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.
Pennsylvania parks on the map
Click a marker for the park page, or use Where to stay in the table.
Ways to pick a Pennsylvania park
Quietest months
- Johnstown Flood — January
- Eisenhower — January
- Flight 93 — January
- Fort Necessity — January
Most-visited
- Appalachian — 6,215,118 visits
- Delaware Water Gap — 3,986,709 visits
- Independence — 1,926,580 visits
- Valley Forge — 1,819,086 visits
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 | Stays |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AppalachianNational Scenic Trail | 6,215,118 | September | Jul | Feb | Where to stay → |
| Delaware Water GapNational Recreation Area | 3,986,709 | March | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| IndependenceNational Historical Park | 1,926,580 | October | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Valley ForgeNational Historical Park | 1,819,086 | September | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| GettysburgNational Military Park | 730,398 | September | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Upper DelawareScenic & Recreational River | 380,245 | June | Jul | Dec | Where to stay → |
| Flight 93National Memorial | 286,079 | February | Sep | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Fort NecessityNational Battlefield | 225,783 | May | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| First StateNational Historical Park | 200,173 | April | Oct | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Allegheny Portage RailroadNational Historic Site | 162,905 | May | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| EisenhowerNational Historic Site | 75,328 | May | Sep | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Johnstown FloodNational Memorial | 74,977 | June | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| SteamtownNational Historic Site | 60,243 | May | Aug | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Hopewell FurnaceNational Historic Site | 48,776 | October | Aug | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Friendship HillNational Historic Site | 18,080 | June | Sep | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Edgar Allan PoeNational Historic Site | 15,473 | September | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Thaddeus KosciuszkoNational Memorial | 1,682 | October | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
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. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Where to stay near Pennsylvania's national parks
Find hotels, cabins and vacation rentals across Pennsylvania to base your national-park trip — live availability and prices.
Top-rated places to stay near Pennsylvania national parks
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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