Many adventurers dream of visiting all 63 U.S. national parks. From mountain peaks to sweeping prairies, vast deserts to coastal havens, the National Parks System encompasses some of the most incredible natural sights in the world.
However, some parks are far easier to access than others. Take the three most-visited parks: Great Smoky Mountains, Zion, and Yellowstone National Park. What do these parks have in common? They’re all in the Lower 48, and they’re all relatively easy to access.
But, if you’re willing to travel a little further and go off the beaten path, the incredible natural beauty and smaller crowds of the nine least-visited national parks make for an incredible getaway.
Here are the 9 Least-Visited National Parks
1. Kobuk Valley National Park (7,786 annual visitors)
Why it’s worth visiting: Kobuk Valley National Park, found in northwestern Alaska, is accessible only by air taxi, snowmobile or dogsled. Among the select few who’ve had the privilege of visiting, it’s famous for its ancient sand dunes. They’re the largest active dunes in the Arctic and are the result of retreating glaciers grinding rock into fine particles. The park is also mountainous, and both the forests and the tundra are home to an abundance of wildlife. Twice a year, more than 200,000 caribou migrate through the park, making it Alaska’s equivalent of Kenya’s great wildebeest migration.
Nearest KOA:
Fairbanks / Chena River KOA Journey
2. Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve (14,923 annual visitors)
Why it’s worth visiting: This 8.4-million-acre national park and preserve is deep in central Alaska. The nearest town is Coldfoot, about a six-hour drive north of Fairbanks. With very few park services, you need to be pretty self-sufficient and have backcountry skills to survive in Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve. But if you’re after a truly wild experience, this is your place. Popular activities include rafting (the park is home to six designated wild rivers!) aerial tours, fishing and even hunting and trapping in the preserve.
Nearest KOA:
Fairbanks / Chena River KOA Journey
3. Lake Clark National Park & Preserve (19,778 annual visitors)
On its website, Lake Clark National Park & Preserve is described as a land of stunning beauty where “volcanoes steam, salmon run, bears forage and craggy mountains reflect in shimmering turquoise lakes.” Although the park is just 120 miles from Anchorage, it’s not accessible by car. You need to arrive via air taxi or boat. Once you’re in the park, take advantage of world-class bear viewing, especially during the salmon run. As with Gates of the Arctic, hunting and trapping are permitted in the preserve.
Nearest KOA:
Palmer / Anchorage North KOA Journey
4. Isle Royale National Park (29,091 annual visitors)
Why it’s worth visiting: Located on northern Lake Superior, this 893-square-mile national park is actually closer to Canada than mainland Michigan. Accessible by ferry, sea plane or boat, it’s comprised of one main island and more than 450 smaller islands. The islands are home to just 19 mammal species, including wolves and moose. In fact, now in its 68th year, an ecological study of the park’s wolves and moose is the longest-running large mammal predator-prey study in the world. While hiking, kayaking and guided boat tours are popular ways to explore the archipelago, it’s also a fantastic place to scuba dive. Lake Superior is home to hundreds of shipwrecks and can be explored by experienced divers.
Nearest KOAs:
Thunder Bay KOA Holiday (Ontario)
Pictured Rocks / Munising KOA Journey
5. Katmai National Park & Preserve (34,479 annual visitors)
Like Lake Clark, you’re going to need a plane or boat to visit this park and preserve located on a rugged peninsula opposite Kodiak Island. The park’s most popular attraction, Brooks Camp, is where visitors come to see a seemingly endless stream of brown bears fish at the mouth of the Brooks River (a bear safety talk is mandatory). Katmai’s live bear cams are even viewed worldwide. The park is also a great place for sport fishing. Anglers here catch trophy-sized everything from Pacific salmon to Arctic char.
Nearest KOAs:
Homer / Baycrest KOA Holiday
Seward KOA Holiday
6. National Park of American Samoa (43,258 annual visitors)
Why it’s worth visiting: Located in a remote corner of the South Pacific, National Park of American Samoa seems worlds away. It’s difficult to get to – Hawaiian Airlines being the only major airline servicing the island – but once you’re snorkeling in the tropical turquoise waters or relaxing in the shade of a palm tree, you’ll have no regrets. If you’re a birder, you’ll appreciate colorful birds like the Collared Kingfisher who call the park’s three islands home. While the relatively new park (it was designated in 1988) lacks park infrastructure, there are remote villages to visit, and you can even stay with a local Samoan family as part of the NPS’ Homestay program.
Nearest KOA: Not unsurprisingly, the nearest KOA is in Southern California, about 5,000 miles away!
7. North Cascades National Park (46,925 annual visitors)
Why it’s worth visiting: Given its relative proximity to Seattle and Vancouver, it’s surprising more people don’t visit North Cascades National Park! The 500,000-acre park is home to 300 glaciers, making it the country’s second most glaciated state, behind Alaska. Biking and boating are popular activities, and with more than 400 miles of trails, it’s a paradise for hikers. That said, the hiking season is quite short given how much snow the park receives. In fact, it gets so much snow the park’s only road stretching from east to west closes for the winter months.
Nearest KOAs:
Concrete / Grandy Creek KOA Holiday
Burlington / Anacortes KOA Holiday
Winthrop / N. Cascades KOA Holiday
8. Dry Tortugas National Park (89,355 annual visitors)
Why it’s worth visiting: Dry Tortugas is the perfect combination of fascinating history and pristine nature. Made up of 7 islands, the park’s coral reefs are the least disturbed of the Florida Key’s reefs, making it an ecological haven. Garden Key Island is the site of Fort Jefferson, an enormous 19th-century coastal fortress. Lying about 70 miles west of Key West, Dry Tortugas is only accessible by boat or seaplane. Its low visitation rate has helped preserve the historical artifacts and delicate ecosystem Tortugas is known for.
Nearest KOA:
Sugarloaf Key / Key West KOA Resort
9. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve (108,840 annual visitors)
The largest park in the National Park System, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is the size of Switzerland, Yellowstone, and Yosemite combined! Its topography is incredibly diverse – ranging from sea level to 18,008 feet – and it’s one of very few places where you can see volcanoes and glaciers on the same trip. Unlike the other Alaska parks on this list, it’s also relatively easy to reach. The visitor center, accessible by road, is 200 miles north of Anchorage and about 250 miles south of Fairbanks. While summer is peak tourist season, winter can be a great time to visit if you’re into snowmobiling and winter sports. And with 13 million acres to explore, the park never feels crowded.
Nearest KOA:
Valdez KOA Journey
Katie Jackson is a writer and media specialist based in Montana’s Big Sky Country. Living and working everywhere from New York to Nicaragua, Katie is no stranger to adventure. When she’s not traveling the world (or writing about it!) she’s busy chasing after a Leonberger named Zeus. Follow Katie’s travels on Instagram @katietalkstravel.
