15 popular U.S. national parks to visit in 2025

Whether you are passing through or planning to hike in some of the U.S. national parks, you are in for an adventure. The U.S. is blessed with breathtaking views and sceneries for you to explore. We have compiled a list of 15 U.S. national parks for you to visit this year.

1) Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is located in Tennessee, North Carolina. It is considered to be one of the most visited parks in the U.S. with over 13 million people flocking in each year.

You can expect to see gorgeous peaks and scenic sunrises and sunsets. You could also appreciate the view from the Clingmans Dome observation tower. Additionally, you can eat all the berries you want while walking around the park.

2) Grand Canyon National Park

We cannot exclude the Grand Canyon National Park from this list. The Grand Canyons are located in Arizona and are considered to be one of the seven wonders of the world.

It is considered to be the second-most visited park in the U.S. You can zipline, raft the rapids of the Colorado River, or just enjoy the view from the Skywalk observation deck.

3) Zion National Park

On the third spot for the most-visited national park in the U.S. is the Zion National Park. It is located in Utah and many people visit the park to hike, climb, and rappel. It is recommended to visit the park during the winter season or figure out a time when the crowds are less so you can enjoy the full experience.

4) Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park holds fourth place in terms of most-visited parks in the U.S. This park has the largest high-elevation lake in North America and if you are lucky, you might see bison, grizzly bears, and wolves. The park is known for its natural beauty in the form of waterfalls, hot springs, and geysers. Plan a trip to the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho now.

5) Rocky Mountain National Park

Songs have been sung about the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. There are so many things to see at the Rocky Mountain National Park. This is where you come if you want to go on the best hike of your life while you witness the flourishing wildlife. You could also visit the "Highway to the Sky", which is the highest continuous paved road in the U.S.

6) Yosemite National Park

The Yosemite National Park is located in California and is considered the sixth-most visited park in the U.S. If you want to visit, you might want to check how busy it is beforehand since their reservation system is not the best. However, there are lots of things to do such as walking the Sierra Art Trails, climbing, hiking, stargazing, and more.

7) Acadia National Park

Heading to the southeast coast of the country, you can find the Acadia National Park in Maine. Some of the views you can expect to see from the park include Somes Sound, Frenchman Bay, Jordan Pond, and Cadillac Mountain. You can go hiking, camping, and even visit some remote beaches.

8) Grand Teton National Park

The Grand Teton National Park shares a border with the Yellowstone National Park. While it may not have the hydrothermal features like the Yellowstone, you can still enjoy the mountains, waterfalls, glaciers, lakes, and other scenic properties of Grand Teton National Park. Some spots you should visit include Jenny Lake, Hidden Falls, and Snake River.

9) Joshua Tree National Park

There is more to Joshua Tree National Park than just a popular Coachella location. There are spots for rock climbing and trails to hike. With up tp 501 archaeological sites to visit, you will find ghost-towns renovated as music venues, UFO-shaped homes, and more.

10) Olympic National Park

The Olympic National Park is located in Washington state, which is also known as "The Evergreen State." Besides some of the best hiking trails in the country, you can also visit spots such as the Hoh Rainforest, the 2.6-mile-long Blue Glacier, Kalaloch’s Beach or the Hole in the Wall, Lake Crescent, and Hurricane Ridge.

11) Glacier National Park

Going by the name of the park, we are sure you know what to expect. The Glacier National Park is located in Montana. However, with the rapid climate change many of the glaciers are melting.

If you visit the park, you can still witness 25 glaciers all the way from the U.S. borders to Canada. If you are driving through it, make sure you visit the Going-to-the-Sun Road.

12) Denali National Park and Preserve

The Denali National Park and Preserve is located in Alaska and it has one of North America's highest mountain, the Denali Mountain. If you enjoy hiking unmarked trails, this is the place you should visit. You can also go on ranger-led hikes that happen seasonally. Other activities include snowmobiling, watching sled dog demonstrations, or experience a bus tour.

13) Indiana Dunes National Park

Before 2019, Indiana Dunes National Park was not considered a national park. Indiana Dunes National Park has a wide range of biodiversity compared to other national parks in the U.S. Visiting the Indiana Dunes National Park would be a botanist's dream. You will see dune, prairies, swamps, marshy wetlands, and Lake Michigan shorefront. A few activities you can do here include kayaking, hiking, camping, swimming, and fishing.

14) Hot Springs National Park

If you want to visit one of the oldest national parks in the U.S., Hot Springs National Park is where you should go. Some of the fascinating things about Hot Springs National Park is you can take an old timey bath while sipping on beer brewed with thermal water. It also has a few hiking trails you might enjoy while eating a few bacon cinnamon rolls.

15) Bryce Canyon National Park

Another national park that can be found in Utah is the Bryce Canyon National Park. The Bryce Canyon National Park is not only geographically beautiful but is also blessed with bright shaded rocks.

If you are interested, you should visit the park when they host their annual four-day astronomy festival. If you are a sunrise/sunset lover, you should also add visiting the Sunset Point and Sunrise Point to your itinerary.