People seem to like numbers, and hierarchy, so here's a rundown of the leading units of the National Park System in terms of 2011 visitation. The first list combs through all 397 units in the system, while the second looks only at National Park-designated units of the National Park System.
10 Most-Visited Units Of the National Park System in 2011
- Blue Ridge Parkway.....................................15,382,447
- Golden Gate NRA.........................................14,567,487
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park.................9,008,830
- Gateway NRA...............................................7,697,727
- George Washington Memorial Parkway................7,417,397
- Lake Mead NRA.............................................6,396,682
- Lincoln Memorial...........................................5,971,220
- Natchez Trace Parkway...................................5,765,343
- Gulf Islands National Seashore...........................5,501,872
- Delaware Water Gap NRA.................................4,986,700
10 Most-Visited National Parks in 2011
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park...............9,008,830
- Grand Canyon National Park...........................4,298,178
- Yosemite National Park.................................3,951,393
- Yellowstone National Park..............................3,394,326
- Rocky Mountain National Park.........................3,176,941
- Olympic National Park...................................2,966,502
- Zion National Park........................................2,825,505
- Grand Teton National Park..............................2,587,437
- Acadia National Park.....................................2,374,645
- Cuyahoga Valley National Park.........................2,161,185
Comments
Thomas, if you're traveling in winter, look at Badlands National Park in South Dakota, or Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. Lots of solitude in those.