If you are searching for least visited national parks usa, you want real wilderness without traffic and crowds. While Great Smoky Mountains gets 12 million visitors, the least visited national park in USA gets less than 8,000 visitors a year.
The National Park Service released official 2025 visitation data in March 2026. Here are the 10 least visited national parks in USA ranked from least visited to more visited.
1. Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska – 7,786 visits
The least visited national park in USA. Located 25 miles north of the Arctic Circle with no roads and no trails. Famous for the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, the largest active sand dunes in the Arctic, and the caribou migration. You can only reach it by bush plane from Kotzebue. Total solitude.
2. Gates of the Arctic National Park, Alaska – 14,923 visits
The second least visited national park in USA. Entirely north of the Arctic Circle with zero roads and zero trails. 8.4 million acres of pure wilderness. You need to fly from Fairbanks to Bettles and then take a bush plane into the Brooks Range. For experienced backpackers only.
3. Lake Clark National Park, Alaska – 19,778 visits
A park with active volcanoes, turquoise lakes, glaciers, and world-class brown bear viewing. No roads reach Lake Clark. Everyone arrives by small plane from Anchorage. Silver Salmon Creek offers the most reliable bear viewing in Alaska.
4. Isle Royale National Park, Michigan – 29,091 visits
The least visited national park in the lower 48 states. A group of 450 islands in Lake Superior, reachable only by ferry or seaplane. Closes from November 1 to April 15. Famous for wolves and moose and has the highest repeat visitation rate in the entire park system.
5. Katmai National Park, Alaska – 34,479 visits
Home to Brooks Falls where brown bears catch salmon. You have seen it on Fat Bear Week. No roads into Katmai. You must fly to King Salmon then take a floatplane. A day trip costs over $1,000, which keeps it uncrowded, but it is the best bear viewing on Earth.
6. National Park of American Samoa – 43,258 visits
The only US national park south of the equator, spread across three volcanic islands in the South Pacific where rainforest drops straight into coral reef. You need to fly via Honolulu to Pago Pago. Totally unique culture and scenery.
7. North Cascades National Park, Washington – 46,925 visits
Known as the American Alps. Saw a 185% increase in 2025 after wildfires in 2024, but still remains one of the least visited. No roads enter the park interior. Over 300 glaciers and endless empty trails. A backpacker’s paradise.
8. Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida – 89,355 visits
99% of this park is underwater. Located 70 miles west of Key West, home to Fort Jefferson and crystal clear snorkeling water. Only reachable by ferry or seaplane. Ferry sells out months in advance, so low numbers are due to limited boats, not lack of interest.
9. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska – 108,840 visits
The largest national park in America at 13.2 million acres, bigger than Switzerland. Contains 9 of the 16 tallest peaks in the US. You can drive to McCarthy via a rough road to see Kennecott Mines, glaciers, and volcanoes.
10. Great Basin National Park, Nevada – 161,210 visits
The 10th least visited but the easiest to visit. You can drive to it on a paved road. Features Wheeler Peak at 13,063 feet, 5,000-year-old bristlecone pines, Lehman Caves, and some of the darkest night skies in the USA as an International Dark Sky Park.
Why You Should Visit the Least Visited National Parks
Least visited does not mean least beautiful. It just means hardest to reach. You get no timed-entry reservations, no parking fights, and real wilderness. For 2026, start with Great Basin or North Cascades for easy access, or Isle Royale for an island adventure in the lower 48.
FAQ
What is the least visited national park in USA?
Kobuk Valley National Park in Alaska is the least visited with just 7,786 visits in 2025.
What are the 5 least visited national parks in USA?
The 5 least visited are Kobuk Valley (7,786), Gates of the Arctic (14,923), Lake Clark (19,778), Isle Royale (29,091), and Katmai (34,479).
Which least visited national park is easiest to visit?
Great Basin National Park in Nevada is the easiest because it is the only one in the top 10 you can drive to on a paved road.
Why are Alaska parks the least visited?
Because there are no roads to them. You need expensive bush plane flights, which keeps numbers low despite being incredibly beautiful.
Also See: Can You Bring Dogs to Grand Canyon National Park? What Pet Owners Should Know