Mesa Verde
America's Least Visited National Parks
In Descending Order Of Visitation
Petrified Forest, Arizona
Annual visitors: 627,757
It’d be hard to find a more extreme change in climate than to go from Denali to here, a small park in Northeast Arizona which offers a variety of activities for visitors. In the northern part of the park, the Painted Desert Inn, a 1930s adobe building, is open for exploration, offering stunning murals painted by the native Hopi people. In the center of the park, petroglyphs, dating back millenia, cover Newspaper Rock.
But it’s the southern portion of the park that most visitors come to see, for it's the location of the extensive petrified wood, fossils of the forests that once stood in the desert. Petrified wood is not just of geologic interest; it’s also quite beautiful, the wood’s organic material replaced by minerals of varying colors.
Just don’t be tempted to tuck a piece in your pocket – the visitor center includes a display about the supposed “curse” on those who do, complete with letters of abject apology from those who claim to have felt its effects...and who mailed the wood back.
Petrified Forest, Arizona
Annual visitors: 627,757
It’d be hard to find a more extreme change in climate than to go from Denali to here, a small park in Northeast Arizona which offers a variety of activities for visitors. In the northern part of the park, the Painted Desert Inn, a 1930s adobe building, is open for exploration, offering stunning murals painted by the native Hopi people. In the center of the park, petroglyphs, dating back millenia, cover Newspaper Rock.
But it’s the southern portion of the park that most visitors come to see, for it's the location of the extensive petrified wood, fossils of the forests that once stood in the desert. Petrified wood is not just of geologic interest; it’s also quite beautiful, the wood’s organic material replaced by minerals of varying colors.
Just don’t be tempted to tuck a piece in your pocket – the visitor center includes a display about the supposed “curse” on those who do, complete with letters of abject apology from those who claim to have felt its effects...and who mailed the wood back.
Wind Cave, South Dakota
Annual visitors: 619,924
South Dakota’s Mt. Rushmore is a more famous, and visited, NPS property, but Wind Cave, also located in the state, is worth a visit, too. It’s one of the oldest National Parks, established in 1903 by President Teddy Roosevelt, and only about an hour’s drive from Mt. Rushmore.
As you may have guessed, Wind Cave is named after its principal attraction, an enormous, underground cave. It sits below the South Dakota prairie, and runs for at least 147 miles, making it one of the longest caves in the world. Wind Cave is particularly notable for the unusual calcite formations within it, called boxwork.
Why is it called Wind Cave? Because, like all caves, it seeks to balance the pressure inside the cave with the barometric pressure outside, creating a passage of wind that can feel like the cave is breathing.
Mesa Verde, Colorado
Annual visitors: 613,788
The Rocky Mountains might be what you associate with Colorado, but the state offers a more varied climate than just mountains. Mesa Verde, located in the southwest of the state, makes that clear, offering a more desert feel. Another park established by President Roosevelt, Mesa Verde is the largest archeological preserve in the U.S., with over 500 distinct sites and 600 cliff dwellings.
Those dwellings were once the homes of the native peoples, used for several centuries. Today, visitors can explore the homes, learn about the native culture, and marvel at both the safeties and dangers offered by living several hundred feet off the ground, in structures tucked into small openings on the cliff face.
Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
Annual visitors: 520,026
The third cave or cave system on our list of least-visited parks is the most southern, located in New Mexico beneath the Chihuahuan Desert. Carlsbad is not just one cave; more than 100 caves form the park, Carlsbad Cavern itself forming the natural entrance to the park as the tallest cave. Unlike many other caves around the country, visitors can hike into this cavern on their own, without a ranger’s guidance.
Calcite formations are again a draw for visitors. The Big Room, a large limestone chamber, is also a popular attraction. It’s nearly 4,000 feet long, 625 feet wide and 255 feet high, making it the fifth largest chamber in the U.S. Visitors who want to get out into the sunlight will enjoy hiking and picnicking in the Rattlesnake Springs Picnic Area, a natural oasis within the park.
Lassen Volcanic Park, California
Annual visitors: 507,256
Another oft-overlooked national park is Lassen Volcanic Peak, which gets lost in the splendor of the other national parks in California. Lassen Volcanic Peak is in the northern part of the state, and it’s best known for the astounding hydrothermal sites within its bounds.
Hiking is the most popular activity here. Many established trails will take you past (and through) those bubbling springs, including Bumpass Hell, an area with acres of bubbling mud pots. As the name implies, Lassen Peak is a volcano. On the side of the mountain, visitors can observe lava rocks left by its last eruption, in 1917, and the top offers a tremendous view.
Great Sand Dunes, Colorado
Annual visitors: 486,935
Southern Colorado is the location for one of the most unusual national parks on this list: the Great Sand Dunes, which, yes, are located hundreds of miles from any ocean. The dunes, up to 750 feet tall in some places, are the tallest in North America, and were formed by a lake that once covered much of the valley floor there.
Sand sledding – pretty much what it sounds like, and just as fun as you’d guess – is a major attraction at this national park. Interestingly, unlike parks that close for part of the year or at night, Great Sand Dunes is open every day, 24 hours a day, so star-gazing from the dunes is possible and encouraged. Rangers say the night sky is astounding.
Biscayne, Florida
Annual visitors: 446,961
In Florida, within sight of Miami, is Biscayne National Park, a celebration and preservation of the waterways in the area, specifically Biscayne Bay. The park offers a combination of unpolluted waters, islands and coral reefs, open to visitors’ exploration by boat, snorkeling and scuba diving. In fact, you’ll need a boat to explore here: There’s a visitor center on the mainland, but the rest of the park is only accessible by water approach.
Human history is a focal point for visitors to Biscayne as well. The park lays claim to 10,000 years of human history, from ancient peoples to pirates to pineapple farmers. Shipwrecks provide opportunities to combine interests in the waters and peoples of the area.
Interestingly, Biscayne was once scheduled to be part of the Everglades National Park, and, once pulled from that proposal, was the site of several power plants, causing major pollution. Now that the park has been restored to its former glory, it’s well worth a visit.
Redwood National Park, California
Annual visitors: 445,000
This California park is commonly referred to as “the Redwoods,” after the majestic trees that are the principal attraction here. Redwoods can also be seen at the more popular Sequoia National Park, but Redwood is stunning, too. It’s more remote, and northerly, composed of a string of protected beaches, forests and grasslands, not far from the Oregon border.
The tallest trees on earth are reason enough to visit Redwood, but there’s hiking, picnicking and camping as well. During your time there, you’ll get up close and personal with 45% of the world’s remaining Redwoods, located within the park’s boundaries. They’ve been in this part of the world for nearly 20 million years, and can grow up to 370 feet tall. They’re believed to be between 800 and 1,500 years old, making them easily the oldest living creatures on the planet.
Big Bend, Texas
Annual visitors: 440,276
Deep in the heart of Southwest Texas lies the well-known, but rarely visited, Big Bend National Park. The remote location, miles from any city, is likely the reason, but Big Bend is worth the effort it takes to visit it. The entire Chisos Mountain Range, a portion of the Chihuahuan Desert, and the Rio Grande form spectacular scenery here.
The Rio Grande also runs along part of the boundary between Mexico and the U.S., so the park has an unusual constraint, actually including only half the river; the Southern part belongs to Mexico. Extremes in temperatures – with hot days in the summer and cold nights in the winter – form another challenge for park rangers and employees.
Still, visitors enjoy hiking and backpacking here, and the park is a certified dark-sky park, offering an unparalleled view of the night sky.
Channel Islands, California
Annual visitors: 383,687
Channel Islands is another confusingly named national park. As you’ve probably guessed, these are not the British dependencies, but rather an archipelago of five islands and their ocean environment off the California coast. Isolated for thousands of years, the islands now offer a diverse ecosystem with many species of both plants and animals not found elsewhere, including the island fox and island deer mouse.
The Channel Islands were once a military training ground for U.S. forces, as well as a weapons testing site. These days, the National Park Service promotes the islands as a place to see the California coast as it once was. The only ways to get to the islands are by boat or licensed private plane, but opportunities to hike, camp and boat are numerous once you make it here.
Black Canyon Of The Gunnison, Colorado
Annual visitors: 307,143
This national park is in strong contention for most awesome name, and has much to recommend it beyond that as well.
The Gunnison River formed the deep canyon, having worn away the distinctive black rock to do so. Now the western Colorado park is best known for those unique, steep-walled cliffs, visible on a drive through the relatively small – just 231 acres – park. At one time the depth and narrowness of the canyon prompted fear in travelers’ hearts; these days, it still unnerves.
Wildlife is another major draw for visitors to the Black Canyon: elk, mule deer and golden eagles are just a few of the animals that might be glimpsed here. The park is quiet enough that even those who only have time to drive through might spot an animal or bird.
Virgin Islands National Park
Annual visitors: 304,408
Readers may be surprised to learn that the U.S. Virgin Islands boast a national park – but despite its relative obscurity, it is well worth a trip. Principally located on the largest of the islands, St. John, this park offers the stunning beaches the Caribbean is known for, as well as the opportunity to visit sugar cane plantation ruins and learn about that abandoned trade.
Two-thirds of St. John Island is the park, so there’s a wealth of jumping-off points for snorkeling and diving, and plenty of coral reefs to view while doing so. Cruz Bay is the main gateway to the park, and ferries from St. Thomas operate frequently.
Voyageurs, Minnesota
Annual visitors: 237,250
Located in Minnesota, very close to the Canadian border, Voyageurs is a stunning park filled with waterways and woods that just doesn’t get as many visitors as it should. Forty percent of this park is water, so bringing or renting watercraft is a must. Boat tours are also offered.
Voyageurs is a particularly welcoming park to campers, with dozens of pristine spots to set up a tent and enjoy the peaceful sound of lapping waters as the sun sets. You’ll be one of the few, so expect some solitude.
Pinnacles Natonal Park, California
Annual visitors: 233,334
California has so many well-known national parks, from Yosemite to Redwood, that its smaller parks like this one tend to be overlooked. But Pinnacles should be on your must-visit list. Its unique landscape of towering rock formations (that form, yes, pinnacles) is the result of volcanic activity in the area some 23 million years ago.
Pinnacles offers hiking and climbing, with spectacular views; come during spring to see blankets of colorful wildflowers, and stay after sunset to take in the star-studded sky.
Guadalupe Moutains, Texas
Annual visitors: 225,257
This 135-square-mile park offers a bounty of riches, from fossils to evidence of ancient peoples. The four tallest mountains in Texas are located within the park, and when the weather permits, hiking and climbing offer rewarding views. The park is particularly diverse in its ecology as well, making it a must-see for those interested in flora and fauna.
Great Basin, Nevada
Annual visitors: 168,028
It’s a mystery as to why this park in eastern Nevada is so little-visited. There may not be well-known sites here, but the park offers unforgettable vistas and the opportunity to explore the region around Great Basin Desert. Wheeler Peak is a 13,000-foot mountain in the park that can be hiked or driven, making for stunning photographs. And the park even offers underground exploration, in the form of the distinctive Lehman Caves.
Congaree, South Carolina
Annual visitors: 159,595
Central South Carolina is the location of this national park, which offers the opportunity to explore the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest in the southeastern U.S. The park includes the area where Congaree and Wateree Rivers join, making it particularly biodiverse. Canoeing, hiking and fishing are all popular pastimes here, and may be enjoyed in peace thanks to the sparse number of fellow travelers.
National Park Of American Samoa
Annual visitors: 69,468
This park is an American territory located far afield of the continental states: on the islands of Tutuila, Ofu and Ta'u in Samoa, a chain of islands in the South Pacific Ocean southwest of Hawai’i. In fact, this is the only national-park-service holding south of the equator!
These gorgeous islands are volcanic and covered in rainforest, and a significant portion of the national park is underwater. Snorkeling is, not surprisingly, superlative, thanks to some 950 species of fish and over 250 species of corals.
Dry Tortugas, Florida
Annual visitors: 54,281
Located 70 miles west of Key West, Florida, is the incredible Dry Tortugas National Park. Getting there is not easy, but the trip by boat or seaplane is part of the fun. The mostly-water park consists of seven small islands and the preserved Fort Jefferson, one of the United States’ largest 19th century forts. Learn about its fascinating history, and camp overnight.
North Cascades, Washington
Annual visitors: 30,326
Northern Washington state is where you’ll find the North Cascades, boasting an alpine landscape that offers breathtaking views for hikers and campers. (You may even spot the elusive Grizzly Bear.) Located just three hours from Seattle, the park is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, making it the perfect time to visit.
Isle Royale, Lake Superior, Michigan
Annual visitors: 28,196
As its name indicates, this national park is an island, completely surrounded by Lake Superior in Michigan. Solitude is this national park’s selling point, since it offers a nearly complete break from civilization, as it’s only accessible by private boat, ferry or seaplane. There’s lots to do here for campers, backpackers, scuba divers and boaters of all kinds.
Lake Clark, Alaska
Annual visitors: 22,755
Also located in remote Alaska, Lake Clark combines striking natural features – steaming volcanoes, staggering mountains, tranquil lakes – with spectacular wildlife, including brown bears, moose and wolves. There are also ample opportunities to learn about the Dena'ina people who have called this extraordinary region home for thousands of years.
Kobuk Valley, Alasda (Half Million Strong Herds Of Caribou)
Annual visitors: 15,500
Situated in the Arctic region of Alaska’s northwest, this park's major attractions include sand dunes (yes, really!) and half a million strong herds of caribou. The opportunity to see these animals roam across the dunes is truly astounding. Centered on the Kobuk River, this park would be filled with tourists if it wasn’t so remote.
Gates Of The Arctic, Alaska
Annual visitors: 11,177
No shock here: Another national park in Alaska’s Arctic region is the least-visited in America. In addition to its isolated location, Gates of the Arctic doesn't include any roads or trails, instead preserving portions of the Brooks Range of mountains. If you do make the trip, majestic scenery awaits you: six rivers, herds of caribou and, at certain times of the year, the aurora borealis’ otherworldly glow.
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