According to data, the 10 best national parks in the US for 2023

Whether you enjoy the hustle and bustle of the city or love nature, the national parks have something special for everyone. There are a whopping 63 national parks in the United States, each unique in their own way.

Here we have compiled the top 10 national parks to visit in 2023 according to data.

10. Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana

Area (km2) recreational visitors entrance fee Distance to nearest town (miles) “Nice” reviews SCORE
62 3,177,210 $15 6.3 30.33% 6.80

Indiana Dunes National Park is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds thanks to its unrivaled location along 15 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, 50 miles of challenging hiking trails, and a rich ecosystem of dunes, wetlands, grasslands, and old growth forest.

9. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Area (km2) recreational visitors entrance fee Distance to nearest town (miles) “Nice” reviews SCORE
1,255 3,885,230 $20 0.3 43.07% 6.89

Spanning approximately 500 square miles, Grand Teton National Park is home to a stunning array of pristine wilderness, glacial lakes, flowing rivers, diverse wildlife and the spectacular Teton Range. Explore a landscape of towering peaks, predators and breathtaking beauty.

8. New River Gorge, West Virginia

Area (km2) recreational visitors entrance fee Distance to nearest town (miles) “Nice” reviews SCORE
28 1,682,720 $0 * 48.15% 7.01

The New River carved a 73,000-acre valley in West Virginia over millions of years. The sandstone cliffs and rapids offer world-class rock climbing and whitewater rafting. Forest trails for mountain biking and hiking lead to scenic views and historic sites.

7. Zion National Park, Utah

Area (km2) recreational visitors entrance fee Distance to nearest town (miles) “Nice” reviews SCORE
596 5,039,835 $20 1.4 44.05% 7.09

Canyoning, the activity of descending narrow gorges, is popular around the world and Zion is considered one of the best places to do it. The national park offers exhilarating wading, swimming and climbing challenges as well as spectacular water canyons and river-filled gorges.

6. Glacier National Park, Missouri

Area (km2) recreational visitors entrance fee Distance to nearest town (miles) “Nice” reviews SCORE
4,100 3,081,656 $20 2.2 51.99% 7.17

In addition to more than 700 miles of hiking trails, Glacier is a great destination for biking, horseback riding, fishing, hiking and whitewater rafting. You can do anything you want to do in Glacier.

5. Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas

Area (km2) recreational visitors entrance fee Distance to nearest town (miles) “Nice” reviews SCORE
23 2,162,884 $0 2.3 23.95% 7.30

The cultural history of Hot Springs National Park is rich. It serves as a symbol of recovery and a memorial to the 20th-century “American Spa.” The grand architecture of the nine historic bathhouses is complemented by the area’s natural wonders, which have drawn visitors here for hundreds of years.

4. Biscayne National Park, Florida

Area (km2) recreational visitors entrance fee Distance to nearest town (miles) “Nice” reviews SCORE
700 705,655 $0 8.9 43.55% 7.30

The Maritime Heritage Trail allows you to discover the relics of the numerous shipwrecks that have been lost over the centuries and now rest in Biscayne National Park. You can swim at the foot of the Fowey Rocks lighthouse, built in 1878 in response to the nearby wreck of the SS Arratoon Apcar.

3rd Olympic Games, Washington

Area (km2) recreational visitors entrance fee Distance to nearest town (miles) “Nice” reviews SCORE
3,734 2,718,925 $15 1.8 45.73% 7.75

With a national park rating of 7.75 out of 10, Olympic National Park rounds out our top 3. The closest community to the national park, Port Angeles, is only 1.8 miles from the Washington-based park. Olympic National Park is an excellent travel destination with 45% of its reviews including the word “beautiful”. However, entry to the park costs $15.

2. Cuyahoga Valley, Ohio

Area (km2) recreational visitors entrance fee Distance to nearest town (miles) “Nice” reviews SCORE
132 2,575,275 $0 3 35.36% 8.16

With a national park rating of 8.16 out of 10, Cuyahoga Valley National Park ranks second. Cuyahoga Valley National Park has a total area of ​​131.8 km2, making it one of the smaller national parks on our list, but there’s still a lot to do there. Ohio National Park is also very close to the nearest town and has no entrance fee, making it accessible to everyone. Peninsula and Cuyahoga Valley are only three miles apart.

1. Great Smoky Mountains, North Carolina, Tennessee.

Great Smoky Mountains

Area (km2) recreational visitors entrance fee Distance to nearest town (miles) “Nice” reviews SCORE
2.114 14.161.548 $5 7.6 54.73% 8.45

With an overall national park rating of 8.45 out of 10, Great Smoky Mountains National Park takes the top spot. With more than 14 million visitors, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the Tennessee-North Carolina border takes first place in all of our categories. The Great Smoky Mountains also ranks second for the percentage of reviews that include the word “beautiful.”

Comments are closed.