The USA is home to 62 stunning national parks, all varying in landscape from vast deserts and canyons to snow-capped mountains and dense forests, providing countless opportunities for Americans to explore the great outdoors without leaving the country.
But which U.S. national park is the most appealing?
Research by
Outforia has analyzed 58 of the USA’s most beautiful national parks, based on factors such as sights and landmarks, highest peaks, Instagram hashtags and wildlife spotting opportunities, to create a ranking of the most scenic national parks in the USA and the Grand Canyon, Arizona ranks first.
|
Rank
|
National Park
|
Area (acres)
|
Annual Visitors
|
Nature & Parks
Attractions
|
Sights & Landmarks
Attractions
|
Highest Peak (feet)
|
Number of Animal Species
|
Number of Plant Species
|
Instagram Hashtags
|
Overall Score
|
|
1
|
Grand Canyon
|
1,201,647
|
5,974,411
|
41
|
44
|
9,165
|
764
|
1,747
|
3,810,832
|
7.15
|
|
2
|
Yosemite
|
761,748
|
4,422,861
|
97
|
33
|
13,114
|
395
|
1,570
|
3,035,770
|
6.77
|
|
3
|
Great Smoky Mountains
|
522,427
|
12,547,743
|
85
|
14
|
6,643
|
1,778
|
2,671
|
705,729
|
6.53
|
|
4
|
Yellowstone
|
2,219,791
|
4,020,288
|
122
|
28
|
11,358
|
388
|
1,376
|
1,575,593
|
6.03
|
|
5
|
Sequoia & Kings Canyon
|
865,964
|
1,878,163
|
40
|
27
|
14,505
|
331
|
1,552
|
536,323
|
5.67
|
|
6
|
Rocky Mountain
|
265,807
|
4,670,053
|
77
|
13
|
14,259
|
358
|
1,005
|
2,659,978
|
5.64
|
|
7
|
Death Valley
|
3,408,396
|
1,740,945
|
36
|
27
|
11,049
|
486
|
1,164
|
966,406
|
5.49
|
|
8
|
Zion
|
147,243
|
4,488,268
|
36
|
9
|
8,726
|
378
|
1,058
|
1,717,594
|
4.91
|
|
9
|
Big Bend
|
801,163
|
463,832
|
36
|
14
|
7,825
|
600
|
1,326
|
188,777
|
4.84
|
|
10
|
Grand Teton
|
310,044
|
3,405,614
|
33
|
14
|
13,770
|
314
|
1,615
|
372,868
|
4.76
|
The iconic Grand Canyon is the most scenic park in the USA. It ranks number one for sights and landmarks, with the highest number (44) of landmark attractions including the canyon’s spectacular gorge, viewing points such as Lipan Point and scenic routes such as East Rim Drive and Cape Rotal Drive. It is also the most loved national park on Instagram, with 3.8 million posts mentioning the park.
Carl Borg, Editor at
Outforia commented on the findings:
“It is no surprise that the Grand Canyon National Park ranks number one scenic park in America. The spectacular gorge is a major world landmark in itself, attracting over 6 million visitors every year who are seeking to catch a glimpse of the breathtaking canyon carved by the Colorado River.
“Most people don’t realise that The Grand Canyon National Park stretches across 1.2 million acres, with the main tourist areas being the South and North Rim. The South Rim is the most accessible part of the park, offering a vast number of hiking trails and viewpoints for visitors to enjoy, as well as over 300 campsites for visitors wishing to spend a few days in the park – which is certainly recommended as there is so much to see and do!
“Visitors to the Grand Canyon National Park should be aware that the North Rim closes between October and May and there is an entrance fee to the park of between $20 to $35 dollars to help maintain upkeep. It’s always recommended that visitors bring appropriate hiking gear, suitable for every weather, as the park has its own microclimate resulting in unpredictable extreme weather conditions.”
You can view the full research by clicking
here.
