Article Overview: National Parks Ranked, Best National Parks
Well folks, we had to do it (again). We’ve spent a decade filming America’s national parks, and after countless requests from viewers, we finally sat down, put our heads together, and created this comprehensive list of US national parks ranked from best to worst. This update includes our latest 2024 rankings – there were some big moves.
Now mind you, this was no easy task ranking the best national parks in the USA – America has 63 national parks (and counting)!
Our method? We decided to be brutally honest about the reality of each and every national park (you might be surprised to see where we ranked some very famous national parks) because nothing is worse than feeling misled by jaw-dropping photos void of crowds, right?
We’ve also ranked all 128 US National Monuments in case you’re interested in those as well.
America’s Best National Parks Ranked
Table of Contents: All 63 National Parks Ranked
Table of Contents: All 63 National Parks Ranked
- America’s Best National Parks Ranked
- Top 5 Best National Parks in the US
- Top 10 National Parks in America
- Top 15 Best National Parks in the USA
- List of 20 Best National Parks US
- List of Top 25 Best US National Parks
- List of Best US National Parks
- 31. Isle Royale National Park
- 32. New River Gorge National Park
- 33. Mesa Verde National Park
- 34. Joshua Tree National Park
- 35. Bryce Canyon National Park
- 36. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
- 37. Theodore Roosevelt National Park
- 38. Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
- 39. Glacier Bay National Park
- 40. Virgin Islands National Park
- List of the 40 Top US National Parks
- List of U.S. National Parks
- Top 50 List of Best US National Parks
- The Worst National Parks (The Bottom 10 Parks)
- 53. Pinnacles National Park
- 54. Gates of the Arctic National Park
- 55. Kobuk Valley National Park
- 56. Congaree National Park
- 57. American Samoa National Park
- 58. Cuyahoga Valley National Park
- 59. Dry Tortugas National Park
- 60. Carlsbad Caverns National Park
- 61. Hot Springs National Park
- 62. Indiana Dunes National Park
- The Worst National Park in America
- Ranked List of All US National Parks 2024
The Experts Behind This Ranked National Parks List
We’re Jim Pattiz and Will Pattiz, collectively known as the Pattiz Brothers (and sometimes the Parks Brothers) and we absolutely LOVE the national parks. You should probably know that we didn’t just make this list of the best national parks up out of thin air. We’ve spent our entire adult lives exploring and filming America’s national parks and public lands.
We’ve worked with the National Park Service, the Department of Interior, USDA, and the U.S. Forest Service for years creating films on important places and issues. Our work has been featured in leading publications all over the world and even some people outside of our immediate family call us experts on the national parks.
How We Ranked the Best National Parks
Now, you might ask how on earth we ranked America’s national parks from best to worst. We ranked all of the national parks based on a variety of factors including accessibility, crowd sizes, recreational opportunities, park amenities, and of course, scenic beauty.
You should also know that this list only covers the 63 congressional designated National Parks. Not National Grasslands, National Forests, National Historical Parks, National Monuments, Wilderness, etc.
This year’s rankings saw a lot of volatility. Some parks moved as much as 21 places from our previous scores. Given that the parks don’t change all that much you’re probably wondering how that could be. I don’t blame you. The reason is because we changed our formula this year to better rank the parks.
When we first released this list, each of the following criteria were weighted equally to comprise our 50 point ranking scale. This year we updated the list to weight certain categories more than others (see below). While this ranking system may not be perfect (I mean what is anyway), we’re always working to improve it so feel free to leave us a comment at the bottom of the post with suggestions.
- Accessibility (8pts) – Is this national park easy to access? Not only getting to the park but getting to places within the park. We analyzed vehicle access, transportation options, proximity to major airports, lodging and accommodations, conveniences, roads within the park, ADA accessibility, along with other signs of infrastructure and civilization.
- Recreation (10pts) – Recreation opportunities found within the park like hiking, biking, boating, climbing, etc.
- Crowds (10pts) – How crowded is this national park? We considered visitation, traffic, crowded overlooks & trails, limited campsite availability, lines, etc.
- Amenities (8pts) – Developed amenities within the park like visitors centers, campgrounds, bathrooms, lodges, dining, etc.
- Scenery (14pts) – The scenic beauty of the park. Purely subjective of course, but for most folks (including us) this is the single most important factor.
NOTE: If you feel like there’s a better way to rank the parks or that any of these parks scores should be re-evaluated, please drop us a comment below. These are living rankings that are adjusted accordingly when we receive compelling arguments.
FAQ – Best National Parks Ranked
FAQ – Best National Parks Ranked
The #1 rated national park in America is Olympic National Park in Washington.
The lowest rated (or worst) national park in America is Gateway Arch National Park in Missouri. Why is it even a national park? We have our theory.
While it’s tough to name a best national park, we’ve chosen Olympic National Park in Washington. Here’s why we chose Olympic.
Top 5 Best National Parks in the US
1. Olympic National Park
Location: Washington
Our Favorite Resources: Guide / Map / Guidebook / Things to Do / Hikes / Storm King / Where to Stay / Video
2023 Park Ranking: #1 (No change)
- Overall Score: 44.5/50
- Accessibility: 7/8
- Recreation: 10/10
- Crowds: 6/10
- Amenities: 7.5/8
- Scenery: 14/14
Ranking Olympic National Park as the best national park in America again? Yep. As much fun as it would have been to crown a new top park, it just wouldn’t have been right. This absolutely majestic national park deserves its GOAT status.
Olympic National Park is the most diverse national park in America, hands down. It’s like four parks in one. Olympic has everything from lowland forests, striking mountain ranges, pristine alpine lakes, sparkling rivers, temperate rain forests (the largest in the lower 48), iconic wildlife, and over 50 miles of wild coastline!
Oh, and it’s a stones throw from Seattle! Olympic National Park truly has it all and while the crowds have been on the rise in recent years, they’re still far from the hoards that have become so insidious in other US national parks. It’s for these reasons that this Pacific Northwest gem is still the best national park in America.
You might be interested in reading: Our National Monuments Rankings, 20 Best Things to Do in Olympic National Park, Complete Guide to Olympic National Park, and our Guide to All Washington’s National Parks
2. Mount Rainier National Park
Location: Washington
Helpful Resources: Map / Guidebook / Hikes / Things to Do / Paradise / Facts / Where to Stay
2023 Park Ranking: #3 | Note: Reservations required, read more here
- Overall Score: 44.5/50
- Accessibility: 8/10
- Recreation: 9.5/10
- Crowds: 6/10
- Amenities: 7/10
- Scenery: 14/14
John Muir described Mount Rainier best,“The most luxuriant and the most extravagantly beautiful of all the alpine gardens I ever beheld in all my mountain-top wanderings”.
With our updated formula, this year Mount Rainier moved up to number two on our list. And those who have visited will find it tough to dispute the ranking. This most heavily glaciated peak in the contiguous US is downright mesmerizing. Similar to the feeling one gets when looking into the Grand Canyon, you can gaze upon this mountain for hours without fathoming what exactly you’re looking at.
Mount Rainier has so much more to offer than the magnificently glaciated mountain surrounded by carpets of the most beautiful wildflowers you’ve ever seen. It has vast old growth forests, clear blue rivers, abundant wildlife, countless vistas, and some of the best hiking opportunities in America.
Summer crowds can be troublesome and wildfires seem to be more present with each passing year, but plan accordingly and you’ll be amazed by this immensely beautiful national park. It should be noted that Rainier is one of the growing list of national parks that require reservations.
RELATED: Check out these 20 Amazing Things to Do at Mount Rainier National Park
3. Grand Teton National Park
Location: Wyoming
Our Favorite Resources: Guide / Maps / Guidebook / Hikes / Things to Do / Where to Stay / Video / Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #2
- Overall Score: 44/50
- Accessibility: 5.5/10
- Recreation: 10/10
- Crowds: 7/10
- Amenities: 7.5/10
- Scenery: 14/14
Dropping this national park down to the third best national park might come as a bit of a surprise, but number three is still pretty great. Grand Teton National Park is truly iconic and, thanks to strong management and foresight, has been able to avoid the overcrowding more characteristic of its neighbor to the north, Yellowstone.
Here you’ll find the spectacular Teton mountains, the winding Snake River, gorgeous lakes and valleys, and some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities in the entire national park system.
The reason Grand Teton comes in behind its Pacific Northwest contemporaries comes down to accessibility. The closest major city/airport is Salt Lake City at 4.5 hours driving. Bozeman is a touch closer at four hours but flights and rental cars are less available and more expensive.
READ: Comprehensive Guide to Grand Teton National Park
4. Death Valley National Park
Location: California
Our Favorite Resources: Guide / Map / Guidebook / Things to Do / Facts / Camping / Where to Stay / Video
2023 Park Ranking: #13
- Overall Score: 43.5/50
- Accessibility: 7.5/8
- Recreation: 9/10
- Crowds: 8/10
- Amenities: 7/8
- Scenery: 12/14
As the largest park in the contiguous United States at over 1.6 million acres, Death Valley embodies every aspect of an epic US national park. Star Wars landscapes fill the mind with wonder as superlatives are the name of the game here. Death Valley features the lowest point in North America, has the hottest ever recorded air temperature on the planet, the tallest sand dunes in North America, and the driest place in the United States.
Despite the morbid name Death Valley has an abundance of life and incredible sights. So long as you don’t visit during the summer when temperatures can soar into the 130s you’re bound to have a great time here.
Death Valley moved up nine spots in our updated rankings this year, from thirteen all the way up to four. The combination of easy accessibility from Las Vegas, unbounded recreation (only thing is missing was water – enter Lake Manly), lack of overcrowding issues, and a diversity of otherworldly scenery all contributed to this huge move. And honestly, I think Death Valley still has room to run in future rankings.
READ: Our Best Things to Do Death Valley National Park post here for trip ideas.
5. Glacier National Park
Location: Montana
Our Favorite Resources: Map / Guidebook / Things to Do / Hikes / Where to Stay / Itinerary / Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #6 | Note: Reservations required
- Overall Score: 42/50
- Accessibility: 5/8
- Recreation: 10/10
- Crowds: 5.5/10
- Amenities: 7.5/8
- Scenery: 14/14
Glacier National Park is one of the grandfathers of the National Park Service and continues to stand the test of time as one of the best national parks in the US. This exceedingly beautiful mountainous park and its jaw-dropping vistas make other park overlooks seem tame by comparison. If you can make the drive from the nearest major airport or city, (which aren’t exactly close), Glacier provides ample recreation opportunities and a park experience that people of all abilities can enjoy.
Among the musts in this park is driving the spectacular Going-to-the-Sun Road, a true engineering marvel that winds through the mountains providing unparalleled views of one of the best national parks in America.
This year Glacier moved up one spot to crack into the top five best national parks. The increased weight to scenery was the major factor here. While it gets very high marks for amenities we’d love to see increased camping bandwidth.
Top 10 National Parks in America
6. Yosemite National Park
Location: California
Our Favorite Resources: Map / Guidebook / Facts / Where to Stay / Things to Do / Best Hikes / Fall
2023 Park Ranking: #4 | Note: Reservations required
- Overall Score: 41/50
- Accessibility: 7/8
- Recreation: 10/10
- Crowds: 2/10
- Amenities: 8/8
- Scenery: 14/14
There was a time when Yosemite National Park likely would’ve been #1 on our list of best National Parks in the US. But alas, it’s the 21st century and John Muir’s “grandest of all temples of nature” is bursting at the seams with tourists in search of their latest social media trophy (hiking Half Dome is a mess).
But at the end of the day it’s still Yosemite National Park. Once there you’ll realize just why the park is one of the most popular in the US. Despite the summer crowds, the valley and the park are truly one of the natural wonders of the world.
Yosemite is a true marvel and one of the most spectacular places on earth. Here you’ll find the epic grandeur of Yosemite Valley, the ancient wonders of the Mariposa Grove, and towering waterfalls like Yosemite Falls. The immense beauty found here is overwhelming and has a tendency to make one feel small in the most humbling way. We strongly recommend visiting in the off-season (May & October) for the best experience.
READ: Our Guide to All California’s National Parks
7. Grand Canyon National Park
Location: Arizona
Our Favorite Resources: Map / Guidebook / Things to Do / Hikes / Best Views / Closest Cities / South Rim / North Rim / Where to Stay / Winter / Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #11
- Overall Score: 40.5/50
- Accessibility: 6.5/8
- Recreation: 9/10
- Crowds: 3/10
- Amenities: 8/8
- Scenery: 14/14
Sure we could try to describe to you the singular beauty and majesty of one of the great wonders of the world or we could let one of America’s greatest presidents do it.
In the Grand Canyon, Arizona has a natural wonder which is in kind absolutely unparalleled throughout the rest of the world. I want to ask you to keep this great wonder of nature as it now is.
I hope you will not have a building of any kind, not a summer cottage, a hotel or anything else, to mar the wonderful grandeur, the sublimity, the great loneliness and beauty of the canyon.
Leave it as it is. You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it.
Theodore Roosevelt
With our latest formula Grand Canyon moved up four spots to #7 this year. This was largely due to a more heavily weighted scenery score for which the Grand Canyon received grand remarks, a full 14 points. It doesn’t get more jaw-dropping than this.
Yes the South Rim of the Grand Canyon sees crowds in the summer that are reminiscent of a Disney World parking lot, but Grand Canyon is a large national park. You might be surprised to learn that there are many areas in the park with the same jaw-dropping views that won’t make you feel like you’re in the busiest terminal of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Christmas Eve.
8. Sequoia National Park
Location: California
Our Favorite Resources: Map / Guidebook / Things to Do / Hikes / Facts / Where to Stay / General Sherman Tree
2023 Park Ranking: #7
- Overall Score: 40.5/50
- Accessibility: 5.5/8
- Recreation: 8.5/10
- Crowds: 6.5/10
- Amenities: 7.5/8
- Scenery: 12.5/14
The beauty of the ancient Sequoia trees found in Sequoia National Park defy any attempt to describe them as John Muir so aptly wrote, “The Big Tree is Nature’s forest masterpiece, and, so far as I know, the greatest of living things. No description can give any adequate idea of their singular majesty, much less their beauty. “
Here, amongst groves of the largest trees in the world, one can’t possibly avoid being humbled and awed by the power of nature. In addition to its namesake trees, the park has abundant amenities and outside of peak summer crowding isn’t too bad. We highly recommend adding this national park to your list as it is one of the best in the world.
Do behold the King in his glory, King Sequoia! Behold! Behold! seems all I can say.
John Muir
Some time ago I left all for Sequoia and have been and am at his feet, fasting and praying for light, for is he not the greatest light in the woods, in the world?”
RELATED: General Sherman Tree: Everything You Need To Know About the World’s Largest Tree
9. Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Location: Tennessee & North Carolina
Our Favorite Resources: Map / Guidebook / Guide / Things to Do / Where to Stay / Video / Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #10
- Overall Score: 40.5/50
- Accessibility: 8/8
- Recreation: 8.5/10
- Crowds: 5/10
- Amenities: 7.5/8
- Scenery: 11.5/14
One of the best national parks in America and the crown jewel of the eastern U.S. parks, Great Smoky Mountains National Park protects a vast swath of the immense beauty of the Appalachian Mountains.
These old mountains, forests, and streams have a character about them that tends to invite one to slow down and imagine a world where this was what much of the eastern United States looked like. Herds of elk freely roam the park and bears, otters, deer, foxes, and woodpeckers are commonly sighted.
The Most Visited National Park in America
Though Great Smoky Mountains is the most-visited national park in the United States, it’s important to note that some of this “visitation” is due to the park having no entrance fees or stations and being home to a highway that serves as a busy commuter corridor.
In reality, apart from the summer and any time in the Cades Cove area – which can see serious crowding, the park is actually not terribly crowded and it can be quite easy to find yourself on a trail with no one around – if you know where to go. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is flush with amenities like visitors centers and campgrounds and, thanks to the nearby towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, has plenty of food and lodging opportunities.
RELATED: EPIC Guide to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
10. Denali National Park
Location: Alaska
Our Favorite Resources: Map | Guidebook | Facts | Things to Do
2023 Park Ranking: #19
- Overall Score: 40.5/50
- Accessibility: 2.5/8
- Recreation: 10/10
- Crowds: 9.5/10
- Amenities: 4.5/8
- Scenery: 14/14
Alaska’s flagship national park named for its tallest mountain which happens to be the highest peak in North America, Denali is on every park-goers bucket list. The breadth of this mountain is hard to appreciate and so is the size of the park itself at 6.1 million acres.
Denali moved up nine places in our updated rankings, leaping into our top ten. It’s deserved. This grandest Alaska national park has some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world, very limited crowds, and endless recreation opportunities (for those exceedingly adventurous souls).
Denali also happens to be one of the most accessible Alaskan national parks with limited driving access, bus access that gets you further, visitor center, campgrounds, and the famous car lottery.
READ: Our detailed Denali National Park Guide
Top 15 Best National Parks in the USA
11. Redwood National Park
Location: California
Helpful Resources: Things to Do / Hikes / Guide / Map / Guidebook / Where to Stay / Photos / Facts / Near San Francisco
Visiting by Season: Winter | Spring | Fall
2023 Park Ranking: #5
- Overall Score: 40.5/50
- Accessibility: 4/8
- Recreation: 8.5/10
- Crowds: 8/10
- Amenities: 7.5/8
- Scenery: 12.5/14
Redwood’s misty forests, wild coastline, pristine streams, and valleys teeming with wildlife are one of the best kept “secrets” in the national park system. Forty miles of wild and rugged coastline where whales swim and elk roam are more than enough to take your breath away. Waterfalls and clear blue streams rush against a backdrop of vivid green ferns. The tallest trees in the world soar to unimaginable heights all around you and command your awed gaze. Yes, here in Redwood National Park you’ll be forgiven if you start to think you’re another planet, like say Endor…
So why did Redwood move down six spots in this year’s rankings? It’s more a case of Redwood staying put while others moved past it. Personally I love this place and greedily and glad to see it out of the top ten. More of the park for you and me.
Read our Best Things to Do Redwood National Park post for trip ideas.
12. Voyageurs National Park
Location: Minnesota
Our Favorite Resources: Map / Guide / Things to Do / Hikes / Camping / Where to Stay / Video / Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #9 | Note: Reservations required
- Overall Score: 40.5/50
- Accessibility: 3.5/8
- Recreation: 9.5/10
- Crowds: 10/10
- Amenities: 6.5/8
- Scenery: 11/14
In the far reaches of Northern Minnesota, straddling the Canadian border, you’ll find this watery wonderland almost exclusively accessible by boat. Here, in the pristine waters of vast lakes and the mosaic of islands and boreal forest that comprise the park, you can truly get away from it all and listen to nothing but the sound of your canoe gliding in the tranquil water and the distant calls of loons.
From kaleidoscopic sunrises and sunsets mirrored on the glassy waters of its lakes, to some of the most spectacular displays of the northern lights you’ll find anywhere on earth, Voyageurs is a true monument to the wonders of nature.
We were sad to see Voyageurs drop out of the top ten this year but number twelve on this list is nothing to be ashamed of.
The Most Underrated National Park in America
It’s no secret that we’re big fans of this supremely underrated national park in Minnesota’s far north. There is so much to see and do in Voyageurs and you can truly feel like you have the place to yourself. In the summer you can spend seemingly endless days on the water, fishing, exploring, and stopping and hiking island bluffs or just relaxing on the beach. In the fall the shorelines and islands are ablaze with reds, yellows, and oranges, and the waters are calm and quiet.
Winter brings a deep freeze to this coldest part of the continental U.S. and with it a whole new array of activities, like snowmobiling, ice fishing, cross-country-skiing, and even dog-sledding. The only drawback to Voyageurs is its remoteness and the fact that the park is exclusively accessible by water, meaning you’ll have to rent a canoe, kayak, or motorboat to get around. Obviously it’s a catch-22, because that’s also what makes this national park so special.
Read our Best Things to Do Voyageurs National Park post for trip ideas.
13. Yellowstone National Park
Location: Wyoming
Our Favorite Resources: Map / Guidebook / Things to Do / Hikes / Facts / Airports / Where to Stay | Itinerary
2023 Park Ranking: #12
- Overall Score: 39/50
- Accessibility: 5/8
- Recreation: 10/10
- Crowds: 2.5/10
- Amenities: 8/8
- Scenery: 13.5/14
Ah, Yellowstone National Park, the national park that started it all. Seeing the original national park rank outside of our list of the top 10 national parks in America is sure to raise some eyebrows, but hear us out. Yellowstone is an absolutely spectacular and magical national park. A landscape dotted with otherworldly thermal works, bison holdouts from a time when they ruled the prairie, a thriving wolf population, and an encapsulation of the great American west.
What’s not to love, you ask?
Quite frankly, the crowds. I mean sure, we get it. When you’re managing a place that swells with millions of eager tourists annually, you’re bound to come across challenges managing the influx. But today, Yellowstone is the Disneyland of national parks complete with food courts, souvenir shops, resort villages, and more. Street traffic (and we’re not talking “bison jams”) due to the sheer amount of cars entering the park has become a real issue here. As a result, and despite its stunning beauty, we’ve dropped it to number 12 on our list of the best national parks in America ranked.
Planning a National Park Road Trip? We’ve detailed all the best ones with planning tips, itineraries, and more in our NATIONAL PARKS ROAD TRIPS post.
14. Rocky Mountain National Park
Location: Colorado
Our Favorite Resources: Guide / Map / Guidebook / Hikes / Things to Do / Where to Stay / Video / Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #14 | Note: Reservations required
- Overall Score: 39/50
- Accessibility: 6.5/8
- Recreation: 10/10
- Crowds: 3/10
- Amenities: 6.5/8
- Scenery: 13/14
Tucked into the heart of Colorado’s Front Range, Rocky Mountain National Park spans more than 400 square miles of breathtaking mountain scenery and ranks in our top 10 best national parks in the US. This national park is considered by many to be the crown jewel of the American Rockies and it’s no wonder why. Rocky Mountain is home to an incredible diversity of wildlife including elk, moose, bighorn sheep, beaver, deer, black bear, eagles, marmots, mountain lions, and so much more.
And the catch…
However, in recent years visitation has increased dramatically at the expense of the visitor experience (not to mention the impact on the park itself). What was once mostly an issue reserved for the bear lake area of the park has spread to the rest of the park (especially around the Estes Park entrance).
Crowd sizes have swelled to the point that the National Park Service has instituted a timed entry program. With population centers soaring near the park, we expect this issue to become more exacerbated with each passing year. Were it not for everyone else loving the park as much as you and I, this would easily be a top five national park.
READ: Our Rocky Mountain National Park Guide & Guide to All Colorado’s National Parks
15. Great Sand Dunes National Park
Location: Colorado
Our Favorite Resources: Map / Guidebook / Things to Do / Where to Stay / Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #15
- Overall Score: 38.5/50
- Accessibility: 4/8
- Recreation: 7.5/10
- Crowds: 10/10
- Amenities: 5/8
- Scenery: 12/14
Imagine the Sahara Desert with a backdrop of the Rocky Mountains – you’re looking at one of the most underrated national parks in America, Great Sand Dunes National Park. Great Sand Dunes is a spectacular park located in southern Colorado that features some of the most breathtaking and unique scenery anywhere in the world.
Great Sand Dunes is home to the tallest dunes in North America rising to over 300 feet tall, sandboarding, seasonal creeks to splash around in with the kids, along with loads of Alpine beauty including pristine lakes for fishing.
The tough part is getting to the park because it’s fairly remote and doesn’t easily make its way into a national park road trip. The good news is that when you arrive crowds will be minimal.
FYI bugs can be a bit of an issue in the Spring so plan accordingly.
READ: These 4 Colorado National Parks Will Blow Your Mind
List of 20 Best National Parks US
16. North Cascades National Park
Location: Washington
Our Favorite Resources: Map / Guidebook / Where to Stay / Things to Do / Best Hikes / Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #18
- Overall Score: 38.5/50
- Accessibility: 4/8
- Recreation: 9/10
- Crowds: 8.5/10
- Amenities: 4/8
- Scenery: 13/14
The last time we made this list we were sure North Cascades would be moving up in the future – it’s nice not to be wrong. Referred to by some as the “American Alps” with mountain beauty that rivals any range on the planet, North Cascades is the crown jewel of the mighty cascade range. One of three Washington national parks, North Cascades is the least visited, the most difficult to access all around, and perhaps the most rewarding for those who dare.
This is a backpackers paradise to be sure, but it’s just not very approachable for the average national park/outdoors enthusiast. All the best North Cascades trails are long and feature lots of incline (they’re also unbelievably beautiful). For that reason we had to dock it on accessibility. We also docked it for amenities of which there are few.
That said, the park’s interior is absolutely stunningly beautiful as a simple Google image search will show you, and its lack of crowds and backcountry offerings are a major plus. If you’re interested in getting off the beaten path and seeing some amazing scenery, here’s your chance.
RELATED: Our Guide to All Washington’s National Parks
17. Lassen Volcanic National Park
Location: California
Our Favorite Resources: Map | Facts | Things to Do
2023 Park Ranking: #33
- Overall Score: 37.5/50
- Accessibility: 4.5/8
- Recreation: 9/10
- Crowds: 6/10
- Amenities: 6/8
- Scenery: 12/14
We liken Lassen to a Yosemite meets Yellowstone. Situated just below the mighty volcanic Cascade Range and at the northern tip of the Sierra Nevadas, this park features some otherworldly scenery. Thermal works here in an area known as Bumpass Hell rival some of those you can find in Yellowstone. Throw in some stunning alpine lakes, sugar pine forests, and purple mountain majesty and you’ve got a general feeling for the place. The catch here is distance from a major airport or conveniences.
Lassen moved up a whopping sixteen places with our new formula bounding into the top twenty. It deserves to be here. Anyone who’s visited (when the thermal areas are open) will tell you that this place is truly special. As for the negatives, it’s a bit out there. Wildfires and crowding in the summer are also growing issues.
18. Zion National Park
Location: Utah
My Favorite Resources: Guide | Things to Do | Hikes | Map | Guidebook | Where to Stay | Road Trip | Itinerary
2023 Park Ranking: #14 | Note: Reservations required
- Overall Score: 37/50
- Accessibility: 7/8
- Recreation: 9/10
- Crowds: 0.5/10
- Amenities: 7.5/8
- Scenery: 13/14
Cue the furious Zion fans. Listen folks, we love Zion, but the truth is this park is an absolute mess right now. We hear a lot today about our national parks being “loved to death” and no park epitomizes this problem more than Zion (think Angels Landing & The Narrows).
While the park is jaw-droppingly beautiful and home to world-class recreational opportunities, it’s also completely choked with tourists on every trail and crowding every vista. Buses, lottery systems, permits, closures, and still the crowds swarm like moths to a flame. What’s that old proverb? If you love it, let it go.
“…the near constant head-shaking necessitated by seeing the endless crowds of tourists desperately angling for their next social media masterpiece at the expense of the park.”
All that said, we gave it a half point on crowds because there actually are a few areas of the park that are not completely overrun, like Kolob Terrace and Kolob Canyons. In those parts of the park you can actually enjoy the beauty of the place without the near constant head-shaking necessitated by seeing the endless crowds of tourists desperately angling for their next social media masterpiece (think Angels Landing).
READ: Our Best Things to Do Zion National Park post here for trip ideas.
19. Saguaro National Park
Location: Arizona
Our Favorite Resources: Guide / Hikes / Things to Do / Map / Guidebook / Where to Stay / Video / Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #37
- Overall Score: 37/50
- Accessibility: 8/8
- Recreation: 6.5/10
- Crowds: 8/10
- Amenities: 4.5/8
- Scenery: 10/14
Named for the cactus emblematic of the southwest, Saguaro National Park is relatively small but packs a punch. Sunsets here are among the best in the US worth the trip in and of themselves. A visit to Saguaro in winter is just what the doctor ordered for most Americans living in places where that nagging cold weather’s a real drag.
The park’s close proximity to Tucson makes it a worthwhile and easy stop for folks who happen to be in the area. Sunsets here are truly magical and visitors from outside the area will be surprised at just how large the saguaro cacti can be.
Saguaro moved up a staggering eighteen places in this year’s rankings. Why? As other parks are swamped with massive crowds, Saguaro is not. Additionally, it’s one of the most accessible parks with numerous ADA accessible trails, lots of roads, and easy access to a major city.
20. Shenandoah National Park
Location: Virginia
Our Favorite Resources: Map | Guidebook | Things to Do | Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #28
- Overall Score: 37/50
- Accessibility: 8/8
- Recreation: 7/10
- Crowds: 6/10
- Amenities: 7/8
- Scenery: 9/14
As one of the Eastern United States premiere parks, Shenandoah is mostly a ridge line destination with the top attraction here being its incredibly scenic Skyline Drive. Autumn in the park is especially spectacular with a fall foliage display that rivals those of the Great Smoky Mountains to the south.
This year Shenandoah moved up eight places as a result of our new formula. While it doesn’t have a massive volcanic mountain, or Yosemite valley, its accessibility, amenities, and reasonable crowds bring it into the top half of parks on our list.
READ: Best East Coast National Parks
21. Big Bend National Park
Location: Texas
Our Favorite Resources: Map | Guidebook | Where to Stay | Facts | Things to Do | Hikes
2023 Park Ranking: #39
- Overall Score: 37/50
- Accessibility: 4/8
- Recreation: 8/10
- Crowds: 9/10
- Amenities: 6/8
- Scenery: 10/14
The greater of the two Texas parks both in size and scenery, Big Bend is a hot time, quite literally. If you’re visiting during pretty much any season other than winter you need to come prepared with plenty of water and snacks. This park’s proximity to the Mexican border (right on it) means temperatures soar in spring and summer often climbing into the triple digits.
This year Big Bend was one of the biggest beneficiaries of the new formula moving up a massive eighteen places. Low crowds, great scenery, nice amenities, and abundant recreation make for a great score. If not for the remoteness of the park (it is out in the middle of nowhere – we’re talking 4.5hours from a major airport or city) it would rank much higher on this list.
RELATED: 12+ AMAZING Facts About Big Bend National Park
22. Canyonlands National Park
Location: Utah
Our Favorite Resources: Map | Guidebook | Where to Stay | Things to Do | Hikes | Road Trip | Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #24
- Overall Score: 36.5/50
- Accessibility: 4/8
- Recreation: 8.5/10
- Crowds: 7/10
- Amenities: 5.5/8
- Scenery: 11.5/14
Canyonlands is one of the parks that has views that one can seemingly gaze upon for days without losing interest or truly comprehending the vastness of the landscape. Mesa Arch here represents one of the most photographed (and beautiful) sunrises in all of the national park system while Green River Overlook offers one of the most dazzling sunsets. It’s also devoid of the crowds found in some other Utah national parks (like its neighbor Arches).
The catch? Four-wheel drive. If you’ve got it you’re set and have full access to all of the unbelievable destinations the park has to offer. Without it, your time in the park will be mostly limited to overlooks and a few trails from above, which are still well worth the trip.
READ: Utah National Parks Road Trip
23. Kings Canyon National Park
Location: California
Our Favorite Resources: Things to Do | Facts | General Grant Tree
2023 Park Ranking: #27
- Overall Score: 36.5/50
- Accessibility: 5/8
- Recreation: 8/10
- Crowds: 5.5/10
- Amenities: 6.5/8
- Scenery: 11.5/14
Located directly adjacent to Sequoia National Park and featuring similar scenery (the second largest tree on the planet lives here) and even a similar lodge you might be asking yourself why it ranks so much lower.
Well, it’s a matter of accessibility, burned areas, crowds, and the sequoia groves here aren’t quite as gorgeous or plentiful as those you’ll find down the road. As we’ve received extensive questions about this contrast over the years allow me to clarify further.
Accessibility in our formula not only refers to getting into the park but also what is accessible within the park. Sequoia has more developed roads, trails, campgrounds, and lodging than Kings Canyon. Call it national park snobbery spoiled with a wealth of natural splendor, but here we are.
24. Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Location: Alaska
Our Favorite Resources: Guide | Map | Guidebook | Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #20
- Overall Score: 36.5/50
- Accessibility: 1.5/8
- Recreation: 8.5/10
- Crowds: 10/10
- Amenities: 2.5/8
- Scenery: 14/14
As one of the more accessible Alaska parks, Wrangell makes it into our top 25 US national parks for that reason alone. Wrangell is an Alaska national park full of superlatives and a world unto itself. It is a park of otherworldly and seemingly impossible landscapes. The difference at Wrangell vs most of Alaska’s national parks is that you can actually take a car and drive to some of them.
Wrangell St. Elias National Park is the largest national park in the US at over 13 million acres. The park features 9 of the 16 tallest mountain peaks in the country. If Wrangell were a state, it would be larger than Connecticut, Delaware, and Rhode Island.
Now, the drive is a bit of a trek at around 5 hours to get from Anchorage to get to McCarthy, where visitors can access the historic Kennecot mine and Root Glacier.
READ: Our detailed Wrangell St Elias National Park Guide
25. Kenai Fjords National Park
Location: Alaska
Our Favorite Resources: Map / Guidebook / Facts / Things to Do
2023 Park Ranking: #16
- Overall Score: 36.5/50
- Accessibility: 2/8
- Recreation: 8/10
- Crowds: 9.5/10
- Amenities: 3/8
- Scenery: 14/14
Kenai Fjords is perhaps the most accessible of Alaska’s national parks. Unlike most other national parks in Alaska, there is actual driving in the park (however limited) that allows access to hiking trails. Of these hikes, the Harding Icefield Trail is one of the finest most spectacular hikes in the entire national parks system.
There’s also regular boat tours out of Seward that take visitors by many of the most breathtaking areas and sites. Couple that with its close proximity to the major city of Anchorage with regular commercial flights and we’ve got ourselves a real winner.
Why did it drop so far in the rankings this year? A re-evaluation of the parks amenities and accessibility. While it’s true you can drive into Kenai Fjords, you can’t get very far. The rest of this vast park must be accessed by boat or bush plane.
READ: Our detailed Kenai Fjords National Park Guide
List of Top 25 Best US National Parks
26. Everglades National Park
Location: Florida
Our Favorite Resources: Things to Do | Guide | Map | Guidebook | Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #45
- Overall Score: 36.5/50
- Accessibility: 7.5/8
- Recreation: 7.5/10
- Crowds: 7/10
- Amenities: 6/8
- Scenery: 8.5/14
Known for its reptiles, Everglades National Park represents the best chance people have to see the American Alligator in a national park. While the park itself is actually quite massive (third largest in the lower 48), the hike-able regions of it are somewhat limited. The best user experience is on a boat and the most popular iteration of this is the fan boat where folks can travel at high speeds and cover a lot of ground.
Moving up nineteen places in this year’s rankings one might think there was some sort of expansion to Everglades National Park. There wasn’t. The park moved up the second most of any of the parks thanks to the new formula. The interesting part here is that the scenery score is relatively low comparatively. Consider Everglades as the Pete Rose of this list – not the most talented but gets the job done. Very accessible, plenty of recreation, improving amenities (they got a new hotel within the park!), and manageable crowds are a recipe for success.
One of Florida’s many parks, Everglades is a great addition to any south Florida trip.
READ: Best East Coast National Parks
27. Capitol Reef National Park
Location: Utah
Our Favorite Resources: Map / Guidebook / Things to Do / Where to Stay / Facts / Road Trip
2023 Park Ranking: #22
- Overall Score: 36/50
- Accessibility: 4/8
- Recreation: 7/10
- Crowds: 9/10
- Amenities: 5.5/8
- Scenery: 10.5/14
So why the low score? Capitol Reef is the most remote of the Utah parks (4 hours driving from SLC) and the amenities are sparse.
READ: 15 Epic Things to Do at Capitol Reef National Park
28. Crater Lake National Park
Location: Oregon
Our Favorite Resources: Things to Do | Facts | Map
2023 Park Ranking: #32
- Overall Score: 36/50
- Accessibility: 4/8
- Recreation: 7.5/10
- Crowds: 6/10
- Amenities: 6.5/8
- Scenery: 12/14
The deepest lake in America is one of the seven wonders of Oregon and is surprisingly the state’s only national park. The kind of blue water that exists here is unlike any other in the world – you have to see it to believe it. While the park itself is fairly remote and requires quite a drive to access, trust us, it’s worth it.
In the summer a ferry runs to and from Wizard island where folks can get a unique view of the surrounding area and taking a dip in the lake is a popular activity. In the winter, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and backcountry camping are popular among the hardy outdoors enthusiast. Crater Lake actually sees more snowfall than almost every other park in the lower 48.
RELATED: 10+ (FASCINATING) Crater Lake National Park Facts You Probably Didn’t Know
29. Arches National Park
Location: Utah
Our Favorite Resources: Things to Do / Hikes / Map / Guidebook / Where to Stay / Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #17 | Note: Reservations required
- Overall Score: 35.5/50
- Accessibility: 4.5/8
- Recreation: 7.5/10
- Crowds: 6/10
- Amenities: 5.5/8
- Scenery: 12/14
Arches National Park is perhaps the most interactive of all the Utah parks filled with scenery that brings out the child in all of us. Sandstone hallways and tunnels, rocks to climb on and over, sandy trails perfect for sandals or even bare feet at times, and red rock vistas that make for an unforgettable experience.
Is the park a bit one-dimensional? Sure. Does it get crowded? Big time and increasingly so. It seems the word is out about Arches and the visitor experience has definitely been diminished as a result. Recently a reservation system was installed to better manage the hoards hoping to get in. It’s for these reasons that Arches dropped twelve spots on this year’s list.
With that being said, if you’re making the pilgrimage to Moab, put the mountain bike away for a day or two and get out and hike this park, you’ll be so glad you did.
READ: Our comprehensive guide to Utah’s National Parks
30. Badlands National Park
Location: South Dakota
Resources: Map / Guidebook / Guide / Things to Do / Hikes / Where to Stay / Video / Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #25
- Overall Score: 35.5/50
- Accessibility: 4/8
- Recreation: 6.5/10
- Crowds: 9/10
- Amenities: 5.5/8
- Scenery: 10.5/14
Here’s a true national park lovers national park. Seemingly in the middle of nowhere in the vastness of South Dakota’s Northern Great Plains you’ll stumble upon this beautiful national park. Upon entering you’ll be greeted by towns of playful prairie dogs before seeing scores of the grand emblem of the American west roaming the park freely the American bison. Sunsets here are absolutely magnificent as the light sweeps across the seemingly unending landscapes of striped hills and plains.
This is a park that’s score doesn’t feel like it quite captures the magnificence of the park. Accessibility, limited recreation opportunities outside of hiking and camping, as well as a lack of amenities bring this park down in our new formula.
READ: Things to Do Badlands National Park
List of Best US National Parks
31. Isle Royale National Park
Location: Michigan
Our Favorite Resources: Map | Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #44
- Overall Score: 35.5/50
- Accessibility: 2.5/8
- Recreation: 7.5/10
- Crowds: 9/10
- Amenities: 6/8
- Scenery: 10.5/14
Clocking in as one of the least visited parks in the entire system (including the Alaska parks), Isle Royale is a place often overlooked by park-goers. Its location, a network of 450 islands (mostly very small) out in Lake Superior, makes it difficult to get to. But for those few who make it each year, the scenery is worthwhile. The fact that you cannot drive to the park seems to serve as quite the deterrent to visitors. Getting to the main island requires a 2 hour ferry ride (the shortest route) and costs $60-100 per passenger.
Moving up thirteen spots in this year’s rankings is no easy feat! The reason for this is low crowds, lots of recreation (albeit largely water based), and a surprising amount of amenities. Were it not for the remote location Isle Royale would rank much higher. Fans of the park can take solace in hoarding its wonders largely to themselves.
32. New River Gorge National Park
Location: West Virginia
Our Favorite Resources: Map | Guidebook | Facts | Things to Do
2023 Park Ranking: #53
- Overall Score: 35/50
- Accessibility: 5/8
- Recreation: 9/10
- Crowds: 7/10
- Amenities: 4.5/8
- Scenery: 9.5/14
America’s newest National Park is West Virginia’s first and it’s a beauty! New River Gorge has a massive array of great recreational opportunities including rafting, kayaking, fishing, canoeing, hiking, and more. The fall foliage here is magnificent with bright reds, oranges, and yellows filling the gorge.
No park saw a larger jump in the rankings than New River Gorge which catapulted a full twenty one spots this year. Why? For starters, this newer park has developed more amenities for visitors. Crowd sizes here are very manageable compared to so many other parks, and accessibility continues to improve.
33. Mesa Verde National Park
Location: Colorado
Our Favorite Resources: Map | Things to Do | Where to Stay | Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #31
- Overall Score: 35/50
- Accessibility: 4/8
- Recreation: 6/10
- Crowds: 8.5/10
- Amenities: 6.5/8
- Scenery: 10/14
Known for the cliff dwellings it protects, Mesa Verde is a budding archaeologists’ dream national park. Ancient pueblo dwellings and ruins are beautifully preserved in this remote desert park. Located in the southwest corner of Colorado this park is out there but totally worth a trip if you’re in the area. The scenery is top notch and the crowds are manageable.
READ: Our Guide to All Colorado’s National Parks
34. Joshua Tree National Park
Location: California
Our Favorite Resources: Guide / Hikes / Things to Do / Map / Guidebook / Where to Stay / Video / Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #23
- Overall Score: 35/50
- Accessibility: 6.5/8
- Recreation: 7/10
- Crowds: 6/10
- Amenities: 5.5/8
- Scenery: 10/14
Oh Joshua Tree. Has any park been more idolized by musicians and pop-culture? What was once thought of as an interesting other-worldly filming location for old Hollywood television productions like Star Trek, is now every budding artist’s pilgrimage for photo shoots and experimental…well, anyway. Watercolor sunsets and night skies teeming with stars, fairy tale trees and giant boulder piles, warm desert air and endless vistas, these are the hallmarks of this iconic southwestern destination.
Alas, through all of its publicity Joshua Tree has not lost any of its beauty, but with its growing crowds one can envision a day in the not too distant future with the dreaded “R” word coming into play.
35. Bryce Canyon National Park
Location: Utah
Our Favorite Resources: Map | Guidebook | Road Trip | Where to Stay | Facts | Things to Do
2023 Park Ranking: #26
- Overall Score: 35/50
- Accessibility: 4.5/8
- Recreation: 6.5/10
- Crowds: 7/10
- Amenities: 6.5/8
- Scenery: 10.5/14
As far as the mighty five Utah national parks go, Bryce Canyon clocks in at number five on the list. I’ll be the first to say that the Navajo Loop trail in Bryce Canyon is among the most beautiful I’ve hiked in the entire parks system. Sunrises in the park are nothing short of jaw-dropping.
However, the scenery here, while beautiful, doesn’t change past the main viewing area near Sunset Point. Add the crowds here which are tour bus large, with the relative small size of the park and we arrive at 5th out of five. With that being said, even Utah’s lowest ranking park still ranks higher than so many other parks.
36. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Location: Colorado
Resources: Things to Do | Where to Stay | Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #34
- Overall Score: 35/50
- Accessibility: 3.5/8
- Recreation: 6/10
- Crowds: 9/10
- Amenities: 5/8
- Scenery: 11.5/14
Of all the underrated national parks out there, this one is near the top of the list. As a relatively new park it has flown under the radar of most park-goers’ summer travel plans. For those who love Black Canyon, this is great news as it means more of the park for us.
The scenery here is mesmerizing and warrants the same long gazes afforded to places like the Grand Canyon and Yosemite. The major drawback here is its distance from, well everything, and out-of-the-way relativity to national park road trips. If you do make it out you’ll be handsomely rewarded.
READ: Our Guide to All Colorado’s National Parks
37. Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Location: North Dakota
Our Favorite Resources: Guide / Things to Do / Video / Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #40
- Overall Score: 35/50
- Accessibility: 3/8
- Recreation: 6.5/10
- Crowds: 9.5/10
- Amenities: 5/8
- Scenery: 11/14
Named for the great conservationist and president, Theodore Roosevelt National Park is home to magnificent high plains landscapes complete with the iconic American Bison. There are even badlands here similar in stature to those found to the south in Badlands National Park. And did someone say wild horses? Yes.
The catch? Getting there. This park is located way out in North Dakota where no average American road trips will take you. We also knock it a few points due to the proximity of large-scale industrial fossil fuel activity within view of the park.
38. Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
Location: Hawaii
Our Favorite Resources: Guide / Map / Guidebook / Things to Do / Where to Stay / Video / Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #29
- Overall Score: 35/50
- Accessibility: 3/8
- Recreation: 6.5/10
- Crowds: 8/10
- Amenities: 6.5/8
- Scenery: 11/14
Hawaii’s flagship national park, Hawai’i Volcanoes used to encompass Haleakala National Park on the neighboring island of Maui as well. Despite that subtraction the place is otherworldly (very mars-esque) and presents a rare opportunity to see lava (or at least its effects depending on whether it’s active during your visit) up close.
This park is always changing as eruptions over the past few decades have both created and destroyed park attractions. The Thurston Lava tube is amazing to hike through and the tropical birds that can be viewed here are rare and beautiful.
This year, a re-evaluation of the accessibility of this magical place dropped it nine spots in the rankings.
RELATED: See our full Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park Guide here! Or, read: : Best Things to Do Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park for trip ideas.
39. Glacier Bay National Park
Location: Alaska
Our Favorite Resources: Guide | Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #43
- Overall Score: 35/50
- Accessibility: 1.5/8
- Recreation: 7/10
- Crowds: 9/10
- Amenities: 3.5/8
- Scenery: 14/14
Glacier Bay is a wonderful “cruising park” with spectacular views from the water including orcas, whales, massive glaciers, and so much more. It’s hard to ask for more breathtaking scenery than what you can find in this park. So what’s the catch? Getting to the park is exceedingly difficult, requiring a flight and then either another flight or ferry. It also comes with quite a hefty price tag and for that reason it ranks lower on our list despite the incredible sites.
READ: Our detailed Glacier Bay National Park Guide
40. Virgin Islands National Park
Location: US Virgin Islands
Our Favorite Resources: Guide | Things to Do | Map | Guidebook | Video | Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #36
- Overall Score: 34.5/50
- Accessibility: 3/8
- Recreation: 8/10
- Crowds: 8/10
- Amenities: 4.5/8
- Scenery: 11/14
There’s a national park in the Virgin Islands!? Yes! And it’s everything you could imagine and more. While the 2017 hurricanes forever changed the landscape here, leveling most of the towering palms and mangroves, it is still stunningly beautiful albeit in a different way than before. Warm crystal waters, palm trees, white sand beaches, sea turtles, iguanas, ocean sunsets, Trunk Bay, and more await you here.
Getting to the island is a bit tricky as you have to fly to the neighboring island of St. Thomas first, rent a car, and then take the car on the ferry to St. John where the park is located. The layout of this park is a bit funky, somewhat like that of Acadia with roads on St. John that lead in and out of the park (sometimes without even realizing you’ve left).
Read our Best Things to Do Virgin Islands National Park post here for trip ideas.
List of the 40 Top US National Parks
41. Katmai National Park
Location: Alaska
Our Favorite Resources: Guide | Map | Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #35
- Overall Score: 34/50
- Accessibility: 0.5/8
- Recreation: 7/10
- Crowds: 9.5/10
- Amenities: 3/8
- Scenery: 14/14
We’ve all seen the famous bearcam of the grizzlies hunting salmon at Brooks Falls, and we all want to see that in person (safely behind the plexiglass viewing area) along with the countless other hard-to-fathom landscapes that exist within this amazing park.
The fact of the matter is that it just ain’t easy (or cheap) to do so. Getting to Katmai typically requires multiple flights and thousands of dollars which puts it squarely out of reach for most Americans. Accessing Katmai National Park is expensive. There are no roads that lead into the park which means getting to Katmai requires a flight (and not on a commercial flight).
Brooks Falls Bear Watching – The world famous Katmai National Park bear camera resides at Brooks Falls. Getting to Brooks Falls is not cheap requiring yet another non-commercial flight. From King Salmon it the cost to Brooks Falls is around $300. Once here, behold the best bear viewing on the planet via a safe viewing platform.
READ: Our detailed Katmai National Park Guide
42. Acadia National Park
Location: Maine
Our Favorite Resources: Guide / Map / Guidebook / Hikes / Where to Stay / Video / Facts / Things to Do / Summer / Winter / Road Trip
2023 Park Ranking: #21 | Note: Reservations required
- Overall Score: 33.5/50
- Accessibility: 5/8
- Recreation: 7.5/10
- Crowds: 2.5/10
- Amenities: 7/8
- Scenery: 11.5/14
Now you’re definitely not alone in wondering “did they forget Acadia!?” We did not. But maybe some folks should… Acadia is routinely one of the top ten most visited national parks in America despite being one of the smallest. But let’s talk about the good stuff first.
Along the rocky shores of Maine’s coast you’ll find this easternmost national park. Once the exclusive domain of the gilded age elite, a few civic-minded residents decided to make Acadia’s beauty available to all Americans by donating the land to the national park service – and boy are we glad they did. With rounded mountains, shimmering lakes (called ponds here) , rugged coastline, and forests dotted with old stone roads and trails this New England national park is a real treasure. Fall brings some of the best foliage in the parks system to Acadia and is not to be missed.
All that being said, the park could benefit from less folks visiting (sorry not sorry Bar Harbor). Crowding can be a real issue in the summer as tourist buses and cars fill the park and parking becomes very scarce. We dock it a few points for accessibility as well – it’s pretty remote, and flights into Bangor aren’t the easiest to come by.
READ: Best East Coast National Parks
43. Lake Clark National Park
Location: Alaska
Our Favorite Resources: Guide | Map
2023 Park Ranking: #49
- Overall Score: 33/50
- Accessibility: 1/8
- Recreation: 7/10
- Crowds: 9/10
- Amenities: 2/8
- Scenery: 14/14
Lake Clark is home to some of the most extraordinary landscape scenery on the planet. Add in the vast array of wildlife present in the park and you’ve got a real home run.
The only problem, as is the case with most of the Alaska parks, is getting there. Getting to Lake Clark, while not quite as difficult as Gates of the Arctic or Kobuk Valley, is still pretty darn tough. Visitors must take a seasonal ferry or small plane to reach jumping off points into the park. The cost for all this? Substantial.
READ: Our detailed Lake Clark National Park Guide
44. Great Basin National Park
Location: Nevada
Our Favorite Resources: Map | Facts | Things to Do
2023 Park Ranking: #46
- Overall Score: 33/50
- Accessibility: 3/8
- Recreation: 7/10
- Crowds: 8.5/10
- Amenities: 4/8
- Scenery: 10.5/14
This park falls into the underrated category in our national parks rankings for sure. It’s a place full of superlatives. Great Basin is an anomaly in the high desert of Nevada and rises from the hot desert floor with very little vegetation, up into lush coniferous forests high above. There is even a glacier in the park – in Nevada – how wild is that!
The park features alpine lakes, and our favorite part, groves of ancient Bristlecone Pines (we’re talking thousands of years old). Fall is a great time to see the park as the foliage is pretty grand. Accessibility and amenities really hurt the score of an otherwise lovely park. Visit and you won’t be disappointed.
45. Petrified Forest National Park
Location: Arizona
Our Favorite Resources: Things to Do | Guidebook | Where to Stay | Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #30
- Overall Score: 33/50
- Accessibility: 5.5/8
- Recreation: 5/10
- Crowds: 9/10
- Amenities: 3.5/8
- Scenery: 10/14
Petrified Forest holds a special place in our hearts as the first national park we ever visited and the place where we fell in love with America’s public lands. Upon arriving we were dazzled by blue mesas, striped hills, warm winds, distant storms, rainbows, petroglyphs, and the most beautiful collection of rocks (petrified wood – leave it there) we have ever seen. Oh and no crowds!
We docked it some points due to its lack of amenities – unfortunately there are no campgrounds in the park (there is camping though across the interstate in a pretty sad area). With that said, located right off the I-40 in Arizona, Petrified is a great park to add to your next southwest road trip.
List of U.S. National Parks
46. Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Location: Texas
Our Favorite Resources: Map | Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #42
- Overall Score: 33/50
- Accessibility: 4/8
- Recreation: 6.5/10
- Crowds: 9/10
- Amenities: 4/8
- Scenery: 9.5/14
The second of two Texas parks, both in size and scenery, Guadalupe Mountains still has a lot to offer. Impressive high country desert landscapes, a diversity of wildlife (even the rare Mexican black bear), and no crowds to speak of. Perfect, right?
Almost. Accessibility is an issue here as it’s kinda out in the middle of nowhere. While not quite as remote as its sister Texas park, Big Bend, it’s still a long drive to get here. The good news is that it’s right next to Carlsbad Caverns and not too far (3 hours) from White Sands. Sounds like the makings of a great road trip!
47. Haleakala National Park
Location: Hawaii
Our Favorite Resources: Guide / Things to Do / Guidebook / Map / Where to Stay / Video / Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #38
- Overall Score: 32.5/50
- Accessibility: 3/8
- Recreation: 6.5/10
- Crowds: 6.5/10
- Amenities: 5.5/8
- Scenery: 11/14
National park + Hawaii – what’s not to like? Located on the island of Maui, this tropical park is a feast for the eyes with two main areas to explore. The crater is all the rage and has been deemed “the greatest sunrise in the national parks” by many… if you can beat the crowds (which are substantial and thus seeing it requires a reservation) and get lucky with the weather. The other section is the more tropical side (near Hana) with jaw-dropping waterfalls, ocean, palm trees, and rain forest.
Read our Best Things to Do Haleakala National Park post here for trip ideas.
48. Wind Cave National Park
Location: South Dakota
Our Favorite Resources: Things to Do | Video | Facts | Map
2023 Park Ranking: #41
- Overall Score: 32/50
- Accessibility: 4/8
- Recreation: 7/10
- Crowds: 7.5/10
- Amenities: 4.5/8
- Scenery: 9/14
Wind Cave is the lesser of two South Dakota Parks and as a result is an underrated park. Because “cave” is in the name, many non-cave-enthusiasts write it off prematurely. But there’s a lot more to the park than just the cave!For starters, there are some impressive herds of bison which roam some beautiful high plains landscapes. Throw in some coniferous forests and prairie dog towns and we’ve got ourselves a destination!
49. White Sands National Park
Location: New Mexico
Our Favorite Resources: Facts | Things to Do
2023 Park Ranking: #47
- Overall Score: 32/50
- Accessibility: 4/8
- Recreation: 5/10
- Crowds: 9/10
- Amenities: 4.5/8
- Scenery: 9.5/14
We first visited White Sands back in its monument days (not too long ago) and left saying “this place would make a great national park”. Apparently we weren’t alone in our thinking.
Today, White Sands has achieved park status, and if you can figure a way to add it to a road trip (without adding 8 hours), it is definitely worth the stop! Boardwalks out into the sands make for a great user experience. The white color of the sand is dazzling (pack the sunglasses) and unlike anything we’ve experienced.
As this park gets more infrastructure it’s likely to rise in the rankings.
50. Mammoth Cave National Park
Location: Kentucky
Our Favorite Resources: Map | Facts | Things to Do
2023 Park Ranking: #54
- Overall Score: 32/50
- Accessibility: 7/8
- Recreation: 4.5/10
- Crowds: 7.5/10
- Amenities: 6/8
- Scenery: 7/14
The longest known cave system is Kentucky’s only national park and a true gem. While the scenery here is a bit one-dimensional it is indeed grand. Mammoth Cave is one of the eastern United States’ few parks and is certainly worth a visit if you’re in the area.
In previous rankings, cave fans have dogged us about the low ranking of the cave parks. They’re undoubtedly cool, but in terms of national parks it’s hard to compete.
Top 50 List of Best US National Parks
51. Channel Islands National Park
Location: California
Helpful Resources: Where to Stay | Facts | Things to Do
2023 Park Ranking: #50
- Overall Score: 32/50
- Accessibility: 4/8
- Recreation: 6/10
- Crowds: 8.5/10
- Amenities: 2.5/8
- Scenery: 11/14
Deemed “the American Galapagos”, Channel Islands feature an unbelievable amount of biodiversity. Located just off the coast of Southern California, this eight island chain is another bucket-lister for park-lovers.
Getting to the islands themselves presents a bit of difficulty as visitors have to take a ferry and usually make reservations well in advance. Once arriving to the islands activities including hiking, kayaking, diving, and relaxing.
Amenities are a bit limited so make sure to pack water and food for your trip. It hurts us that such a beautiful national park is ranked so low but alas access & amenities are the key issues here.
52. Biscayne National Park
Location: Florida
Resources: Facts | Things to Do
2023 Park Ranking: #52
- Overall Score: 31.5/50
- Accessibility: 6/8
- Recreation: 6/10
- Crowds: 7/10
- Amenities: 4/8
- Scenery: 8.5/14
Biscayne is a snorkelers & divers dream with an immense diversity of underwater sea life begging to be explored. While this park is not a hikers park with more than 90% of it being underwater, it is a unique addition to the National Park System that can be a great add-on to a south Florida trip.
That being said, accessing the best scenery is impossible without a boat and as such it scores low in our rankings.
The Worst National Parks (The Bottom 10 Parks)
Somebody’s got to do it. All of these parks are still worth a visit, just not as worthwhile as the others. On any ranked national parks list there has to be a bottom.
53. Pinnacles National Park
Location: California
Our Favorite Resources: Things to Do | Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #56
- Overall Score: 31.5/50
- Accessibility: 5/8
- Recreation: 6.5/10
- Crowds: 8/10
- Amenities: 4/8
- Scenery: 8/14
This will likely be one the national parks on this ranked list that moves up in the years to come as infrastructure fills out. The most recent addition of the California National Parks is a beauty featuring some lovely dry mountain scenery, caves exploration, condor viewing, and lots of great rock climbing opportunities.
With that being said, hiking is the main activity in the park and there’s plenty of it. A great time to check out the park is in the spring when the wildflowers are blooming.
54. Gates of the Arctic National Park
Location: Alaska
Our Favorite Resources: Guide | Facts | Map
2023 Park Ranking: #57
- Overall Score: 31.5/50
- Accessibility: 0.5/8
- Recreation: 7/10
- Crowds: 10/10
- Amenities: 0/8
- Scenery: 14/14
Gates of the Arctic is a breathtakingly beautiful place that is nearly impossible for the average person to get to.
Getting into the park requires multiple flights, a guide (to do it safely), and thousands of dollars. It seems to us this park would have been more fitting for a wilderness designation than a National Park. For that reason it ranks near the bottom of our list.
READ: Our detailed Gates of the Arctic National Park Guide
55. Kobuk Valley National Park
Location: Alaska
Our Favorite Resources: Guide | Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #61
- Overall Score: 31.5/50
- Accessibility: 0.5/8
- Recreation: 7/10
- Crowds: 10/10
- Amenities: 0/8
- Scenery: 14/14
See our Gates of the Arctic justification above. Kobuk Valley is a jaw-droppingly beautiful place that is nearly impossible for the average person to get to.
Getting into the park requires multiple flights, a guide (to do it safely), and thousands of dollars.
It seems to us this park would have been more fitting for a wilderness designation than a National Park. For that reason it ranks near the bottom of our list.
READ: Our detailed Kobuk Valley National Park Guide
56. Congaree National Park
Location: South Carolina
Resources: Things to Do | Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #48
- Overall Score: 31/50
- Accessibility: 6/8
- Recreation: 6.5/10
- Crowds: 7.5/10
- Amenities: 4/8
- Scenery: 7/14
Known for its infamous “Mosquito Meter”, Congaree does not rank very high on most folks’ national parks lists but we say, “give it a chance!” (in the fall anyway). Congaree has some really cool canoeing/kayaking trails, elevated boardwalks, bald cypress trees (which are quite beautiful), and underrated displays of fall foliage.
While it might be best to avoid Congaree during late spring & the summer months (skeeters), other times of the year are fair game. The scenery here just doesn’t compare to most national parks and given its relative small size we find it in its rightful places near the bottom of the list.
57. American Samoa National Park
Location: American Samoa
Our Favorite Resources: Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #55
- Overall Score: 31/50
- Accessibility: 0.5/8
- Recreation: 7/10
- Crowds: 10/10
- Amenities: 1/8
- Scenery: 12.5/14
It’s a shame to rank such a beautiful national park so low on our list… A picture-perfect postcard of tropical paradise, American Samoa National Park is a bucket list park for NPS enthusiasts. Crystal blue waters meet tall, lush mountains in the heart of the South Pacific creating one of the dreamiest looking national parks in the system.
Getting there, however, is going to cost you. Average flight prices from the mainland US typically range from $1,800 – $3,000 putting it out of reach for most of us. Once there, exploring the park’s incredible beauty isn’t exactly easy either with relatively few hiking trails and very limited park facilities. Beyond that, there are practically no amenities within the park making it even more difficult to enjoy. Maybe that’s the point.
58. Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Location: Ohio
Our Favorite Resources: Guidebook | Things to Do | Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #58
- Overall Score: 30/50
- Accessibility: 8/8
- Recreation: 5.5/10
- Crowds: 5/10
- Amenities: 6/8
- Scenery: 5.5/14
What was once part of a superfund cleanup site is now a beautiful national park. Cuyahoga is a great place to spend a day and soak in the natural beauty of Ohio. And there is beauty here. Brandywine Falls for example is a real stunner. During fall the park’s foliage adds a whole new element enhancing its beauty further. Its location near Cleveland makes it an easy stop for any park-lover to add on their trip to the city.
However, its relative small size, minimal recreational opportunities beyond hiking, and well below average (for a national park) scenery keep Cuyahoga low on our list.
59. Dry Tortugas National Park
Location: Florida
Our Favorite Resources: Guide | Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #51
- Overall Score: 29.5/50
- Accessibility: 2.5/8
- Recreation: 6/10
- Crowds: 9/10
- Amenities: 2/8
- Scenery: 10/14
The main reason for a low ranking of Dry Tortugas National Park stems from two key factors – access and facilities. What was once a strategic fort far out on the Florida Keys is now a neat island national park.
Dry Tortugas is one of the few “tropical” national parks in the system which is reason-alone to make the trip. And making the trip is half the fun. Getting to this park requires an additional plane ride from Key West or ferry ride out to the island. Once there, visitors can snorkel, swim, relax, and otherwise enjoy the remains (well-intact) of Fort Jefferson.
Facilities are quite limited on the island and if you’re camping make sure to pack all of your own food and water.
60. Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Location: New Mexico
Our Favorite Resources: Facts | Things to Do
2023 Park Ranking: #60
- Overall Score: 29.5/50
- Accessibility: 4/8
- Recreation: 4.5/10
- Crowds: 9/10
- Amenities: 4/8
- Scenery: 8/14
Carlsbad Caverns is a really amazing place, home to over a hundred caves and some of the most spectacular subterranean sites in the world. It’s the kind of place that all cave enthusiasts have to see. The nightly bat flight is awe-inspiring.
What drags it down on our list is the accessibility, limited recreation opportunities, and overall scenery (while beautiful) being very one-dimensional. With that being said, it’s definitely worth the visit!
61. Hot Springs National Park
Location: Arkansas
Our Favorite Resources: Things to Do | Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #62
- Overall Score: 29/50
- Accessibility: 7/8
- Recreation: 5.5/10
- Crowds: 6/10
- Amenities: 6/8
- Scenery: 4.5/14
While this site should definitely be protected, featuring some really great historical and natural areas, are we sure the full “National Park” designation is the right one for Hot Springs? In our estimation it seems it would be perfect for a National Historic Park designation or perhaps even a National Monument designation.
It’s definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area but were it not for a few recent additions to the national park system it would rank at the bottom of our list.
62. Indiana Dunes National Park
Location: Indiana
Our Favorite Resources: Facts | Things to Do
2023 Park Ranking: #59
- Overall Score: 25/50
- Accessibility: 7/8
- Recreation: 4/10
- Crowds: 6.5/10
- Amenities: 4.5/8
- Scenery: 3/14
We can now have a day on the beach in the great lakes *in* a national park – about time, right? Indiana Dunes is a nice spot and one of the most recent additions to the NPS system.While not anywhere close to the level of grandeur of most of the other parks in terms of scenery it’s still a great place to see!
The park is easily accessed from the great Chicago area. However, scenery here is limited to either sand or lake, amenities are lacking, and recreation is limited to beach activities and a couple of hikes. Should it be a national park? Debatable. Will it ever be the worst national park? Not so long as the next one on our list retains its status…
The Worst National Park in America
63. Gateway Arch National Park
Location: Missouri
Resources: National Parks Ranked (it’s last) | Facts
2023 Park Ranking: #63
- Overall Score: 15.5/50
- Accessibility: 8/8
- Recreation: 1/10
- Crowds: 3/10
- Amenities: 2.5/8
- Scenery: 1/14
Last but, well, least…
We were not alone in our head-scratching upon hearing the news that Gateway Arch had been elevated to full park status alongside the likes of Yellowstone and Yosemite. Receiving a coveted congressional designation as a national park is usually a long and hard fought process with long justification statements and passionate debate.
In this case the justification statement is a mere paragraph long and does not, in and of itself, hold up to the criteria set forth by congress. We are very much for the creation of new parks and different kinds of parks, but the system we have allows for diverse designations. Would not a National Historic Site or National Historic Park designation be more fitting in this case?
We’re calling this a national park, really?
Typically parks under consideration need to demonstrate a need for the designation which was not done so (at least publicly) in this case. When the bill to create this was brought to the house floor it seems that getting it done quickly so that it could be celebrated by the 4th of July was a leading justification for elevating it to park status.
Clocking in at 62 acres it is by far the smallest park and could fit into the next smallest park (Hot Springs) more than 88 times with room to spare. The question we are left asking ourselves is what sort of political, backroom horse trading was done in order to slap the “National Park” tag on the arch? Might make for some interesting investigative journalism…
RELATED: 6 GREAT Missouri National Parks (An Honest Guide + Photos)
Well done, fellow park fan.
Well folks, that’s a wrap! If you made it this far you can give yourself a nice pat on the back! Time to plan that next trip and get out there into the wide world of National Parks.
We’ve got some trips of our own planned for this year and will be updating you further as we go. Feel free to subscribe to our mailing list (at the bottom of the page) to stay up to date with our adventures in the parks!
Do You Agree With Our Best US National Parks?
Okay we’re sure you’ll have your own opinions – we want to hear them! Where do you think the parks stack up with one another? Drop us a comment below! This list is updated to include your feedback.
Premium National Parks Maps
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Framed National Parks Map: We’re a sucker for maps, this framed national parks map is the best.
Check out this page for more purchasable national parks maps. If you don’t see the right size map for you above feel free to shoot them an email and they’ll be happy to create a customized one just for you!
Ranked List of All US National Parks 2024
- Olympic
- Mount Rainier
- Grand Teton
- Death Valley
- Glacier
- Yosemite
- Grand Canyon
- Sequoia
- Great Smoky Mountains
- Denali
- Redwood
- Voyageurs
- Yellowstone
- Rocky Mountain
- Great Sand Dunes
- North Cascades
- Lassen Volcanic
- Zion
- Saguaro
- Shenandoah
- Big Bend
- Canyonlands
- Kings Canyon
- Wrangell – St. Elias
- Kenai Fjords
- Everglades
- Capitol Reef
- Crater Lake
- Arches
- Badlands
- Isle Royale
- New River Gorge
- Mesa Verde
- Joshua Tree
- Bryce Canyon
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison
- Theodore Roosevelt
- Hawaii Volcanoes
- Glacier Bay
- Virgin Islands
- Katmai
- Acadia
- Lake Clark
- Great Basin
- Petrified Forest
- Guadalupe Mountains
- Haleakala
- Wind Cave
- White Sands
- Mammoth Cave
- Channel Islands
- Biscayne
- Pinnacles
- Gates of the Arctic
- Kobuk Valley
- Congaree
- American Samoa
- Cuyahoga Valley
- Dry Tortugas
- Carlsbad Caverns
- Hot Springs
- Indiana Dunes
- Gateway Arch
Map of the National Parks in America
We’ve included a quick map for all 63 of America’s National Parks below.
What Qualifies As A US National Park?
There seems to be some confusion out there about what exactly qualifies as a “national park” in the United States, so let’s clear that up.
There are many different types of designations within the national park system, like national monuments, national historical parks, national battlefields, national historic sites, national parks, and so on.
Each one of these specific designations carries with it a different meaning, a different type of administration, and affords the area different levels of protection.
For a more in-depth explanation of these designations visit our article that explains the different National Park Service designations and their meanings, What Exactly Is A National Park?
National Monuments Ranked: ALL 128 US National Monuments Ranked (Best to Worst)
How Many National Parks Are There In The USA?
To be clear, there are 63 national parks in the US which are part of a system that includes 423 national park sites. National parks can only be designated by an act of congress – unlike many other units in the national park system which can gain their designation through executive action or even secretarial orders.
National historical parks, for instance, are not national parks, even though they contain the phrase “national park” in their title. Confused yet? The same goes for national preserves, national monuments and anything else that is not simply named “[Insert Name] National Park”. But don’t take our word for it, you can read all about these different designations here.
The National Park System
The national park system is full of incredible places that constitute the all-important natural and cultural heritage of the United States. These special places, from Gettysburg National Military Park to Yosemite National Park, are of immense importance and are equally deserving of preservation and administration that fits their unique place in the story of this country.
So whether your favorite national park service unit is a national park, a national monument, a national recreation area, or any other type of designation, the point is they’re all important, but there’s only 63 congressionally-designated “national parks”.
More Helpful Information on the National Parks
List of National Monuments: Ultimate List of National Monuments (Alphabetical + By State)
How Many National Parks: How Many National Parks Are There Exactly (Detailed Guide)
Best National Parks Ranked: ALL 63 US NATIONAL PARKS RANKED By Experts
Free Downloadable National Parks Map & List: LIST & MAP of National Parks By State (+ Printable Checklist)
Best National Monuments: All 128 US National Monuments Ranked (Best to Worst)
Best National Parks to Visit: 20 Best National Parks to Visit 2023
Largest National Parks: 15 Largest National Parks in the United States (+ Full List)
Most Visited National Parks: Top 10 Most Visited US National Parks
Least Visited National Parks: Top 10 Least Visited National Parks
Best East Coast National Parks: Top 10 Best East Coast National Parks Ranked
Utah National Parks Road Trips: 5 Best Utah National Park Road Trips
Best National Park Road Trips: 10 Best National Park Road Trips
Pin These National Parks Rankings!
Really liked reading through this listing. I felt like I was catching up with old friends, as I’ve visited most of the Parks. I was surprised to learn that I still haven’t seen them! Then, you gave me food for thought: monument, park, historical site, or wilderness. THANK YOU!
Thanks so much Alicia!! Really appreciate the thoughtful comment 🙂
Always interested in others viewpoint on ranking the “Nationals”. We have experienced all but American Samoa and just recently returned from the newest..New River Gorge. We have our favorites and rarely are disappointed. We also have found ways to access the remote Alaska parks without costing a fortune. Where there is a will there is a way. Thanks for the article.
Alaska is my next round of national parks. I’d love to hear about your experience and approach to travel!
New River Gorge is a National Park that I feel like could also be a state park. It’s beautiful, but I feel like it is too touristy and built up like most state parks.
What a great read!
Thanks Will!! Really appreciate it 🙂 Was a lot of fun (albeit somewhat savage pitting the parks against each other).
Great list! It was fun to read about many parks I’ve visited and add a few more to my to-do list. 🙂 The only things I don’t agree with are regarding GSMNP (which I freely admit is my favorite, and I’m quite biased towards it :))… specifically attributing its popularity to the free entrance and “commuter highway”.
There are several parks with no entrance fee that have nowhere near the visitation (Congaree, Hot Springs, Mammoth Cave, etc). And while technically I guess people could commute through the park, I’ve never heard of it. It wouldn’t make much sense unless you were going straight from Cherokee to Gatlinburg (going around on I-40 is quicker if you’re going much further out than those points).
Maybe you’ve seen some studies I haven’t though, that’s just my feeling from living here. It’s hard to believe there’s enough people commuting to significantly contribute to the Smokies consistently having 2-3x the visitation of other parks.
Last thing: only giving the Smokies a 8.5 on scenery?? That hurts! 🙂 While Yellowstone gets a 10??? (I was underwhelmed by that one, the scenery is interesting and unique, but it ain’t pretty.)
Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts Lori! We’re big fans of GSMNP here, personally it’s one of my favorites. Maybe I’m a little biased too being from Georgia originally, it’s so nice to see the immense beauty of Appalachia preserved in a national park.
I will say that most national parks don’t have a highway going through them, and especially not one that lead directly to major tourist destinations like Pigeon Forge. Add to that the fact that GSMNP is located within an easy day’s drive of 2/3 of the US population (an edge none of its competitors have) and we think these factors tend to skew the visitation numbers a bit. All this being said, it deservedly makes the top ten of our list!
Really enjoyed the list with a few surprises but most were justified in your explanations. I do question Bryce Canyon being in South Dakota and Lassen Volcanic being in Oregon. The list and rankings are top notch and should have the locations fixed as they are very misleading.
Thanks so much, Thomas! Really appreciate you taking the time to read through. We have corrected both typos 🙂
Have you visited Lewis & Clark National Park? Cause it’s also a national park that resides within Oregon, not just Crater Lake. Outside of being an important part of our history, I live near it and was surprised in my recent readings when people “don’t count” or forget the place
Hi Wesley, thanks for taking the time to read the article! Yes, we have visited Lewis & Clark National Historic Park. It’s a beauty! This list covers only the 63 congressionally designated “National Parks”, not other units administered by the National Park Service like Lewis & Clark which is an NHP (national historic park).
The designation system can be a bit confusing. The National Park Foundation has a great article on it here.
No need to thank me, I skipped half of it when I read Crater Lake as the only National Park. I humbly suggest you change your title then from “all” national parks cause that’s not the full truth if you don’t include NHP because those are still National Parks as it states in the title????
Thanks for the feedback, Wesley!
Wesley. Did you know there are National Parks, Preserves, Seashores, Lakeshores, Historical Sites, Memorials, Monuments, Recreational Areas, Rivers, Battlefields and more. A list comprising of all these sites would be over 400. Perhaps a list of all the National Parks is plenty
We just released a new post on this very subject: What is a National Park for anyone still interested 🙂
Well done. I totally agree with all your findings having visited all but 4 of the 63 (the two out of the country and the two newest). I especially liked your findings that several should be preserves rather than *parks*. The bottom two are not, in my opinion, worthy of national park status although I do see the need to preserve them, but *national park*, really? The only park I disagree with your rating is Congaree, really, it’s just a swamp.
I’m 79 years old and we started our love of national parks in 1968 camping with our young daughter’s in a borrowed tent. Our first park was Lassen where we participated in a ranger-led hike and learned “reeds are round and sedges have edges” something our family has never forgotten. Other national park memories include a ranger lighting the evening program campfire at Kalaloch in Olympic np, on the beach, using one match, and a ranger in Redwood np who handed out porcupine quills from a recent roadkill to every child in the audience.
So many wonderful memories of so many national treasures. We look forward to visiting the two newest parks.
Thanks for excellent article.
Sharon Bishop
Thanks so much, Sharon! That’s amazing you’ve been to so many national parks! Sounds like some wonderful memories – really appreciate you sharing them with us 🙂 It’ll be great to get the ranger programs going again as the pandemic ebbs.
We’re headed out to New River Gorge this fall ourselves, excited to check it out!
Cheers,
Will
100% agree with you about Gateway Arch. It shouldn’t t even be a National Park. It’s ridiculous!
Thanks, Maize! It’s baffling indeed. Gotta wonder what sort of behind the scenes deals went on to enact that one…
Cheers!
Will
Agreed!!! I live in St Louis and have been seething about this.
Cumberland Island?
We’ll have to do a list on National Seashores! 🙂
Cuyahoga Valley. It’s a very lovely bike trail is about the nicest thing I can say about it 🙂
I agree with most of the rankings. I will say that while I enjoyed the scenery at Petrified Forest, my favorite part was flipping through the binder of letters from people returning the petrified wood.
My wife and I visited Zion in 1998 in April and even then there were crowds. We loved it but I can’t even imagine what the park is like now.
Thanks, Ryan! We missed the binder full of letters on our trip – will have to see that next time. Zion is wild. A friend of ours was there last week – got to the shuttle at 6am and the wait time was already over 90mins…
What is the Kaluapapa Peninsula on Molokai ?
Thought it was a National Park.
Love this article, read every word, saved it for future reference. Just got back from Great Smoky and loved it. Headed out in October for 3 weeks to visit all 4 Colorado parks! Thanks so much!
Enjoyed the article, but I think if you are basing the rankings on a 50-point scale, then “Scenery” should be allotted at least 15 points. And maybe only 5 for “Accessibility.”
That’s a great suggestion. We plan on updating the rankings each year and that’s a great model for us to consider in 2022. We were weighing all sorts of options, whether it be bonus points, negative points, etc. Your idea seems pretty solid to us!
Cheers,
Will
I loved reading the list but think this is a great recommendation!
It looks like there’s a mistake on the score breakdown for Death Valley. Total doesn’t add up to 39, and it’s identical to the Yosemite scores above it, which seems implausible.
Thanks McGeorge for pointing that out! Looks like we included the correct overall score in but just like you said, the Yosemite individual rankings were copied in by mistake. It has now been updated.
Cheers,
Will
Saguaro National Park should be close to the top of this list. First off the Saguaro Cactus is found in only a few locations on earth, Tucson being one of them.
Furthermore, the hike to the Manning Camp on top of Mica Mountain goes through multiple biomes over 18 miles and 6000 feet of elevation gain, at the camp you have a natural spring and a camp ground that almost never gets above 80 degrees even when Tucson is 115.
Grand Canyon is also an amazing park, if your worried about crowds go in November, early Nov is the best time to hike down into the canyon.
Thanks Ed! Saguaro is a great park for sure. That was one of the ones we felt like might have gotten under served by this year’s rankings. We plan on creating a film on the park later in the year and we will have to re-evaluate when we’re there!
We plan on updating the rankings each year and so this kind of feedback is perfect.
Thanks for stopping by!
Will
Great article. A group of friends and I are on a journey to see all 63 national parks. We are sitting at 36 currently. I kept nodding my head in agreement as I’m going down your list. It didn’t hit me until I noticed Carlsbad caverns near the bottom of your list. In my opinion it is a top tier National park. I have it in my top three. Every step further into the cave is another OMG moment. It’s like your on another planet. I demand a recount.
Thanks for a great read!
Jon
Toledo,OH
Thanks for the nod, Jon!! We will have to reconsider Carlsbad when we do our 2022 rankings 🙂
It is an otherworldly experience for sure. We’ll have to head back and rediscover the park!
Best,
Will
Agreed Jon! I was surprised how low Carlsbad Caverns was ranked. Its such a unique place.
Seems like a pretty good list, although I am not in total agreement on how some of the rankings turned out. As mentioned by previous commenter it may benefit to weight the categories differently or have separate lists based on your audience demographics. For example Channel Islands and Virgin Islands are tanking due to more difficult accessibility and lesser amenities (they are islands after all!). But the amount of sea life one can experience via kayaking and snorkeling in these locations is unmatched by other parks in the system. I am certainly biased however as I am more adventurous type and I consider ‘remote’ park locations more preferable as one can take in the natural beauty without the crowds. Fun to see Olympic at the top, I just returned and it’s true the diverse landscapes from beach to mountain to rainforest (and more) are absolutely amazing!
It’s a fair point and definitely something we’ll have to take into consideration in our next iteration of these rankings. Accessibility is a major concern, but it’s difficult to apply evenly in our very diverse national parks. Perhaps some separate, more specific rankings as you mention might be warranted. Thanks for reading and sharing your point of view!
Gateway Arch makes no sense to me as a National Park.
Meanwhile, gorgeous Idaho is still waiting for its first…
Well said! Long past time for Idaho to get on the board.
My family just visited our first National Park last week. Four days at Olympic NP. Such diverse beauty. Glad to see it at the top of your list.
Wahoo!! Congratulations! Setting the bar pretty high I’ll say! 🙂
Cheers,
Will
It warms my heart to see the Olympics at the top of the list. I grew up on the Olympic Peninsula and I always tell people it’s the most magical place in the country!
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for sharing! We agree. Olympic is absolutely magical and there’s no other place quite like it in the world. Thanks for sharing with the rest of us!
Cheers,
Will
Appreciate the list but I think you missed the most important criteria. I go to national parks to see something unique that I can’t see anywhere else. I can hike or boat anywhere, but I can only see volcanos, everglades, sand dunes, geysers, etc in very few places. Giving weight to uniqueness would change your ranking considerably
Hi Michael,
Great point! We’ll definitely take that one into consideration for next year’s national park rankings 🙂
Cheers,
Will
Will & Jim,
We just got back from the Olympic Peninsula and Mt. Rainier a few weeks ago and I was stunned! It is beautiful! Now I have “the bug” and want to see as many of our National Parks as possible! All theses National treasures in “our backyard”!! Thank you for writing this informative article. The photos and videos are wonderful!!
Cheryl
Columbia MO
After returning 24 hours ago from a backpacking trip in the Olympics, I really enjoyed seeing your article. I agree with most of your rankings, although I certainly have not been to every park. The Olympic National Park is truly a special place and I’m so grateful to live near enough to visit regularly. I also want to thank you for the article as well as the time and effort required to complete such a list. I very much enjoyed your comments as well as thorough explanation of the criteria for ranking each park
Thanks, Stephanie! Really appreciate you taking the time to let us know how much you liked the article. It was a monumental undertaking but we’re feeling good about the way it turned out.
Olympic is such a wonderful place to backpack – I’m guessing you had a great time!
Look forward to hearing about your next trip 🙂
Best,
Will
Thanks so much for the kind words, Cheryl! That bug is dangerous 😉
So glad you enjoyed the article. We’re looking forward to hearing about your next adventure in the parks!
Cheers,
Will
The best article of this type I have read. Thank you. I’ll be adding White Sands & Black Canyon of the Gunnison to my list on an upcoming road trip.
Great list! As a Missouri native, it makes me very sad to see the Arkansas and Missouri national parks at the bottom of the list, but the worst part is that I absolutely agree. Both states are home to many beautiful areas, and I think places like the Buffalo River in northern Arkansas, or some of the scenic rivers in southeast Missouri (all of which are national rivers already) would be much more fitting for National Park status.
Hello, I loved your article! My wife and I are full time Vanlifers and travel all around the country to see the true beauty of our lands. Our last trip was a long one, Grand Canyon NP – Saguaro NP- White Sands NP- Carlsbad Caverns NP- Guadalupe NP. It was lots of fun and stunning throughout the entire trip. I do have to say i was surprised Carlsband and Saguaro are so low on the list, but i get it.
BUT WHAT ABOUT BADLANDS lol? That is one of the most beautiful parks we have not to mention the stargazing opportunities. And, the bison, they were everywhere. Anyways, loved your take on all the parks. You guys truly are NP experts. THANKS
Lots of great information but,,,, you ranked the Dry Tortugas as being more accessible than Big Bend ???
Nice write up and very thought provoking commentary. It is a testimony to the beauty of the park system to see how many striking locations are in the bottom quadrant of this list. I have a different perspective of how the categorization would ideally work, but I think my overall ordering wouldn’t be that different. I have been to about half of the parks and approaching half of the NPS units.
Will, your videos are excellent, I would like to have them running continuously on my TV. Do you have a DVD that is available for purchase that includes the ten?
Overrall I agree with most of these, but I don’t think you applied objective criteria to the “accessibility” category. For example, Carlsbad Caverns has a 4/10 for accessibility, even though it’s only 2-3 hours from El Paso, while Redwood National Park has a 7/10 in accessibility despite being 5-6 hours from San Francisco (and less than an hour from Eureka, which has an airport). Lassen is 4 hours from San Francisco and has lower marks than Redwood for accessibility.
Hi Marko,
Thanks for letting us know! The accessibility not only refers to the getting to the park, but also how much of the park is accessible to visitors. I agree, the rating is not perfect and feedback like this will help us improve our rankings for 2022!
Thanks for taking the time 🙂
Best,
Will
i just feel like people in this website really don’t lake caves
I couldn’t figure out why I agreed with pretty much all of your commentary…. Much of your category rankings…. yet disagreed so vehemently with the ranking each Park held in the field of 63. In the end, I concluded its your “format” I was having the issue with.
I have been to 29 parks and I have worried about the “amenities” of each location ZERO times before deciding whether or not to go. On the other hand, Beauty and Recreation combine for at least HALF of the rationales I ponder! And I don’t think I’m alone!
In any event, I believe your information you provided for each Park was accurate and insightful. Well written piece!
Hi John!
Thanks a million for taking the time to comment on the post. It’s definitely a tricky balance for us choosing how to weigh the rankings… We constantly receive emails from folks who are mobility limited in one way or the other and for them amenities & accessibility is *everything*. We’re all going to be old some day (if we’re lucky!) and so both of these will matter for everyone at some point 🙂
Thanks again for taking the time. Will be posting about best national park road trips later this week so stay tuned!
Cheers,
Will
Great list! There’s a bill running through the Senate (The Wild Olympics Wilderness Area) to add a stricter Wilderness Area designation to part of the Olympics. It’s a close vote so please contact your local congressional representatives to vote Yes.
Hi Michael,
Thanks for letting us know!
Cheers,
Will
Fun read… Mammoth above Carlsbad? C’mon man!
Thanks, Ryan! I know, that was a tough call for us. We need to revisit both to get a more accurate rating. Been a while! Maybe in next year’s rating we’ll see it differently 😉
Thank you for this wonderful guide. I recently turned 70 and I am continuing to work through my Bucket List (having been diagnosed with Stage 4 prostate cancer last January has accelerated my ambition to start checking off more parks).
My wife and I visited Yosemite last March and I’ve already been to about 15 others on the list, but she wants to see them all!! We live in Port Angeles, Washington, right next door to your #1 pick, Olympic National Park. My sons and I have backpacked nearly every drainage.
Is is possible to post your list on Facebook so I can exercise some bragging rights? Many thanks, and keep up the good work!
Hi Carl,
Thanks for the kind words and for taking the time to leave a comment here. We’ll definitely keep you in our prayers.
Regarding the parks that’s just great! We have posted this article on facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/morethanjustparks/posts/4156116387764740
How lucky you are to live in such a beautiful part of the world! Port Angeles is spectacular. My wife & I lived in Portland for 5 years and loved every minute of it. I’m sure we’ll end up back in the great PNW some day.
Keep us posted on your park travels!
Best,
Will
This was such a fun article to read, like many others it brought back so many wonderful memories. My son and I have have road-tripped and camped over half of these the first 13 years of his life. He still talks about the yellow slugs at Olympic National Park! I remember hiking up mountains pushing him in am umbrella stroller and when the stroller wouldn’t go any farther he was on my hip until I just couldn’t go any farther. You obviously love the forests and mountains as much as I do, our top ten are nearly the same. But I’m now even more excited about going to Voyageurs as I haven’t made it there yet. And I so badly want to see the northern lights. I would have put Mammoth Cave and Carlsbad Cavern higher on the list as I felt they are so spectacularly and geologically amazing.
I think Chiricahua National Monument would be a much better addition to the National Park system than the St. Louis Arch. I’m looking forward to watching the videos you posted
Susan
I enjoyed this list, and think it represents a good general list for most people. It is interesting to think about how different people are looking for different things in a National Park. Big Bend is a personal favorite, but for someone in my situation, living 6 1/2 hours away and primarily looking for a great place to go backpacking, that makes a lot of sense. Someone who is looking to mostly drive from place to place might not appreciate it as much, as they don’t get to see the beauty of the South Rim or some of the other great backpacking trails.
Good list, but disagree with your comment about Acadia National Park and flights being hard to come by to get to Bangor. As someone that lives in Bangor I fly in and out for work and pleasure 10-12 times a year with no problems.
I think that the way you rank accessibility is almost backwards. You correctly dock spots for their crowds, but the accessibility of the parks is heavily correlated to the crowds. Fun to debate, nonetheless.
Good point, Matt. I think we will way it slightly less in our next year’s rankings. Thinking about doing a national forests ranking… been to most of the 155. Would be a monumental undertaking…
As an ex-park ranger, will tell you thanks for doing a great job. Most Nat’l Park Rangers I know that served for longer years agreed Olympic was their fav park! However, you touted this as a Comprehensive list. You left out many National Parks, such as Buffalo National River, the first National river in the US ( Fantastic park) & Cumberland Gap Nat’l Park in Ky & Tenn. Suggest you name this something else.
Thanks for taking the time to stop in and for your service as a park ranger!
Olympic is such an amazing spot – glad to hear folks agree!
Regarding the other parks you mention, thanks for the note! This list only covers (as we mention at the beginning & end of the article) the congressionally designated National Parks, of which there are currently 63.
Buffalo National River is an amazing National River (NR) and Cumberland Gap is a wonderful National Historic Park (NHP). While these are both designated units of the national parks system and managed by the National Park Service, they are technically not National Parks!
We wrote an article specifically on designations here for anyone curious to learn more – What Exactly is a National Park?
Thanks again and hope to see you out on the trails!
Best,
Jim
Congratulations on visiting all 63 national parks. So far I have been to only 34 but most are major. I plan to visit another 12 in October and November if Covid allows the trip. I used the criteria of how far would you travel to see a park (ignoring crowding – just go in the off season) and agreed with you on some of the bottom choices. Of my top 14, I included Arches, Denali, Bryce, Petrified Forest, Crater Lake. and Carlsbad!
I agree with you that some should be considered national historic parks (Hot Springs, Gateway Arch) and others should be National Natural Landmarks or Wildernesses (Congaree, Kobuk Valley, Gates of the Arctic, Cuyahoga (or make it a state park)).
I would drop Wind Cave into the bottom 10. It only had box formations and no interesting stalactites, stalagmites, popcorn, ribbons, or bacon. I would also put Voyagers in the bottom 10. It has lakes in the land of 10,000 lakes. Sorry – I didn’t even see the point of visiting when I went by.
We visited the Virgin Islands before the hurricane and it was spectacular underwater. With global warming, the corals have really suffered in many of the tropical parks. I would be interested in how the Florida parks and The Virgin Islands are holding up. I was actually disappointed by Badlands NP. After having been to New Mexico and Utah, it wasn’t all that spectacular. I didn’t even see any hoodoos.
One criteria you might want to add would be biodiversity – it adds to the reasons for creating a National Park. I have about 300 pages of national park photos and geological notes on hoffsalinertravels.net if anyone is interested. The site also has 15 Canadian National Parks as well as Newfoundland on it.
Thanks for the comment Hoff! Always good to hear from a fellow park fan! I think we’ll just have to agree to disagree on some of your park assessments – but that’s part of what makes these places so great, everybody has their favorites for different reasons. Biodiversity is a great point and definitely can add to the value of the park and the overall visitor experience. Thanks again for dropping a comment! Keep exploring!
Too bad you neglected to note Big Bend’s incredible dark sky thanks to its remoteness! For that alone, should rank it in the top 10.
Great point, Betty!
We’ll keep that in mind when we update this list next year.
Best,
Jim
As long as you’re correcting typos, you might go back and check all the “it’s”. “It’s” should be used for “it is” not as a possessive pronoun, which do not take apostrophes (as in “his and hers”). English teachers everywhere will thank you.
After a thorough review, many such instances were found and corrected. Thanks for keeping us honest, Terri!
Nice list, but I almost fell off the couch when I read Arches National Park described as “one-dimensional.” It’s one of the most unique places on Earth. The Utah parks overall definitely deserved better — Zion isn’t even that crowded during the shoulder seasons.
And Bryce Canyon! Small, but absolutely sensational! Especially in the wintertime when fresh white snow blankets the red and orange hoodoos. I love that you ranked Olympic high though, it is a very, very special place. And I agree about the Gateway Arch, I wonder what backroom deals happened there.
Hi Emory,
Thanks for taking the time to read through the list! I agree with your comments about Arches. We will definitely update that one. Arches has a lot to offer – very interactive.
Bryce Canyon is tricky because of the park’s limited size. It is beautiful in the snow but very difficult to hike through when the snow is out!
We’re still digging into the Gateway Arch story here… Maybe we’ll be able to dig up enough to do a post on it 😉
Best,
Will
Tremendous effort, gents! I’m now at 54 National Parks and counting, thanks to many cross-country trips with my daughter. Still working the Bucket List though to the four corners. It’s hard to disagree too much with your descriptions.
Several of the comments above made sense to me: for example, giving added weight to unique scenery, flora and fauna, geology, etc. And accessibility might be better served considering vehicle access, transportation options and proximity to airports/population centers.
I might suggest that even nearby lodging, accommodations, conveniences and towns be considered under amenities. (For that matter, to many, amenities differ from visitors centers, campgrounds, and bathrooms.)
All that said, can’t wait for next year’s redo, and looking forward to any similar attempt with National Monuments, NHPs/NMPs and National Seashores/Lakes! Thanks for doing this!
Thanks so much for taking the time to read through the list, John!
Really appreciate the comments. I agree with you – something about the unique qualities of a park could be good as well as accessibility.
We have plans to do this for National Forests (all 155!) next and will continue on from there 🙂
Best,
Will
Mt Rainier is extremely crowded, just maybe a little better than Yosemite. Majority of Olympic NP, the most beautiful part, is very difficult to reach.
Great article, but a small correction. The Olympic Rainforest is not the largest temperate rainforest in North America. It is the largest in the lower 48. However, the largest in North America would go to the Tongass National Forest that spans much of Southeast Alaska.
The Tongass is over 26,000 square miles. As the raven flies, it’s about 500 miles long from North to South. Much, much larger than Olympic, which is only about 1500 square miles.
Great catch! We’ve updated the article with the accurate info.
Thank you!
Will
Great list! We love the national parks but some of the newer designated parks just don’t compare to the original parks like Yosemite or Yellowstone. Parks like Gateway Arch and Indiana Dunes just don’t have the nature activities and beautiful scenery that you think of when you hear the title National Park.
I enjoyed the list! Loved seeing Grand Tetons so high. It is my favorite national park so far (followed by Glacier.) When we arrived in GTNP, after leaving the amusement-park atmosphere of Yellowstone, it just felt like exactly what a national park should be!
So glad to hear it Kellie! Totally agree. Grand Teton feels like the national park you dream of 🙂
Why no Canyon de Chelly
Only doing the 63 National Parks – not national monuments. Will cover those in a future post 🙂
The welcome mat is ALWAYS out for the Pattiz Brothers — excuse me…The NATIONAL PARK BROTHERS — here in Washington State. We’re so humbly proud of the national parks here in our big back yard. Thank you both for discovering and celebrating their beauty. You’ve come SO FAR since your trip to Olympic!
Thanks so much, Laurie!! We are honored and humbled by your kind words. What a journey it’s been since Olympic! Still haven’t found a park we like better but it’s been quite a ride 🙂
Hope to see you out on the trails!
Cheers,
Will
Thanks. One of the better rankings I’ve read. But like most, ranking based on accessibility, crowds, and amenities throws everything off. I would prefer to the parks ranked solely on its physical attributes.
Maybe create a separate list just for that. I’ve seen all the contential parks. No way Carlsbad can be ranked that low.
Thanks, Phil.
Thanks Phil!
Appreciate the feedback on this. We’re working on our formula for 2022 and will definitely take these ideas into consideration. Carlsbad will likely be moving up next year as well 😉
Cheers,
Will
This compiled work is amazing, and so helpful to tourists. Thank you for your industry and devotion.
Thank you, Pamela!
Compiling this list was no easy task but we sure enjoyed it 🙂
Best,
Will
Nice to see you give a score for number of other visitors, i.e. CROWDED. I always appreciate few people. Zion has increased visitations a lot in the last 10 years, even with access to Observation Point eliminated (at least access by the hard way, from below; entering from the east is like walking on a city sidewalk).
To avoid crowds, my wife & I start either before 7AM, or after 5PM at Zion and Glacier. Seems to work. And spent over an hour by myself at Delicate Arch from 5:30AM to 7AM one time.
For the Natl Monuments (it’s an NHP now) – I vote for Chaco Canyon. Scores 10/10 for crowds, 3/10 for accessibility. You’ve just got to love that 20-miles of washboard, dirt road entering & exiting!!
Thanks, Don!
Really appreciate it. Totally agree with your comments. We’re looking forward to ranking the monuments. Maybe we’ll do a Top 50?
Best,
Will
I enjoy quick tasks that are both intriguing and useful! I know you want to update your rankings every year, so that’s a fantastic suggestion! Sort and rank your selections! Thank you for writing this essay!
Thank you!
We are looking forward to update the list for 2022 🙂
Best,
Will
Very much enjoyed this list, great read. Very useful. It seems like you’ve put alot of effort into it. Agreed with most of it, just two points I disagree on:
1) Congaree should be lower in my opinion. It’s just a swamp, and a rather miserable, mosquito infested one at that. Not much scenery, especially when compared to Yosemite and Grand Canyon and the like. I suppose It does have its fans, but it isn’t to my tastes. It shouldn’t be ranked as high as it is imo.
2) Crater Lake should be ranked higher than 32. Real beautiful spot, one of the best parks in my opinion. After all, where else can you get that shade of blue?
Anyway, just my thoughts. Great list, love what you guys are doing.
Thanks.
Thanks, Connor!
I think there’s fair odds Crater Lake will be moving up on our 2022 list which we’ll release in the first quarter of next year most likely.
Congaree is a love/hate park. Some find beauty in it’s swampiness, most can’t get past the skeeters!
Thanks for taking the time to leave us your thoughts!
Best,
Will
A national forests ranking would be great to see. Does sound like a lot of effort though, 155 is quite alot.
It really would be a lot of fun to do – just need to set aside about a month to do it! I think we’ll probably release one in 2022 🙂
Cheers,
Will
I’ve visited 44 of the NPs and planning on seeing more in my early retirement, and I appreciate this site. I also agree with many of the other comments posted here. For example, I just got back from Carlsbad Caverns and I thought it was spectacular and it makes my top 15. I think adjusting the NP ratings to follow the same criteria that you use in your just released National Monument ratings will go a long way to improving your list. You weighted scenery higher and crowds and amenities lower in the new list and I think both were great calls.
I also thought about accessibility a lot, which you kept with the same weighting, and am still not sure that it needs to be weighted so high. On one hand you don’t want to call some of those Alaska NPs “best” based on scenery if you can’t get to them! But on the other hand, it’s really not near so important as scenery–I want my eyes and other senses “wowed!” regardless on how hard it is to get there. And it’s so subjective. Everglades is close to Miami, and Great Basin is not close to anywhere, but you rated their accessibility similarly. And as others have pointed out, accessibility and crowds negatively correlate, and you already have a category for crowds.
You should consider making a downloadable spreadsheet available so that people can sort on any of the the criteria. I could help on this if you need it. Thanks again for a great website!
Hi Ronald,
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave these suggestions and for the kind words. We’ll be updating our list for 2022 pretty soon here and will definitely take these into consideration. The list won’t be perfect in the eyes of everyone but hopefully we can make helpful tweaks each year to improve the system.
Best,
Will
Hi Will – Awesome list! I agree with the comment above that making the list available in spreadsheet format would allow readers to download and sort/filter/weight the criteria most important to them. Then you won’t have to deal with as many comments complaining that you didn’t weight scenery high enough in your scoring system 🙂
Hi Nick,
Thanks for dropping in and letting us know what you think. We are currently working on this year’s updated rankings and will take that into consideration. Right now we don’t have it formatted nicely on the back end (mostly handwritten old school stuff on yellow legal pads) or else the endeavor would certainly be quicker!
Will keep it in mind for this year!
See you out there on the trails,
Will
Awesome list – thanks! But to me, I don’t really care if a place is officially labeled a “national park” or not. I just want to know the best recreational places in America. Do you have a list like that? I would bet the majority of the top 10 recreational areas in the US are not national parks at all.
Hey Travis,
Thanks for taking the time to leave us a comment. We compiled this list ranking of all 128 US National Monuments which might be helpful for you. That’s a great idea for an article though. I’ve added it to our list. Will updated here once we’ve taken the time to compile the best recreation spots in America.
Best,
Will
I haven’t read your full assessment yet but I will be! I ran across your article after our recent vacation which included a visit to Indiana Dunes National Park. We’ve only visited about 1/3 of the list but, as my adult sons proclaimed, it was the worst national park we’ve ever visited. It was nice but we agree with your assessment & were questioning it’s NP status (& prompted me to look for park ranking lists). Information from the NPS site says, “The biological diversity within Indiana Dunes National Park is fourth among all of our national parks. Over 1,100 flowering plant species and ferns make their homes here. From predacious bog plants to native prairie grasses and from towering white pines to rare algal species, the plant diversity is outstanding.”, so I assume this is the reason for its status. We weren’t able to visit the bog which seemed to be a highlight but it was closed.
We still want to visit all of them but this was the first time we’ve been disappointed in a national park.
We love Indiana Dunes National Park! The Great Lakes are so impressive on their own, knowing that they contain over 20% of the entire planet’s fresh surface water. It’s a travesty that we don’t have more national park land at the lakes. Everything from the water to the composition of the sand is unique and impressive. Even if you don’t like hiking and aren’t impressed with prairie and such, the beaches are stunning and a great place to spend a summer’s day. Stick with the beaches at the state park (or the national park beaches that are closest to the state park’s beaches).
I agree. Standing on the beach, look to your left and there’s a steel mill. Look to your right, and there’s another steel mill. Warren Dunes State Park, or really any state park on Lake Michigan with the name “Dunes” in the title are better. The only better thing about IDNP is it’s easier for older people to climb the Dunes, because they built stairs and boardwalks.
I personally think that scenery should be weighted more heavily. How beautiful a park is matters the most to me, as I will find a way to access the park if the scenery is incredible (with the exception of like Gates of the Arctic; not sure if I’ll ever make it there haha).
Also, I visited the Great Sand Dunes this last week, and I found them rather unspectacular and left within an hour. Maybe I missed the main attraction. I just have a hard time seeing them as better than Denali or North Cascades, or even Great Basin or Canyonlands.
Great article though and quite informative!
This is a totally awesome article! I’m glad you were able to get around to all of the newest national parks. However, I feel like New River Gorge should have got a better score for recreation. Some of the rafting is incredible. Really it deserved something like a 9.5. But other than that, I loved your list and it will definitely help me plan for future trips. I want to visit Grand Teton so bad!
Thanks for the kind words Cole! You make a great point about New River Gorge, we’ll definitely be giving that a much closer look for our 2022 rankings. If you enjoy getting on the water, you’ve got to check out Voyageurs! Also Grand Teton won’t disappoint you!
A great list. And I can see how you rated them based on the criteria you gave. I will say, however, the fact that Zion isn’t somewhere in the top 10 is somewhat of a sin. Plenty of places within the park to avoid the crowds, and so many recreational activities! It is a shame what’s happening to the main Zion Canyon though. But yes, that’s the only place in the park with crazy crowds. The rest of it is wide open! My thought with this list, is that it’s almost a shame to cap off the scenic score at a 10. Some of these parks just are so otherworldly and beyond what you would normally experience, that I would say some deserve scores higher than 10. Those that I can think of: Olympic, North Cascades, Glacier, any of the Alaskan parks, Tetons, Zion, Bryce, Yosemite. Their beauty alone should allow them to skew the results a little bit in their favor.
Thanks Joseph! Really appreciate you taking the time to read through the article and for the tips. We updated our scoring system in our National Monuments Rankings and plan to update our parks rankings later this year.
You’re right about Zion having lots of great spots outside of the canyon to visit as well!
See you out there on the trails!
Will
Very interesting to see that Yosemite isn’t as visited as I thought. Seeing the Sequoias was a great experience as well as the night sky in the remoteness of Yosemite, it was truly very impressive, as I come from the UK and light pollution on a small island is an issue for night sky visibility. I have been to other volcanic areas such as Mount Teidi in Spain, and the thermal springs seemed much more accessible in the Mammoth, Yosemite region.
I’m interested to read how and why Yellowstone is much more popular than other National Parks, and would like to know if bear spray is an almost compulsory part of the equipment to take to Yellow Stone and other places where bears are! 😀
I agree that the Gateway Arch should probably be designated a National Monument, but it is by far not the worst. The location as the gateway to westward expansion, is significant and the museum is FANTASTIC. The exhibits are creative and interesting, and it holds one of the only known Jefferson Peace Medals still in existence as well as peace medals from other presidents.
Thanks for the comment Paige. I agree that Gateway Arch has merit as an interesting place to visit but still feel the bottom spot on the list is deserved. Which parks would you rank lower?
Great Job! We have been to 42 National Parks (and counting) and you are some of the first people to put Olympic in the top 3, which I totally agree with. The one thing I would change is about the Smokies. The park is so large that when we go there and are doing some of the most popular places like the Cades Cove loop, the park is just so big that very rarely are you crowded. Only several hikes like Laurel Falls are unbearably crowded. I would also include something about Cataloochee because, in my opinion, it is the most magical place in the park. (We hike Woody’s Place every time we go.)
Black Canyon of the Gunnison is deficiently underrated. The scenery is just so beautiful and I don’t think there is anywhere quite like it.
*Definitely*, sorry auto correct got the best of me.
We thought the canyon was pretty, but that’s all there really was. We couldn’t even stay in the park because it’s so small that there’s no lodging. We drove up, looked down at the canyon for awhile, took one of the short hikes, shrugged, and left. I’m not trying to belittle the beauty of the canyon, but there was just nothing else to do besides look at it for a bit. It’s worth stopping to see if you’re in the area, but I wouldn’t rank it high on the list of national parks at all. I’d put it in my bottom 5 (sorry).
I’m sorry to say, your accessibility grading is horrible. We’ve been to half of the Patks and many of them are readily accessible. Take Theodore Roosevelt for instants, it’s right off the freeway. Zion is a 45 minute drive off I-15.
..etc.
K . Munro
Hi Kat,
Thanks for the comment! The accessibility score is also based on how easy it is to get to the park for folks. If it’s a remote park then points get docked which is what happened here. Most Americans never make it to North Dakota because of its location.
Best,
Will
Great Job! Just a few comments: When you are remaking this list in a few years, (if you do), I would really appreciate it if Scenery got 20 points, Recreation, and Crowds got 10 each, and Accessibility and Amenities got 5 each, because I feel like no one is really going to National Parks because they are accessible. (Or something around those numbers). Also, could you take into account wildlife, because if you watch National Parks: America’s Best Idea by Ken Burns, (a very good documentary), it explains better than I can how wildlife is a big part of the parks, and when I saw that the Everglades got a 6/10 on scenery it hurt.
Nicely articulated. If someone is searching for the affordable yet comfortable accommodations check out St. John Hotels.
Thanks for doing this list, and for your website. We took a six-month road trip to all 51 National Parks in the Lower 48 states last year in our electric car. It was the experience of a lifetime. We also ranked the parks. We have a lot of agreement with your list, but also some notable disagreements. The principal defect in your ranking system is the way you evaluate accessibility. If a park is remote, that is not a disadvantage in our view; in fact, it is often a positive feature. We think accessibility within each park is much more important. The biggest disagreement that results from the accessibility issue is Acadia, which we rank in the top 5. It is a wonderful park. And we were there during peak foliage season in October, and the crowds were easy to avoid.
We ranked Grand Teton as #1–it is almost a perfect park. We liked Olympic, but we spent too much time driving around the perimeter highway to get to its various sights. We do not think it merits #1. Sequoia, Glacier, and Yosemite are also much better parks than Olympic.
We really enjoyed Redwood—actually, the state park is better than the National Park. But we would not put it in the top 10. After a day and a half, we had seen enough redwood trees and cut short our time there. We also love Great Sand Dunes, but we’d put it significantly lower than 15. Unless you’re camping, it’s a one-day visit, which does not make a top National Park.
Arches was fantastic, and definitely in our top 10–much higher than your ranking at 17. The access system the NPS implemented in 2022 worked really well and eliminated the crowding problem the park had during the previous year.
We would also put North Cascades in our top 10–much higher than 18. It is a beautiful park, with one of the best hikes in the entire park system—Cascade Pass. The little town of Marblemount also makes for a great place to stay and eat.
Lassen Volcanic wasn’t in our top 10, but it is definitely a hidden gem, and worthy of a higher ranking than 33. It ranks high in diversity of sights and activities, and is also uncrowded. Same for Theodore Roosevelt, which was probably the biggest pleasant surprise of the trip, and much better than the Badlands in South Dakota.
How can you put Everglades at 45??? It is such a unique park, with some wonderful trails and sights.
We really don’t get Death Valley at #13. It is too hot to enjoy doing anything other than staying in the pool, and even if you’re there in the winter, there’s not that much to do. We also thought you grossly over-rated Voyageurs at #9, which was only OK.
Finally, the way you rate accessibility grossly under-values Channel Islands and Dry Tortugas. So what if you have to take a ferry to get to those parks? That’s part of the attraction! Channel Islands, in particular, was another hidden gem. We had two wonderful days there sea kayaking and hiking across the island, and there is some unique wildlife there. Ranking it at 50 is a gross under-valuing of that park.
Hi Bob & Kathy,
Congrats on your epic trip! Sounds like the adventure of a lifetime. Thanks so much for taking the time to write this thoughtful comment. I agree that our rating system is not perfect and we’re working every year to improve our rankings over the previous year. We’ll be releasing our new rankings in the next month or two so stay tuned for those.
These are great comments regarding each of the parks you mentioned. I will say, there is an incredible amount of things to do in death valley (when it isn’t blazing hot). Six unique dune fields, joshua tree forests, badwater basin, zabriskie point, natural bridge, artists palette, darwin falls, the charcoal kilns, aguereberry point, the racetrack playa… I could go on and on. That’s one of the beautiful things about the parks though – they mean different things to different people. Ten people can go to the same place and walk away with a completely different review.
Please keep us posted on your travels and check out our national monuments ranking which has a different scale.
See you on the trails,
Will
I can’t believe Isle Royale is ranked so low and with almost nothing written about it. Yes, accessibility should be a low ranking, and it has few services because it’s almost entirely wilderness (it’s designated 99% wilderness). So, I understand why it isn’t in your top 10, but it should be close. It’s also one of the few national parks with wolves, and a lot of the national park is actually water. It’s difficult to get to but extremely rewarding. At the very least, your post about Isle Royale should contain more information that just how to get there. It deserves a few paragraphs!
I would probably personally rank Arches, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and Rocky Mountain National Parks lower than they’re ranked here. I’d rank Isle Royale much higher. I agree with your bottom two choices (who wouldn’t?). I’d probably put Mammoth Cave 3rd to last.
Wonderful article that I will save. Thank you.
I teared up at some of the descriptions. We have such a beautiful county to explore. Thank God we have these National Parks. I was sad to read about Zion, it’s been one of the coolest places I have been to so far, with RMNP as a close second. I’d love to go back to Zion and hike the narrows, but if it’s getting over-crowded should I justify it? Yosemite is on my list very soon. But I should definitely get up to Washington State to see those. I can pass on Yellowstone, I don’t like too much touristy stuff. Anyway, thank you again for the article!
Ok, I may be a bit biased here, being born and raised in Southern/Middle America, but I feel like the justifications for the last two rankings may be a little harsh ????.
Hot Springs NP was first made a “Reservation” in 1832. This was the first time the US government ever designated land to be preserved for recreation (which was also about 50 years earlier than when the first NP was designated), and questioning that it should even be a NP is so crazy to me ????. While it is obviously not as scenic/beautiful as other US NPs, to deny that it should even hold the name, especially when it was designated before 47 other NPs were, seems strange, but to each their own.
I’ve also seen Gateway Arch NP get a lot of flack online about how it was created by a bill proposed by a state Congressperson to increase tourism and was then passed by the sitting president, as if Indiana Dunes NP, White Sands NP, and many other NPs weren’t also designated by going through this same process, lol. Yes, I agree the NP label for Gateway Arch isn’t the most fitting, and there are other great and more natural places in Missouri + surrounding areas that could have been named a NP instead, but these reasonings I see for why this designation was a ~ political conspiracy ~ are funny to me, haha.
And on that note (and this is more-so a plea to the NPS), I feel like we simply need more NPs, especially in Middle America and the South (and even the Eastern US as well), even if they obviously won’t be as show-stopping as others. Being as I do not live near the Western US and don’t really make enough money to travel there, I still want the opportunity to visit and say I’ve been to NPs ????.
Enough with the negativity, I do appreciate the time, energy, and criteria put into this list, and I hope to one day be able to save enough to visit some of these great NPs ????.
Oh my god i love nature so so freaking much. The way it inspires me and fills me with energy to live.. Idk i am just so into everything peaceful, and you know that is actually so close to us. I have visited a lot of national parks and was left speechless because of the atmosphere of “life” there, natural life and emotions that i felt there. I am so in love with such type of parks and i want to spend as much time there as possible. I hope to visit more of them in the near future because if i live among buildings i start to feel like i am in a cage and i get very tired of it.
To put Carlsbad Caverns at 60 is so beyond a joke it is truly incredible!!! Presumably, you all have actually been to these places??? Carlsbad is easily a top 10 national park!
While I agree Carlsbad is an amazing place and totally worth a visit, I reckon we’re just not cave people… We’ve got some updated rankings coming out and Carlsbad will likely move up. Out of curiosity, what would your top 10 look like?
This is a really useful resource, and I’ve added a link and a recommendation to the National Parks page on about-the-USA . com
Enjoyed this. Well done. Awesome pics . With 2 pics of arches on the title banner (even though 1 of them is Canyonlands), I expected Arches NP to be higher (top 5) on this list. But it’s hard to argue with your top 5. Olympic is also my #1 pick. The biggest surprise for me was Bryce Canyon as Utah’s last NP. The uniqueness of BCNPs natural features puts it in a class of its own (maybe Yellowstone?). I think it’s UT’s top NP. But then again, “uniqueness of features” wasn’t a category, so ig you get a pass 😉 Features similar to those in the other NPs can be found elsewhere outside the park. I don’t think that can be said of Bryce’s sandstone hoodoos and spires set against a gorgeous evergreen forest backdrop. You just can’t find that anywhere else. Your pics are absolutely stunning! Well done.