Blue Ridge Parkway remains the most-visited park in the National Park System, while Great Smoky Mountains National Park set a visitation record in 2021 and passed 14 million recreation visits for the first time.
Those numbers were announced as the National Park Service published its annual visitation statistics for 2021.
“It’s wonderful to see so many Americans continuing to find solace and inspiration in these incredible places during the second year of the pandemic,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams.
Some of the most well-known national parks again saw record visitation in 2021, but numbers across the entire national park system remained below pre-pandemic totals.
“While overall Parkway visitation has remained relatively stable over the past five to ten years, some of the park's most popular destinations are seeing the impacts of heavy visitation,” said Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent Tracy Swartout. “Overcrowding at popular locations can lead to diminished visitor experience and damage to park resources. These impacts can often be avoided by recreating responsibly. With 469 miles to explore, we encourage you to find new ways to enjoy the Parkway this year.”
Of 423 parks in the system, just 25 received more than 50 percent of the system’s total 297.1 million recreation visits in 2021. Last year’s visitation increased by 60 million over 2020, when COVID-19 shuttered facilities in most parks for at least part of the year.
Park Service administrators suggest visitors visit lesser-known sites located near those seeing a record number of visitors. “If your 2022 trip will take you to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, also consider Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Carl Sandburg National Historic Site, and Obed Wild and Scenic River.”