🌅 National Parks Just Had Their Busiest Year Ever

SOURCE

National Park Service

WHAT TO KNOW

• The National Park Service reported a record 331.9 million visitors across the entire 433-property system in 2024, an increase of 6.36 million (2%) from the year prior. Of the total, 94.3 million people visited the 63 formally designated national parks, also a record.

WHY IT MATTERS

• Travelers have flocked to national parks in recent years, with total visitation rising by nearly 5% each year from 2021 to 2023. Last year’s figure beat the previous record set in 2016, when the National Park Service reported 331 million visitors system-wide.

CONNECT THE DOTS

• Research shows spending time outdoors is good for people’s mental and physical health, and, when the experience is shared with others, it can also boost social connections and emotional well-being. Unsurprisingly, the summer months are the busiest at nearly all national parks, however, experts say you can avoid the crowds by trying different activities at popular parks, arriving in the early hours before the masses, and asking park personnel for their favorite “hidden gems” off the beaten path.