ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smoky Mountains National Park led the nation in visits last year, attracting 16.5 million and 11.5 million visitors, respectively, as the National Park Service reported more than 323 million recreational visits across all its sites in 2025.

Despite a 43-day partial government shutdown, the longest in history, 26 parks set visitation records, and millions of Americans continued to explore the country’s natural and cultural treasures.

The data, released Friday, includes visits to all National Park Service sites, not just designated national parks. Visitors logged more than 1.3 billion recreation hours and over 13 million overnight stays.

“America’s national parks continue to be places where people come to experience our country’s history, landscapes and shared heritage,” Jessica Bowron, comptroller exercising the delegated authority of the director, said in a statement. “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.”

With at least one site in every state, the National Park System offers opportunities for recreation, learning and inspiration. The NPS maintains a public Visitation Statistics Dashboard that provides detailed figures for all parks dating back to 1979.

Top 10 visited sites

  • Blue Ridge Parkway: 16.5 million
  • Golden Gate National Recreation Area: 15.7 million
  • Great Smoky Mountains National Park: 11.5 million
  • Natchez Trace Parkway: 8.0 million
  • Lincoln Memorial: 7.7 million
  • Gateway National Recreation Area: 7.7 million
  • Gulf Islands National Seashore: 7.6 million
  • George Washington Memorial Parkway: 6.7 million
  • Appalachian National Scenic Trail: 6.2 million
  • Lake Mead National Recreation Area: 6.1 million

Appalachian Trail

Top 10 national parks

  • Great Smoky Mountains: 11.5 million
  • Zion: 5.0 million
  • Yellowstone: 4.8 million
  • Grand Canyon: 4.4 million
  • Yosemite: 4.3 million
  • Rocky Mountain: 4.2 million
  • Acadia: 4.1 million
  • Grand Teton: 3.8 million
  • Olympic: 3.6 million
  • Glacier: 3.1 million

Visitors by the numbers

  • 323 million recreation visits (406 parks report visitation figures)
  • 1.4 billion recreation visitor hours
  • 13million overnight stays
  • 26 parks set visitation records

This year, the National Park Service is celebrating 250 years of American freedom and expects millions more visitors to take part in events and experiences commemorating the milestone.