Last Updated on June 14, 2024 by Steph
The National Park Service publishes a report that includes the number of visitors each park received the previous year. The numbers for the least visited national parks were shocking to me. On average, about 330,000 people visit Times Square EACH DAY. We have 16 national parks that got less than that in a year. Now, we avoid Times Square as much as possible because of the sheer insanity and number of people, but it is crazy to compare those numbers side-by-side. We are sharing five of the least visited national parks that you should consider for your next park exploration.
The Least Visited National Parks in the United States
We wanted to highlight a few of these less-visited parks and share with you what we would want to see or do while there. Maybe you’ll find a place to add to your Summer bucket list or at least find a few new Instagram accounts to follow (the NPS accounts have the most beautiful pictures.)
Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Feel like getting away from everything? This is your place. It is a backcountry park only accessible by foot, plane, or boat. You can spot bears fishing for Salmon, a backdrop of volcanoes and mountains, and lots of peace and quiet. Last year, it only saw 16,728 visitors—that’s only an average of 46 per day in a park that is about the same size as all the Hawaiian Islands put together.
Isle Royale National Park, Michigan
This is a secluded island in Lake Superior. It is part of Michigan but is actually a little closer to my home state of Minnesota. There are 3 different ferry options, but I suggest coming from Minnesota and checking out the beautiful North Shore and Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Once on the island, you can go camping or staying in one of the few hotels. There are many trails, wildlife, and even scuba diving to try out. This park only hosted 28,965 visitors last year, so it’s a great place to escape. Keep an eye out for the Moose that call this place home.
North Cascades National Park, Washington
North Cascades National Park is only a few hours north of Seattle and a place to enjoy year-round. There are beautiful mountains, lots of water to explore, and even the town of Stehekin. This fairly large park, making up almost 800 square miles, has many hiking options and incredible views. The landscape of the PNW is absolutely breathtaking, and we keep adding things from here to our PNW bucket list. I was shocked that this park only saw 40,351 visitors last year.
Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
If you’ve been dreaming about a Florida Keys road trip for a few years now and after reading about this park, consider adding this to your itinerary. You can jump on a ferry and head to this secluded group of islands to enjoy some incredible snorkeling, camping, and exploring Fort Jefferson. This park saw 84,285 visitors last year, which is still less than 200 people each day. Just imagine the star gazing you could do outside your tent here.
Great Basin National Park, Nevada
The Great Basin National Park is quite remote. It’s located near the border of Utah and Nevada. The park features the dry and mountainous region between the Sierra Nevadas and Wasatch Mountains called the Great Basin. It’s well-known for its dark skies and star gazing abilities because it’s so far from any cities or even towns. You can even explore the Lehman Caves underground. From the subterranean to the 13,064-foot Wheeler Peak, there are many unique landscapes. Plus, it only sees about 140,000 visitors per year, so it’s one of the least visited national parks in the US.
Which National Park is your favorite?
To browse the reports and see where we got our numbers, check out the website: https://irma.nps.gov/Stats/Reports/Park
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