yellowstone P – 4.5 Millionen Besucher
5. Rocky Mountain NP – 4.1 Millionen Besucher
6. Yosemite NP – 3.9 Millionen Besucher
7. Acadia NP – 3.9 Millionen Besucher
8. Grand Teton NP – 3.2 Millionen Besucher
9. Joshua Tree NP – 3.3 Millionen Besucher
10. Olympic NP – 2.9 Millionen Besucher
So far 2 visits: October 2008, October 2010
Permits 2024 - To drive on Cadillac Mountain Summit Rd.
So far 10 visits: visits: August 1992, August 1994, April 1997, September 1999, October 2011, October 2014, February 2016, October 2018, April 2022, May 2023
Permits 2024 - Time tickets for entry into the park from April to October.
So far 2 visits: August 1994, June 2017
So far 1 visit: March 2018
So far 1 visit: March 1997
Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP – Colorado
So far 2 visits: October 2011, October 2018
So far 8 visits: August 1992, August 1994, April 1997, September 1999, October 2009, October 2011, October 2014, March 2016,
So far 5 visits: April 1997, Oktober 2011, Oktober 2014, Februar 2016, April 2022
So far 6 visits: April 1997, Oktober 2009, Oktober 2011, Februar 2016, Oktober 2018, April 2022
Carlsbad Caverns NP – New Mexico
So far 2 visits: August 1994, February 2018
Permits 2024 - For all self-guided tours.
So far 1 visit: October 2016
So far 1 visit: June 2015
So far 3 visits: August 1994, September 1999, May 2013
So far 2 visit: März 1997, November 2022
So far 2 visits: August 1994, May 2017
So far 1 visit: June 1998
Permits 2024 - For several roads in the national park.
Grand Canyon NP (North) – Arizona
So far 2 visits: November 2009, October 2012
Grand Canyon NP (South) – Arizona
So far 8 visits: August 1992, August 1994, April 1997, September 1999, November 2009, May 2013, October 2014, February 2016,
So far 4 visits: August 1994, June 1998, September 1999, June 2015,
So far 2 visits: September 1999, September 2019
So far 3 visits: October 2011, October 2012, October 2014
Great Smoky Mountains NP – North Carolina
So far 1 visit: October 2016
Guadalupe Mountains NP – Texas
So far 1 visit: February 2018
So far 1 visit: August 2000
So far 1 visit: August 2000
So far 3 visits: April 1997, May 2013, March 2016
So far 2 visits: June 1998, September 2019
Lassen Volcanic NP – California
So far 2 visits: June 1998, September 2019
So far 2 visit: August 1994, October 2011
So far 2 visits: June 2011, July 2015
Permits 2024 – Von Mai bis September
North Cascades NP – Washington
So far 2 visits: June 1998, June 2015
So far 1 visit: June 1998
So far 1 visit: September 2011
So far 1 visit: July 1998
So far 2 visit: October 2012, June 2017
Permits 2024 - From May to October
So far 2 visits: April 1997, May 2013
So far 3 visits: June 1998, September 1999, September 2019
So far 1 visit: October 2008
Theodore Roosevelt NP (North) – North Dakota
So far 1 visit: June 2017
Theodore Roosevelt NP (South) – North Dakota
So far 1 visit: June 2017
So far 2 visit: August 1994, October 2014
So far 1 visit: June 2017
Yellowstone NP (North) – Wyoming
So far 5 visit: August 1994, June 1998, September 1999, June 2015, June 2017
Yellowstone NP (South) – Wyoming
So far 5 visit: August 1994, June 1998, September 1999, June 2015, June 2017
So far 4 visit: August 1994, September 1999, May 2013, September 2019
Permits 2024 - For different months of the year.
So far 10 visit: August 1992, August 1994, April 1997, September 1999, Oktober 2009, Oktober 2012, Mai 2013, Oktober 2014, März 2016, April 2022
Free Entrance Days in the National Parks
15.01.2024
20.04.2024
19.06.2024
04.08.2024
28.09.2024
11.11.2024
Days with free admission to parks managed by the National Park Service:
As every year, there are six days in 2024 when you don't have to pay an entrance fee in the areas managed by the National Park Service. All information can be found on the official webpage.
However, it should be said that it will be extremely crowded on these days, especially in the popular national parks. We can only recommend to everyone who wants to enjoy nature in peace to rather avoid these days.
The Anual Pass, offers free entry to all areas managed by the National Park Service. You pay a one-time fee of $80 and can visit any national park, national monument, etc. free of charge for 13 months. Such a pass is worthwhile from the third national park that you visit within the 13 months and you are not tied to days when all the people of the planet gather in one place.