By By Marnie Hunter | CNN
There are greater than 420 websites within the US Nationwide Park System, however solely 63 carry the headliner — capital N, capital P — “Nationwide Park” title.
Probably the most visited of these, Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park in North Carolina and Tennessee, welcomed a record-setting 14 million recreation visits in 2021. Zion, Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon are different prime customer attracts. See full lists of the preferred Nationwide Park Service websites right here.
However what in regards to the least-visited headliners? Parks that could be particularly wild or laborious to succeed in but in addition uncrowded and largely undiscovered. Let’s take a peek at these.
Seven out of the 15 least-visited nationwide parks in 2021 are in Alaska.
RELATED: California’s hottest parks in 2021, and the way that modified from 2020
It’s no huge shock that a good chunk of the least-visited nationwide parks are within the forty ninth state. Overlaying near 665,000 sq. miles — a lot of it wild and sometimes frozen — getting across the state might be difficult and there’s quite a bit of wilderness to see.
The least visited of the 63 nationwide parks, Gates of the Arctic Nationwide Park & Protect, accommodates no roads or trails and guests should fly or hike into the park, in keeping with the Nationwide Park Service.
It’s secure to say the individuals who accounted for its 7,362 recreation visits in 2021 had been very dedicated to a wilderness expertise. Denali Nationwide Park in Alaska, No. 13 among the many least-visited parks, noticed a whopping 229,521 visits by comparability.
Distant islands, a historic fort and extra
The second least-visited nationwide park couldn’t be extra completely different. Nationwide Park of American Samoa is positioned on a volcanic island arc within the South Pacific, the place fruit bats and coral reefs are a part of the ecosystem. The park logged just below 8,500 visits in 2021.
Amongst different non-Alaska entries within the least visited parks listing are North Cascades in Washington; Isle Royale in Michigan and Dry Tortugas in Florida.
The latter two are remarkably completely different island environments. Isle Royale is a wooded island in Lake Superior accessible by ferry or seaplane; Dry Tortugas is 70 miles west of Key West and encompasses open water and a handful of islands, together with one which’s house to a powerful Nineteenth-century fort.
Nevada, South Carolina, Minnesota and Texas parks additionally make the 15 least-visited listing.
Right here’s the listing for a bit trail-less-taken inspiration:
15 least-visited US Nationwide Parks in 2021
1. Gates of the Arctic Nationwide Park & Protect, Alaska – 7,362 recreation visits
2. Nationwide Park of American Samoa – 8,495 recreation visits
3. Kobuk Valley Nationwide Park, Alaska – 11,540 recreation visits
4. North Cascades Nationwide Park, Washington – 17,855 recreation visits
5. Lake Clark Nationwide Park & Protect, Alaska – 18,278 recreation visits
6. Katmai Nationwide Park & Protect, Alaska – 24,764 recreation visits
7. Isle Royale Nationwide Park, Michigan – 25,844 recreation visits
8. Wrangell-St. Elias Nationwide Park & Protect, Alaska – 50,189 recreation visits
9. Dry Tortugas Nationwide Park, Florida – 83,817 recreation visits
10. Glacier Bay Nationwide Park & Protect, Alaska – 89,768 recreation visits
11. Nice Basin Nationwide Park, Nevada – 144,875 recreation visits
12. Congaree Nationwide Park, South Carolina – 215,181 recreation visits
13. Denali Nationwide Park & Protect, Alaska – 229,521 recreation visits
14. Voyageurs Nationwide Park, Minnesota – 243,042 recreation visits
15. Guadalupe Mountains Nationwide Park, Texas – 243,291 recreation visits
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