National Park System Visits Fell 28% in 2020

Visits to the national park system plunged in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic temporarily closed parks across the country and kept many people from traveling. The 237 million recreational visits in 2020 were 90 million fewer than in 2019, according to the National Park Service—a 28 percent decline. The number of visits in 2020 was the smallest since 1980, a time when there were many fewer parks (325 versus 423 in 2020). Not every park saw a decline in visitors, however. 

Top 10 national parks visited in 2020, number of visits (and percent change in visits 2019–20)

1. Great Smoky Mountains NP: 12.1 million (-4%)

2. Yellowstone NP: 3.8 million (-5%)

3. Zion NP: 3.6 million (-20%)

4. Rocky Mountain NP: 3.3 million (-29%) 

5. Grand Teton NP: 3.3 million (-3%)

6. Grand Canyon NP: 2.9 million (-52%)

7. Cuyahoga Valley NP: 2.8 million (+23%)

8. Acadia NP: 2.7 million (-22%)

9. Olympic NP: 2.5 million (-23%)

10. Joshua Tree NP: 2.4 million (-20%)

Great Smoky Mountains National Park has been the most visited national park since 1944. It maintained its number-one position despite the pandemic. 

Two national parks fell off the top-10 list in 2020: Yosemite fell from 5th to 12th place, and Glacier fell from 10th to 13th place. Two national parks moved onto the top-10 list in 2020: Cuyahoga Valley rose from 13th to 7th place as visits there increased by 23 percent, and Joshua Tree rose from 11th to 10th place despite fewer visitors.

Source: National Park Service, Annual Visitation Highlights