Skip to main content
WhenToVisitParks

Updated October 2026

National Parks by State

55 states and territories contain National Park Service units that report monthly visitation. Pick a state to see all of its parks ranked by annual visits, each with the month our data recommends for the best balance of light crowds, comfortable weather and daylight.

StateNPS unitsMost-visited parkBest time to visit it
Alabama6Natchez TraceMay
Alaska15Klondike Gold RushMay
American Samoa1National Park of American SamoaJune
Arizona21Lake MeadNovember
Arkansas7Hot SpringsOctober
California23Golden GateApril
Colorado12Rocky MountainSeptember
Connecticut2AppalachianSeptember
Delaware1First StateSeptember
District of Columbia21Lincoln MemorialSeptember
Florida10Gulf IslandsNovember
Georgia11AppalachianSeptember
Guam1War In The PacificJanuary
Hawaii6Hawaiʻi VolcanoesSeptember
Idaho6YellowstoneSeptember
Illinois3Lincoln HomeSeptember
Indiana3Indiana DunesOctober
Iowa2Herbert HooverOctober
Kansas5Tallgrass PrairieOctober
Kentucky7Big South ForkApril
Louisiana4VicksburgOctober
Maine3AppalachianSeptember
Maryland16George WashingtonSeptember
Massachusetts14AppalachianSeptember
Michigan5Sleeping Bear DunesMay
Minnesota5Saint CroixMay
Mississippi9Natchez TraceMay
Missouri7Gateway ArchOctober
Montana8YellowstoneSeptember
Nebraska5Scotts BluffMay
Nevada4Lake MeadNovember
New Hampshire2AppalachianSeptember
New Jersey6GatewayOctober
New Mexico15White SandsOctober
New York23GatewayOctober
North Carolina10Blue RidgeApril
North Dakota3Theodore RooseveltMay
Ohio8Cuyahoga ValleySeptember
Oklahoma4ChickasawOctober
Oregon6Fort VancouverSeptember
Pennsylvania17AppalachianSeptember
Puerto Rico1San JuanJanuary
Rhode Island1Roger WilliamsMay
South Carolina7Fort Sumter and Fort MoultrieNovember
South Dakota6Mount RushmoreSeptember
Tennessee11Great Smoky MountainsMay
Texas14San Antonio MissionsFebruary
U.S. Virgin Islands4Virgin IslandsJanuary
Utah13ZionApril
Vermont2AppalachianSeptember
Virginia19Blue RidgeApril
Washington12OlympicMay
West Virginia6AppalachianSeptember
Wisconsin3Saint CroixMay
Wyoming6YellowstoneSeptember

442 state–park pairings across 55 states. Parks that span a state line are listed under each state they touch.

Frequently asked questions

Which state has the most national parks?

California has the most National Park Service units that report visitation, with 23. Note that a single park spanning a state line is counted in each state it touches, which is why the state totals add up to more than the number of distinct units.

How many states have national parks?

55 states and territories have at least one National Park Service unit reporting monthly visitation. Each state page lists every unit with its crowd calendar and recommended month.

Plan your next park trip

Get crowd forecasts and trip-timing tips for America's national parks. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.