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Travel & Experiences

America’s most popular national parks

Tennessee, North Carolina Visitors in 2009 (through August): 6.4 million Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which sits between North Carolina and Tennessee, is a wonderland of waterfalls, wildflowers and wildlife. It offers visitors 800 miles of maintained trails where they may see bears, turkeys, woodchucks, raccoons and even elk, which were reintroduced to the park in 2001. It is home to more than 1,660 kinds of flowering plants, more than any other national park in America, earning it the moniker "the wildflower park." More info: nps.gov/grsm Related: Three classic mountain towns in North Carolina

Visitors in 2011: 9,008,830

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which sits between North Carolina and Tennessee, is a wonderland of waterfalls, wildflowers and wildlife. It offers visitors 800 miles of maintained trails where they may see bears, turkeys, woodchucks, raccoons and even elk, which were reintroduced to the park in 2001. It is home to more than 1,660 kinds of flowering plants, more than any other national park in America, earning it the moniker “the wildflower park.”

More info:

http://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm   (Randy Brown / Associated Press)

It’s Day 2 of summer. If you don’t have vacation plans yet, you’re behind. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution. Visit one of America’s 58 national parks. They encompass some of the country’s best natural sights, including Alaska’s pristine wilderness, Yellowstone’s hot springs, Utah’s rock formations and Hawaii’s volcanoes. As a starting point for your vacation planning, here’s a look at the 10 most-visited in 2011.

Visitors in 2011: 4,298,178 Established in 1919, the Grand Canyon is perhaps the most famous of America's national parks. It is an enormous stretch of canyon: 277 miles long (measured by the length of the river at its bottom), 6,000 vertical feet at its deepest and as much as 18 miles across in some places. It takes about two days to get to the bottom of the canyon and back on foot. And it receives close to 5 million visitors each year. More info: http://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm

Visitors in 2011: 4,298,178

Established in 1919, the Grand Canyon is perhaps the most famous of America’s national parks. It is an enormous stretch of canyon: 277 miles long (measured by the length of the river at its bottom), 6,000 vertical feet at its deepest and as much as 18 miles across in some places. It takes about two days to get to the bottom of the canyon and back on foot. And it receives close to 5 million visitors each year.

More info:

http://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm   (Miguel Ramirez / Los Angeles Times)

Visitors in 2011: 3,951,393 Yosemite National Park lies east of San Francisco in the Sierra Nevada and offers visitors a varied landscape of deep valleys, vast meadows and groves of giant sequoia trees. Ninety-five percent of the park is designated as wilderness. It's best known for its spectacular waterfalls, which are at their most robust in spring. More info: http://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm

Visitors in 2011: 3,951,393

Yosemite National Park lies east of San Francisco in the Sierra Nevada and offers visitors a varied landscape of deep valleys, vast meadows and groves of giant sequoia trees. Ninety-five percent of the park is designated as wilderness. It’s best known for its spectacular waterfalls, which are at their most robust in spring.

More info:

http://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm   (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Visitors in 2011: 3,394,326 Established in 1872, Yellowstone is the nation's oldest national park. It's known for its geysers and hot springs. Indeed, Yellowstone contains 60% of the world's geysers, including Old Faithful, its most famous, and the Grand Prismatic Hot Spring, America's largest hot spring. The park also houses a rich collection of historical artifacts in its museum, library and research centers. More info: http://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm

Visitors in 2011: 3,394,326

Established in 1872, Yellowstone is the nation’s oldest national park. It’s known for its geysers and hot springs. Indeed, Yellowstone contains 60% of the world’s geysers, including Old Faithful, its most famous, and the Grand Prismatic Hot Spring, America’s largest hot spring. The park also houses a rich collection of historical artifacts in its museum, library and research centers.

More info:

http://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm   (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

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Visitors in 2011: 3,176,941 Rocky Mountain National Park is nestled in the Colorado Rockies northwest of Boulder. Its 416 square miles of mountainous terrain features 359 trails for hikers, 150 lakes for anglers, 60 mountains taller than 12,000 feet for climbers and a slew of elk, bighorn sheep and moose. More info: http://www.nps.gov/romo/index.htm

Visitors in 2011: 3,176,941

Rocky Mountain National Park is nestled in the Colorado Rockies northwest of Boulder. Its 416 square miles of mountainous terrain features 359 trails for hikers, 150 lakes for anglers, 60 mountains taller than 12,000 feet for climbers and a slew of elk, bighorn sheep and moose.

More info:

http://www.nps.gov/romo/index.htm   (Glenn Asakawa / Associated Press)

Visitors in 2011: 2,825,505 Zion's many multicolored canyons, mesas and towers frame its first-rate scenery. The park's most popular formation is Zion Canyon. Besides camping sites, Zion Lodge offers rooms, cabins, suites and a restaurant. From April to October, a free shuttle service whisks visitors on the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. More info: http://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm

Visitors in 2011: 2,825,505

Zion’s many multicolored canyons, mesas and towers frame its first-rate scenery. The park’s most popular formation is Zion Canyon. Besides camping sites, Zion Lodge offers rooms, cabins, suites and a restaurant. From April to October, a free shuttle service whisks visitors on the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive.

More info:

http://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm   (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Visitors in 2011: 2,587,437 Grand Teton National Park straddles 485 square miles of mountains, rivers and wilderness in northwest Wyoming south of Yellowstone. The park is famous for its wildlife. Visitors can see bald eagles, otters and beavers in Oxbow Bend, elk on Timbered Island and bison along Snake River. Grand Teton features a range of lodges, cabins and ranches for overnight visitors. More info: http://www.nps.gov/grte/index.htm

Visitors in 2011: 2,587,437

Grand Teton National Park straddles 485 square miles of mountains, rivers and wilderness in northwest Wyoming south of Yellowstone. The park is famous for its wildlife. Visitors can see bald eagles, otters and beavers in Oxbow Bend, elk on Timbered Island and bison along Snake River. Grand Teton features a range of lodges, cabins and ranches for overnight visitors.

More info:

http://www.nps.gov/grte/index.htm   (Laura Rauch / Associated Press)

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