National Park Service (NPS) Statistics: Visits, Spending and Credit Card Tips
National Park Service (NPS) sites have seen visits and spending shoot to record highs, according to the most recently available data.
But the NPS reportedly faces substantial layoffs and budget cuts amid the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to reduce federal government spending.
With that in mind, LendingTree analyzed government data on visits to and spending at or around NPS sites — which include national parks, preserves, monuments, memorials, historic sites, seashores and more — and found they’re booming. In fact, eight states saw NPS sites spur more than $1 billion in visitor spending in 2023.
Here’s more about what we found.
Key findings
- National Park Service (NPS) sites were visited 331.9 million times in 2024 — the highest since tracking began in 1904. This includes all sites overseen by the NPS, including parks, monuments, preserves, seashores and more. This is a 2.0% increase from 325.5 million in 2023.
- The District of Columbia and California saw the most recreation visits in 2024, totaling nearly a quarter of all NPS visits nationwide. The District of Columbia led with 42.0 million visits in 2024, or 12.6% of visits to NPS sites. The states with the fewest visits were New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island, each at fewer than 50,000. Delaware had the biggest increase in visits from 2023 to 2024, at 52.1%, while Oklahoma had the largest decline, at 19.6%.
- The Golden Gate National Recreation Area (NRA) was the most popular NPS site in 2024. The California site led with 17.2 million visits in 2024, ahead of Blue Ridge Parkway (PKWY) in North Carolina and Virginia at 16.7 million and Great Smoky Mountains National Park (NP) in North Carolina and Tennessee at 12.2 million.
- Visitors to NPS sites spent an estimated $26.4 billion in 2023 — up 68.0% in 10 years. This includes spending at the site, as well as hotels, dining, gas and more at locations in and around the sites. Looking just at national parks and the surrounding communities, people spent $11.7 billion in 2023 — the most recent year for which spending data was available — after spending $10.8 billion in 2022.
- Visitors to NPS sites in California spent $3.2 billion in 2023, but seven other states spurred at least $1 billion in spending. North Carolina ($2.6 billion) and Utah ($1.9 billion) were a distant second and third. Only three sites topped $1 billion in visitor spending: Great Smoky Mountains NP ($2.2 billion), Golden Gate NRA ($1.5 billion) and Blue Ridge PKWY ($1.4 billion).
National Park Service visits hit all-time high
NPS sites throughout the U.S. were visited 331.9 million times in 2024, the highest total since tracking began in 1904. That’s nearly 900,000 more than the previous high set in 2016 and marks the fourth straight year of substantial growth since attendance bottomed out in 2020 amid the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
Recreation visits to National Park Service (NPS) sites
| Year | Visits | YoY % change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 292,800,082 | N/A |
| 2015 | 307,247,252 | 4.9% |
| 2016 | 330,971,689 | 7.7% |
| 2017 | 330,882,751 | 0.0% |
| 2018 | 318,211,833 | -3.8% |
| 2019 | 327,516,619 | 2.9% |
| 2020 | 237,064,332 | -27.6% |
| 2021 | 297,115,406 | 25.3% |
| 2022 | 311,985,998 | 5.0% |
| 2023 | 325,498,646 | 4.3% |
| 2024 | 331,863,358 | 2.0% |
Source: LendingTree analysis of National Park Service (NPS) visitor use statistics data.
D.C., California, Virginia see most NPS site visits
Nearly a quarter (24.5%) of all visits to NPS sites nationwide in 2024 happened in just two places: The District of Columbia and California, with 42.0 million and 39.4 million visits, respectively. The Lincoln Memorial was responsible for 8.5 million of the D.C. visits, while the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (NRA) accounted for 17.2 million of California’s visits.
Virginia (21.4 million) was the only other state with more than 20.0 million visits, carried by 16.7 million visits to the Blue Ridge Parkway (PKWY). (Note: Not all of the 16.7 million visits were attributed to Virginia, as the parkway is also in North Carolina.)
Delaware had by far the biggest yearly increase, jumping 52.1%. Meanwhile, Oklahoma (down 19.6%) led six states that saw double-digit decreases in visits to NPS sites.
Most recreation visits to NPS sites by state
| Rank | State | 2023 visits | 2024 visits | % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 41,101,341 | 41,961,726 | 2.1% |
| 2 | California | 36,211,847 | 39,405,196 | 8.8% |
| 3 | Virginia | 23,263,466 | 21,362,318 | -8.2% |
| 4 | North Carolina | 20,893,207 | 18,796,184 | -10.0% |
| 5 | New York | 17,197,344 | 18,741,053 | 9.0% |
| 6 | Utah | 15,678,158 | 15,821,579 | 0.9% |
| 7 | Florida | 13,309,146 | 13,503,256 | 1.5% |
| 8 | Tennessee | 10,545,649 | 12,571,303 | 19.2% |
| 9 | Arizona | 10,809,520 | 11,254,081 | 4.1% |
| 10 | Washington | 8,294,749 | 9,036,038 | 8.9% |
| 11 | Massachusetts | 8,732,682 | 8,836,572 | 1.2% |
| 12 | Mississippi | 9,065,256 | 8,800,187 | -2.9% |
| 13 | Wyoming | 7,683,017 | 8,120,301 | 5.7% |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | 8,300,004 | 7,972,917 | -3.9% |
| 15 | Colorado | 7,280,581 | 7,227,859 | -0.7% |
| 16 | Georgia | 6,781,837 | 7,010,225 | 3.4% |
| 17 | Maryland | 6,305,729 | 6,563,784 | 4.1% |
| 18 | Montana | 5,656,615 | 5,931,593 | 4.9% |
| 19 | Texas | 5,339,503 | 5,366,208 | 0.5% |
| 20 | New Jersey | 5,195,546 | 5,212,761 | 0.3% |
| 21 | Nevada | 4,552,350 | 5,022,203 | 10.3% |
| 22 | Hawaii | 4,808,385 | 4,618,839 | -3.9% |
| 23 | Arkansas | 4,447,751 | 4,471,452 | 0.5% |
| 24 | Missouri | 4,170,417 | 4,396,444 | 5.4% |
| 25 | Maine | 3,930,777 | 4,010,342 | 2.0% |
| 26 | South Dakota | 4,423,548 | 3,850,934 | -12.9% |
| 27 | Alaska | 3,254,809 | 3,473,715 | 6.7% |
| 28 | Ohio | 3,195,784 | 3,244,285 | 1.5% |
| 29 | Indiana | 3,040,462 | 3,001,734 | -1.3% |
| 30 | Michigan | 2,820,169 | 2,923,630 | 3.7% |
| 31 | West Virginia | 2,343,355 | 2,580,211 | 10.1% |
| 32 | New Mexico | 2,265,573 | 2,375,358 | 4.8% |
| 33 | Kentucky | 1,975,537 | 2,037,341 | 3.1% |
| 34 | Oklahoma | 2,094,232 | 1,682,867 | -19.6% |
| 35 | Alabama | 1,287,291 | 1,390,582 | 8.0% |
| 36 | South Carolina | 1,281,602 | 1,120,740 | -12.6% |
| 37 | Minnesota | 1,090,134 | 1,077,540 | -1.2% |
| 38 | Oregon | 1,045,772 | 988,605 | -5.5% |
| 39 | Idaho | 769,552 | 795,625 | 3.4% |
| 40 | North Dakota | 767,938 | 755,846 | -1.6% |
| 41 | Wisconsin | 650,296 | 733,827 | 12.8% |
| 42 | Nebraska | 314,896 | 330,027 | 4.8% |
| 43 | Louisiana | 300,411 | 270,126 | -10.1% |
| 44 | Iowa | 171,523 | 210,006 | 22.4% |
| 45 | Delaware | 126,414 | 192,220 | 52.1% |
| 46 | Illinois | 188,138 | 188,237 | 0.1% |
| 47 | Kansas | 106,700 | 110,282 | 3.4% |
| 48 | Vermont | 71,799 | 81,713 | 13.8% |
| 49 | Rhode Island | 37,707 | 43,242 | 14.7% |
| 50 | Connecticut | 36,313 | 34,246 | -5.7% |
| 51 | New Hampshire | 30,537 | 26,685 | -12.6% |
Source: LendingTree analysis of NPS visitor use statistics data. Note: Rankings are based on 2024 visits.
Most popular NPS sites are …
Three NPS sites had more than 10.0 million visits in 2024, with California’s Golden Gate NRA topping the list at 17.2 million. The Blue Ridge PKWY in North Carolina and Virginia, which had the most visits in 2023, was second in 2024 at 16.7 million. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park (NP) in North Carolina and Tennessee was third at 12.2 million.
Eight other NPS sites had at least 5.0 million visits, led by New Jersey and New York’s Gateway NRA at 8.9 million.
Top 100 in 2024: Recreation visits to NPS sites
| Rank | Site | 2023 visits | 2024 visits | % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Golden Gate NRA | 14,953,882 | 17,187,508 | 14.9% |
| 2 | Blue Ridge PKWY | 16,757,635 | 16,733,639 | -0.1% |
| 3 | Great Smoky Mountains NP | 13,297,647 | 12,191,834 | -8.3% |
| 4 | Gateway NRA | 8,705,329 | 8,929,035 | 2.6% |
| 5 | Lincoln Memorial | 8,099,148 | 8,479,349 | 4.7% |
| 6 | Gulf Islands NS | 8,277,857 | 7,801,176 | -5.8% |
| 7 | Natchez Trace PKWY | 6,784,853 | 7,364,833 | 8.5% |
| 8 | George Washington MEM PKWY | 7,391,260 | 6,782,717 | -8.2% |
| 9 | Lake Mead NRA | 5,798,541 | 6,412,854 | 10.6% |
| 10 | Vietnam Veterans MEM | 5,039,454 | 5,295,711 | 5.1% |
| 11 | World War II MEM | 5,119,541 | 5,160,769 | 0.8% |
| 12 | Zion NP | 4,623,238 | 4,946,592 | 7.0% |
| 13 | Grand Canyon NP | 4,733,705 | 4,919,163 | 3.9% |
| 14 | Yellowstone NP | 4,501,382 | 4,744,353 | 5.4% |
| 15 | Glen Canyon NRA | 5,206,934 | 4,725,610 | -9.2% |
| 16 | Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHP | 4,470,592 | 4,421,276 | -1.1% |
| 17 | Korean War Veterans MEM | 4,132,456 | 4,344,305 | 5.1% |
| 18 | Rocky Mountain NP | 4,115,837 | 4,154,349 | 0.9% |
| 19 | Yosemite NP | 3,897,070 | 4,121,807 | 5.8% |
| 20 | Delaware Water Gap NRA | 4,207,541 | 4,079,763 | -3.0% |
| 21 | Acadia NP | 3,879,890 | 3,961,661 | 2.1% |
| 22 | Cape Cod NS | 3,808,404 | 3,823,242 | 0.4% |
| 23 | Castle Clinton NM | 3,929,749 | 3,822,759 | -2.7% |
| 24 | Statue of Liberty NM | 3,739,607 | 3,722,029 | -0.5% |
| 25 | Olympic NP | 2,947,503 | 3,717,267 | 26.1% |
| 26 | Grand Teton NP | 3,417,106 | 3,628,222 | 6.2% |
| 27 | Martin Luther King Jr. MEM | 3,341,654 | 3,251,594 | -2.7% |
| 28 | Franklin Delano Roosevelt MEM | 3,298,788 | 3,225,923 | -2.2% |
| 29 | Glacier NP | 2,933,616 | 3,208,755 | 9.4% |
| 30 | Joshua Tree NP | 3,270,404 | 2,991,874 | -8.5% |
| 31 | Chattahoochee River NRA | 3,183,081 | 2,940,804 | -7.6% |
| 32 | Thomas Jefferson MEM | 2,984,919 | 2,915,319 | -2.3% |
| 33 | Cuyahoga Valley NP | 2,860,059 | 2,912,454 | 1.8% |
| 34 | Independence NHP | 3,042,598 | 2,798,651 | -8.0% |
| 35 | Cape Hatteras NS | 2,826,169 | 2,762,954 | -2.2% |
| 36 | Boston NHP | 2,517,296 | 2,744,458 | 9.0% |
| 37 | Indiana Dunes NP | 2,765,892 | 2,705,209 | -2.2% |
| 38 | Gateway Arch NP | 2,422,836 | 2,563,052 | 5.8% |
| 39 | Colonial NHP | 2,691,931 | 2,551,228 | -5.2% |
| 40 | San Francisco Maritime NHP | 1,769,467 | 2,535,134 | 43.3% |
| 41 | Bryce Canyon NP | 2,461,269 | 2,498,075 | 1.5% |
| 42 | Hot Springs NP | 2,502,967 | 2,461,812 | -1.6% |
| 43 | Point Reyes NS | 2,268,058 | 2,371,800 | 4.6% |
| 44 | Stonewall NM | 832,650 | 2,302,641 | 176.5% |
| 45 | Assateague Island NS | 2,351,874 | 2,282,498 | -2.9% |
| 46 | Big Cypress NPRES | 1,846,562 | 2,216,708 | 20.0% |
| 47 | Rock Creek Park | 1,817,868 | 1,917,170 | 5.5% |
| 48 | Canaveral NS | 2,019,073 | 1,884,091 | -6.7% |
| 49 | Valley Forge NHP | 1,880,527 | 1,866,480 | -0.7% |
| 50 | Mount Rushmore NMEM | 2,431,195 | 1,850,329 | -23.9% |
| 51 | New River Gorge NP and PRES | 1,707,223 | 1,811,937 | 6.1% |
| 52 | Shenandoah NP | 1,576,008 | 1,720,211 | 9.1% |
| 53 | Buffalo NR | 1,549,467 | 1,686,348 | 8.8% |
| 54 | Chickasaw NRA | 2,082,326 | 1,670,498 | -19.8% |
| 55 | Sleeping Bear Dunes NL | 1,598,248 | 1,670,025 | 4.5% |
| 56 | Mount Rainier NP | 1,674,294 | 1,620,006 | -3.2% |
| 57 | Pearl Harbor NMEM | 1,692,719 | 1,588,798 | -6.1% |
| 58 | Kennesaw Mountain NBP | 1,499,217 | 1,495,856 | -0.2% |
| 59 | Arches NP | 1,482,045 | 1,466,528 | -1.0% |
| 60 | John D. Rockefeller Jr. MEM PKWY | 1,382,345 | 1,459,804 | 5.6% |
| 61 | Death Valley NP | 1,099,632 | 1,440,484 | 31.0% |
| 62 | Hawaii Volcanoes NP | 1,620,294 | 1,433,593 | -11.5% |
| 63 | Capitol Reef NP | 1,268,861 | 1,422,490 | 12.1% |
| 64 | Ozark NSR | 1,334,137 | 1,343,779 | 0.7% |
| 65 | Klondike Gold Rush NHP Alaska | 1,284,320 | 1,336,008 | 4.0% |
| 66 | San Juan NHS | 1,314,819 | 1,329,728 | 1.1% |
| 67 | Sequoia NP | 980,567 | 1,309,573 | 33.6% |
| 68 | San Antonio Missions NHP | 1,180,929 | 1,278,777 | 8.3% |
| 69 | National Capital Parks East | 1,252,912 | 1,271,126 | 1.5% |
| 70 | Lake Meredith NRA | 1,337,683 | 1,212,905 | -9.3% |
| 71 | Fort Point NHS | 903,685 | 1,189,908 | 31.7% |
| 72 | Martin Luther King Jr. NHP | 481,101 | 1,159,438 | 141.0% |
| 73 | Badlands NP | 1,046,400 | 1,094,245 | 4.6% |
| 74 | Lake Roosevelt NRA | 1,140,360 | 1,091,489 | -4.3% |
| 75 | World War I MEM | 1,092,228 | 1,084,897 | -0.7% |
| 76 | National Capital Parks Central | 1,057,835 | 1,034,341 | -2.2% |
| 77 | Fort Vancouver NHS | 967,602 | 1,007,756 | 4.1% |
| 78 | Chickamauga and Chattanooga NMP | 1,021,822 | 1,003,081 | -1.8% |
| 79 | Timucuan EHP | 959,461 | 997,136 | 3.9% |
| 80 | Curecanti NRA | 957,635 | 980,899 | 2.4% |
| 81 | Ross Lake NRA | 881,837 | 971,173 | 10.1% |
| 82 | Pictured Rocks NL | 910,939 | 953,052 | 4.6% |
| 83 | Saguaro NP | 1,010,906 | 946,369 | -6.4% |
| 84 | President's Park | 897,181 | 915,636 | 2.1% |
| 85 | Saint Croix NSR | 806,257 | 900,828 | 11.7% |
| 86 | Minute Man NHP | 1,001,333 | 879,316 | -12.2% |
| 87 | Cabrillo NM | 810,147 | 845,912 | 4.4% |
| 88 | Amistad NRA | 836,733 | 832,294 | -0.5% |
| 89 | Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania NMP | 844,890 | 818,533 | -3.1% |
| 90 | Canyonlands NP | 800,322 | 818,492 | 2.3% |
| 91 | Whiskeytown NRA | 920,311 | 812,244 | -11.7% |
| 92 | Muir Woods NM | 809,697 | 792,494 | -2.1% |
| 93 | Big South Fork NRRA | 766,000 | 779,602 | 1.8% |
| 94 | Little River Canyon NPRES | 700,638 | 763,209 | 8.9% |
| 95 | Mammoth Cave NP | 654,450 | 747,042 | 14.1% |
| 96 | Everglades NP | 810,189 | 741,983 | -8.4% |
| 97 | Gettysburg NMP | 742,173 | 741,574 | -0.1% |
| 98 | Glacier Bay NP and PRES | 703,659 | 736,282 | 4.6% |
| 99 | Theodore Roosevelt NP | 746,862 | 732,951 | -1.9% |
| 100 | Haleakala NP | 791,292 | 732,477 | -7.4% |
Source: LendingTree analysis of NPS visitor use statistics data. Notes: NRA is a national recreation area, PKWY is a parkway, NP is a national park, NS is a national seashore, MEM PKWY is a memorial parkway, MEM is a memorial, NHP is a national historical park, NM is a national monument, NPRES is a national preserve, NMEM is a national memorial, NP and PRES is a national park and preserve, NR is a national reserve, NL is a national lakeshore, NBP is a national battlefield park, NSR is a national scenic riverway, NHS is a national historic site, NMP is a national military park, EHP is an ecological and historical preserve and NRRA is a national river and recreation area. This includes the top 100 regardless of site type.
NPS site visitors spend $26.4 billion, up big from 10 years ago
As visits to NPS sites grow, so does spending in their local communities. In 2023 — the most recent year for which spending data is available — visitors spent $26.4 billion in and around NPS sites. That’s up from $23.9 billion in 2022 and $15.7 billion in 2014.
Lodging, including hotels and motels, made up the biggest slice of visitor spending (37.5%) in 2023, according to the NPS. Dining at restaurants comprised 19.5%, while gasoline purchases made up 10.6%.
Visitor spending at and around NPS sites
| Year | Amount spent |
|---|---|
| 2014 | $15.7 billion |
| 2015 | $16.9 billion |
| 2016 | $18.4 billion |
| 2017 | $18.2 billion |
| 2018 | $20.2 billion |
| 2019 | $21.0 billion |
| 2020 | $14.5 billion |
| 2021 | $20.5 billion |
| 2022 | $23.9 billion |
| 2023 | $26.4 billion |
Source: 2023 NPS Visitor Spending Effects report. Notes: 2023 is the latest available year for spending data. This includes spending at the site, as well as hotels, dining, gas and more at locations in and around the sites.
California, 7 other states see NPS visitors spend at least $1B
Eight states saw visitors to NPS sites spend at least $1.0 billion in 2023, with California leading at $3.2 billion. The other seven states — North Carolina, Utah, Alaska, Virginia, Tennessee, Arizona and Wyoming — were spread throughout the nation. Meanwhile, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont saw the least spending.
Visitor spending at or around NPS sites by state
| Rank | State | Spending (in millions) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $3,162.9 |
| 2 | North Carolina | $2,587.4 |
| 3 | Utah | $1,899.6 |
| 4 | Alaska | $1,504.9 |
| 5 | Virginia | $1,494.3 |
| 6 | Tennessee | $1,400.6 |
| 7 | Arizona | $1,225.0 |
| 8 | Wyoming | $1,098.6 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $998.0 |
| 10 | Florida | $870.9 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $862.9 |
| 12 | Colorado | $795.9 |
| 13 | New York | $724.9 |
| 14 | Montana | $716.3 |
| 15 | South Dakota | $599.9 |
| 16 | Mississippi | $590.1 |
| 17 | Hawaii | $586.5 |
| 18 | Washington | $565.1 |
| 19 | Maine | $478.8 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $426.3 |
| 21 | Georgia | $403.9 |
| 22 | Texas | $322.7 |
| 23 | Arkansas | $288.8 |
| 24 | Michigan | $273.4 |
| 25 | Missouri | $262.9 |
| 26 | Nevada | $238.8 |
| 27 | Maryland | $225.7 |
| 28 | New Jersey | $192.8 |
| 29 | Ohio | $163.7 |
| 30 | Indiana | $156.6 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $141.8 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $120.5 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $114.9 |
| 34 | Alabama | $88.9 |
| 35 | Oregon | $86.8 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $80.9 |
| 37 | Minnesota | $67.5 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $64.6 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $56.0 |
| 40 | Idaho | $44.2 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $41.4 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $22.5 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $20.1 |
| 44 | Illinois | $13.0 |
| 45 | Iowa | $11.9 |
| 46 | Delaware | $8.5 |
| 47 | Kansas | $6.0 |
| 48 | Vermont | $4.8 |
| 49 | Rhode Island | $2.5 |
| 50 | Connecticut | $2.4 |
| 51 | New Hampshire | $1.7 |
Source: 2023 NPS Visitor Spending Effects report. Notes: 2023 is the latest available year for spending data. This includes spending at the site, as well as hotels, dining, gas and more at locations in and around the sites.
Only three sites brought in more than $1.0 billion in visitor spending, with Great Smoky Mountains NP leading the way at $2.2 billion. The Golden Gate NRA ($1.5 billion) and Blue Ridge PKWY ($1.4 billion) were the other two to top $1.0 billion, while 10 others brought in at least $500 million in visitor spending.
Top 100 in 2023: Visitor spending at and around NPS sites
| Rank | Site | Spending (in millions) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great Smoky Mountains NP | $2,198.5 |
| 2 | Golden Gate NRA | $1,505.1 |
| 3 | Blue Ridge PKWY | $1,390.8 |
| 4 | Grand Canyon NP | $768.4 |
| 5 | Grand Teton NP | $738.0 |
| 6 | Zion NP | $676.0 |
| 7 | Cape Hatteras NS | $644.0 |
| 8 | Yellowstone NP | $623.3 |
| 9 | Rocky Mountain NP | $568.5 |
| 10 | Denali NP and PRES | $559.4 |
| 11 | Glen Canyon NR | $539.9 |
| 12 | Cape Cod NS | $533.7 |
| 13 | Yosemite NP | $526.6 |
| 14 | Natchez Trace PKWY | $498.5 |
| 15 | Acadia NP | $475.2 |
| 16 | Gulf Islands NS | $418.0 |
| 17 | Mount Rushmore NMEM | $389.4 |
| 18 | Glacier NP | $372.1 |
| 19 | Pearl Harbor NMEM | $327.2 |
| 20 | Colonial NHP | $299.7 |
| 21 | Lake Mead NRA | $292.5 |
| 22 | Glacier Bay NP and PRES | $291.7 |
| 23 | Arches NP | $282.8 |
| 24 | Olympic NP | $279.2 |
| 25 | Gateway NRA | $262.5 |
| 26 | Statue of Liberty NM | $250.5 |
| 27 | George Washington MEM PKWY | $241.2 |
| 28 | Bryce Canyon NP | $231.9 |
| 29 | Klondike Gold Rush AK NHP | $208.9 |
| 30 | Independence NHP | $203.8 |
| 31 | Sleeping Bear Dunes NL | $196.7 |
| 32 | Joshua Tree NP | $185.8 |
| 33 | Hot Springs NP | $184.2 |
| 34 | Lincoln MEM | $175.1 |
| 35 | Gateway Arch NP | $170.2 |
| 36 | Boston NHP | $168.6 |
| 37 | Big Cypress NPRES | $167.9 |
| 38 | Delaware Water Gap NRA | $166.3 |
| 39 | Chattahoochee River NRA | $161.2 |
| 40 | Hawaii Volcanoes NP | $154.6 |
| 41 | San Juan NHS | $150.8 |
| 42 | Indiana Dunes NL | $139.8 |
| 43 | Cuyahoga Valley NP | $138.7 |
| 44 | Badlands NP | $134.6 |
| 45 | Wrangell-St. Elias NP and PRES | $131.0 |
| 46 | Everglades NP | $120.6 |
| 47 | Assateague Island NS | $118.6 |
| 48 | Korean War Veterans MEM | $117.4 |
| 49 | Point Reyes NS | $115.2 |
| 50 | Shenandoah NP | $114.4 |
| 51 | Castle Clinton NM | $113.9 |
| 52 | World War II Memorial | $110.7 |
| 53 | Capitol Reef NP | $110.6 |
| 54 | Vietnam Veterans MEM | $108.9 |
| 55 | Canyonlands NP | $106.1 |
| 56 | National Capital Parks Central | $103.3 |
| 57 | Death Valley NP | $103.3 |
| 58 | Thomas Jefferson MEM | $102.2 |
| 59 | Muir Woods NM | $101.0 |
| 60 | Kennesaw Mountain NBP | $100.4 |
| 61 | Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHP | $96.0 |
| 62 | San Antonio Missions NHP | $95.0 |
| 63 | New River Gorge NR | $86.2 |
| 64 | Sequoia NP | $84.4 |
| 65 | Canaveral NS | $84.2 |
| 66 | Mojave NPRES | $78.9 |
| 67 | Buffalo NR | $78.2 |
| 68 | Kenai Fjords NP | $77.1 |
| 69 | Saguaro NP | $74.5 |
| 70 | Martin Luther King Jr. MEM | $72.2 |
| 71 | Mount Rainier NP | $70.7 |
| 72 | Chickamauga and Chattanooga NMP | $68.4 |
| 73 | Minute Man NHP | $67.1 |
| 74 | Ozark NSR | $66.8 |
| 75 | Fort Vancouver NHS | $64.8 |
| 76 | Timucuan EHP | $64.3 |
| 77 | Mammoth Cave NP | $62.0 |
| 78 | Kings Canyon NP | $61.2 |
| 79 | Fort Point NHS | $60.5 |
| 80 | Mesa Verde NP | $59.5 |
| 81 | Lake Roosevelt NRA | $59.2 |
| 82 | Haleakala NP | $57.5 |
| 83 | Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania NMP | $56.6 |
| 84 | Katmai NP and PRES | $56.5 |
| 85 | Stonewall NM | $55.8 |
| 86 | Crater Lake NP | $55.2 |
| 87 | Virgin Islands NP | $55.2 |
| 88 | Gettysburg NMP | $54.8 |
| 89 | Cabrillo NM | $54.3 |
| 90 | Theodore Roosevelt NP | $54.2 |
| 91 | Wind Cave NP | $52.0 |
| 92 | San Francisco Maritime NHP | $51.3 |
| 93 | Big Bend NP | $48.5 |
| 94 | Curecanti NRA | $48.1 |
| 95 | Fort Matanzas NM | $47.7 |
| 96 | Little River Canyon NPRES | $46.9 |
| 97 | Whiskeytown NRA | $46.4 |
| 98 | Pictured Rocks NL | $45.8 |
| 99 | Ross Lake NRA | $45.5 |
| 100 | Cedar Breaks NM | $45.2 |
Source: 2023 NPS Visitor Spending Effects report. Notes: NP is a national park, NRA is a national recreation area, PKWY is a parkway, NS is a national seashore, NP and PRES is a national park and preserve, NR is a national reserve, NMEM is a national memorial, NHP is a national historical park, NM is a national monument, MEM PKWY is a memorial parkway, NL is a national lakeshore, MEM is a memorial, NPRES is a national preserve, NHS is a national historic site, NBP is a national battlefield park, NHP is a national historical park, NMP is a national military park and NSR is a national scenic riverway. This includes the top 100 regardless of site type. 2023 is the latest available year for spending data. This includes spending at the site, as well as hotels, dining, gas and more at locations in and around the sites. Rankings are based on unrounded figures.
Right credit card can help you manage NPS site visit spending
Whether you’re going across town, across the country or somewhere in between to visit one of our country’s incredible NPS sites, it doesn’t need to cost you a small fortune. The right credit card, used wisely, can save you money and extend your budget to make a great trip even better.
For example, a gas rewards card can save you big if you’re road-tripping to your favorite park. Plenty of cards give you extra points, miles or cash back for spending at gas stations. Unless you know your gas station of choice will be available almost anywhere along your route, you’re probably better off with a general-purpose rewards card that gives extra rewards when you buy gas.
Airline- and hotel-branded credit cards can deliver big savings, too. They can offer free (or dramatically discounted) hotel nights and airfares that can turn a too-expensive trip into one that fits into the budget. However, a general-purpose travel rewards card is better for many because of its flexibility. Those points and miles can be used anywhere rather than being tied to a specific airline or hotel chain, so it frees you up to redeem them in the way that works best for you.
Of course, a good old cash back card is hard to beat. Rather than worrying about the redemption value of those points and miles and where you can use them, you simply get 1% to 2% cash back on everything you buy. It may not sound like much, but that can add up.
Methodology
LendingTree researchers examined National Park Service (NPS) visitor use statistics data, which includes national parks, monuments, historic sites, recreation areas, seashores and more. Specifically, researchers analyzed the number of recreation visits at each NPS site in 2023 and 2024 and analyzed the percentage change in that period.
Researchers also analyzed data from the 2023 National Park Service Visitor Spending Effects report (the latest available on spending).
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