Discover the 10 Least-Visited National Parks in the U.S.

Landscape of the Milky Way Rising in Great Basin National Park — Adobe Stock

Some of America’s most beautiful national parks are also the least visited. Their remote locations and rugged landscapes can make them challenging to explore, but that’s part of their appeal.

The effort it takes to get there keeps them wild and untouched, offering visitors a truly special experience.

Wrangell–St. Elias National Park — Copper Center / McCarthy, Alaska

Aerial view of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in Alaska with winding river, dense forest, and mountains in the distance. — Photo by Corey Simoneau on Unsplash

Alaska’s Wrangell–St. Elias National Park spans an astonishing 13.2 million acres, yet remains one of the least visited. Larger than Yellowstone and Yosemite combined, it has huge glaciers, towering peaks, and even a smoking volcano.

Remote, wild, and dramatic, it’s America’s largest national park, and one of its quietest.

Great Basin National Park — Eastern Nevada

Pine trees and rugged mountain peaks under a bright blue sky in Great Basin National Park, Nevada. — Photo by Chris Kofoed on Unsplash

A hidden treasure for stargazers, Great Basin National Park has skies untouched by city light. Its sweeping elevation range creates deserts, caves, glaciers, and alpine meadows bursting with wildflowers.

Wildlife thrives here, alongside ancient bristlecone pines, the oldest trees on Earth, and remarkable caves that reveal the park’s deep natural history.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park — Pine Springs / West Texas

Wildflowers blooming in front of rugged desert peaks at Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas. — Photo by Raychel Sanner on Unsplash

Guadalupe Mountains National Park has rugged canyons, desert expanses, and soaring peaks, including Texas’s highest point, that will take your breath away!

More than 80 miles of trails invite exploration, from sweeping desert paths to the brilliant fall colors of McKittrick Canyon. Visitors discover striking landscapes that shift with the seasons, rewarding every climb with breathtaking views.

Gates of the Arctic National Park — Brooks Range, Northern Alaska

A stream flowing in the summer time in Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska), the least visited national park in the United States. — Adobe Stock

Looking for the ultimate wilderness escape? Gates of the Arctic National Park is untouched by roads or trails. Carved by glaciers and illuminated by northern lights, it drew fewer than 8,000 visitors in 2021.

Remote and raw, it challenges adventurers while offering guided options for those seeking a glimpse of true wildness.