NPS: 323M visited National Parks, sites in 2025; nearly 5M went to Zion 

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 14, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — The National Park Service has announced it recorded more than 323 million recreation visits in 2025, including over 13 million overnight stays, with 26 parks setting new visitation records.

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

“America’s national parks continue to be places where people come to experience our country’s history, landscapes and shared heritage,” said Jessica Bowron, Comptroller, Exercising the Delegated Authority of the Director. 

“We are committed to keeping parks open, accessible and well-managed so visitors can safely enjoy these extraordinary places today and for generations to come.” 

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

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

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

Visitors by the numbers  

• 323,014,305 recreation visits (406 parks report visitation figures) 
• 1,386,749,187 recreation visitor hours 
• 13,016,577 overnight stays 
• 26 parks set visitation records 

Top 10 – All sites in the National Park System                    

1. Blue Ridge Parkway – 16,533,753 
2. Golden Gate National Recreation Area – 15,748,676 
3. Great Smoky Mountains National Park -11,527,939 
4. Natchez Trace Parkway – 7,994,783 
5. Lincoln Memorial – 7,743,295 
6. Gateway National Recreation Area – 7,696,939 
7. Gulf Islands National Seashore – 7,576,923 
8. George Washington Memorial Parkway 6,732,932 
9. Appalachian National Scenic Trail 6,215,118 
10. Lake Mead National Recreation Area 6,135,586 

Top 10 – National Parks 

1. Great Smoky Mountains NP – 11,527,939 
2. Zion NP, Utah – 4,984,525 
3. Yellowstone NP – 4,762,988 
4. Grand Canyon NP – 4,430,653 
5. Yosemite NP – 4,278,413 
6. Rocky Mountain – NP 4,171,431 
7. Acadia NP – 4,079,318 
8. Grand Teton – NP 3,800,648 
9. Olympic NP – 3,584,187 
10. Glacier NP – 3,136,557