The Least visited National Parks worth exploring

National Parks Without the Crowds
National parks became quite trendy in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic as travelers sought ways to see the world while practicing social distancing outdoors. Three years later, iconic protected lands such as the Great Smoky Mountain, Grand Canyon and Yellowstone continue to draw big crowds and rightfully so.

However, there are more than 60 U.S. national parks available to travelers so some are destined to fly under the radar. Some are a bit more challenging to reach, are too rugged and intimidating or are overshadowed by nearby parks of greater stature. Nonetheless, each provides an ideal backdrop for a worthwhile adventure.

Here are some of the country’s least visited national parks worth exploring in 2023.

Isle Royale National Park, Michigan
A rugged, car-free island in Lake Superior, Michigan’s Isle Royale National Park hosted just 25,454 recreation visits last year, making it the nation’s fifth-least visited national park. Isle Royale’s isolation is part of its draw, however, as travelers arrive by ferry or seaplane to experience its serene wilderness, hike scenic trails, spot wolves and moose, dive shipwrecks and camp.

Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
Recording just 78,488 recreation visits last year, Dry Tortugas National Park 70 miles west of Key West, Florida is similar to Isle Royale in that travelers must visit via boat or seaplane. The park is mostly open water but does feature seven islands, including Garden Key, which is home to the 19th-century Fort Jefferson. Visitors can also explore coral reefs and shipwrecks and watch for hundreds of species of birds.

North Cascades National Park, Washington
Washington’s North Cascades National Park offers travelers unparalleled scenery and seclusion about two hours northeast of Seattle. The park, which reported only 30,154 recreation visits in 2022, is beloved by the few lucky enough to experience it for its glorious mountain peaks, glaciers, lakes and diverse wildlife, which includes grizzly bears, wolves and hundreds of bird species. The park also boasts abundant plant life and more than 400 miles of hiking trails.

Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Only the National Park of American Samoa saw fewer visitors than Alaska’s Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve last year. It’s no wonder there were only 9,457 recreation visits as this protected land sits entirely above the Arctic Circle and features no roads or trails. The park is untouched so visitors can carve their own path or experience it along one of the six designated Wild Rivers. In addition to wildlife viewing, visitors can plan their visit during the winter months for a chance to see the northern lights.

Great Basin National Park, Nevada
Great Basin National Park in eastern Nevada, which hosted 142,115 recreation visits in 2022, offers a wide array of landscapes, from the 13,063-foot summit of Wheeler Peak to limestone caves and ancient bristlecone pines. The lesser-known park is also one of the nation’s best for stargazing, producing some of the darkest night skies in the country.

Congaree National Park, South Carolina
Just a half-hour drive southeast of Columbia, South Carolina is where travelers will find Congaree National Park. This park is one of the most biodiverse around and is also home to the largest intact expanse of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern U.S. Congaree hosted 204,522 recreation visits last year, wowing visitors with its eye-popping champion trees, numerous trails ranging from easy to difficult, kayaking and canoeing adventures, fishing and wildlife.

Virgin Islands National Park, US Virgin Islands
One of the country’s most overlooked national parks given its distance from the mainland, Virgin Islands National Park reported 196,752 recreation visits last year. The park encompasses two-thirds of the island of St. John and features no shortage of inviting beaches and coral reefs bustling with marine life as well as historic plantation sites and ancient petroglyphs that visitors can hike to and experience for themselves.

Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota
Minnesota’s Voyageurs National Park is one of the nation’s most unique. Hosting just 221,434 recreation visits all of last year—that’s nearly one visit per acre—the park of “water, islands and horizons” can be experienced on land or by water as visitors will discover hundreds of islands and dozens of lakes. Travelers can look forward to scenic kayaking, hiking, fishing for walleye and stargazing as Voyageurs is a certified Dark Sky Park.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas
Not nearly as popular as Big Bend, Guadalupe Mountains National Park in western Texas boasts nature in bunches. The park, which recorded 219,987 recreation visits in 2022, is not only home to the four highest peaks in the Lone Star State but also the world’s most extensive Permian fossil reef. Trails such as the Guadalupe Peak Trail and the McKittrick Canyon Trail are ideal for taking breathtaking views of the mountains, canyons, desert and dunes on display.