Updated July 2026
Best Time to Visit Pennsylvania National Parks
Pennsylvania has 17 National Park Service units that report visitation. Below, each is ranked by annual visits, with the month our data recommends for the best balance of light crowds, comfortable weather and daylight. Crowds peak in summer almost everywhere — the recommended months show where the quieter shoulder seasons fall.
Most-visited parks in Pennsylvania
Appalachian
Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia
View Appalachian →
Delaware Water Gap
New Jersey, Pennsylvania
View Delaware Water Gap →
Independence
Pennsylvania
View Independence →Valley Forge
Pennsylvania
View Valley Forge →
Gettysburg
Pennsylvania
View Gettysburg →Upper Delaware
New York, Pennsylvania
View Upper Delaware →| Park | Annual visits | Best time | Busiest | Quietest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AppalachianNational Scenic Trail | 6,215,118 | September | Jul | Feb |
| Delaware Water GapNational Recreation Area | 3,986,709 | March | Jul | Jan |
| IndependenceNational Historical Park | 1,926,580 | October | Jul | Jan |
| Valley ForgeNational Historical Park | 1,819,086 | September | Jul | Jan |
| GettysburgNational Military Park | 730,398 | September | Jul | Jan |
| Upper DelawareScenic & Recreational River | 380,245 | June | Jul | Dec |
| Flight 93National Memorial | 286,079 | February | Sep | Jan |
| Fort NecessityNational Battlefield | 225,783 | May | Jul | Jan |
| First StateNational Historical Park | 200,173 | April | Oct | Jan |
| Allegheny Portage RailroadNational Historic Site | 162,905 | May | Jul | Jan |
| EisenhowerNational Historic Site | 75,328 | May | Sep | Jan |
| Johnstown FloodNational Memorial | 74,977 | June | Jul | Jan |
| SteamtownNational Historic Site | 60,243 | May | Aug | Jan |
| Hopewell FurnaceNational Historic Site | 48,776 | October | Aug | Jan |
| Friendship HillNational Historic Site | 18,080 | June | Sep | Jan |
| Edgar Allan PoeNational Historic Site | 15,473 | September | Jul | Jan |
| Thaddeus KosciuszkoNational Memorial | 1,682 | October | Jul | Jan |
Pennsylvania park crowd calendar (17 parks, all 12 months)
Download the full best-months table for all 17 of Pennsylvania's national parks — each park's month-by-month crowd index (1.0 = its average month), busiest and quietest months, and Best-Time-to-Visit score. Built from NPS visitation data. Enter your email to download; you'll also get park crowd updates — no spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Where to stay near Pennsylvania's national parks
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Top-rated places to stay near Pennsylvania national parks
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