Did you know over 300 million people tour America's National Parks every single year? Why? National Parks feature diverse landscapes, interesting wildlife, amazing photo opps and plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors including unique recreational opportunities.

Out of the 419 areas managed by the National Park Service, there are 61 with the designation "national park." The newest protected place added to the list in February 2019, was the Indiana Dunes National Park.

The most visited national park in the United States is currently the Great Smoky Mountains (11,421,200,) followed by the Grand Canyon (6,380,495,) Rocky Mountain National park (4,590,493,) Yellowstone (4,115,000) & Yosemite (4,009,436.) These numbers are according to the National park service annual visitation report issued in 2018.

The image below posted by National Geographic, shows visitors to the top 10 National parks.

Great Smoky Mountains
Great Smoky Mountain National Park is located in the Appalachian mountains in western North Carolina and parts of Tennessee. The park gets it name from the bluish haze that lingers around the peaks and valleys which is a result of water vapor emitted by all the greenery. It is the most visited national park in the U.S. You really can't beat the scenery here. While pretty much anytime is a good time to visit the Great Smoky Mountains, visitors flock here from the middle of May through the middle of June to see the firefly viewing event. This park has numerous things to do including hiking, horseback riding and fishing.

Grand Canyon National Park
The Grand Canyon covers 4,047 square miles and was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. There's just so much to do at the Grand Canyon that it's no wonder that this is one of the most popular national parks. Visitors can camp and spend several days here. They can go do things like go on a mule trip or horseback riding. There's also the opportunity to visit the Sky-Walk viewing platform or go zip-lining.

Rocky Mountain National Park

At 415 square miles in size, Rocky Mountain National Park is filled with adventure. There are over 300 miles of hiking trails and a variety of ranger led programs that include not only hikes, but wildlife viewing as well. Visitors can see spectacular mountain views from here and also have the opportunity to visit the park at night to go on an astronomy outing.

Yellowstone National Park

This is probably the most unique national park. It features 2.2 million acres, with most of them being in Wyoming. It actually sits on top of a large super volcano that's active. Things to see at this park include mountains, rivers and lakes. Many people also come here to see the geysers, hot springs or mud pots. Yellowstone is also a great place to get a glimpse of the numerous wildlife such as wolf, antelope, elk and bison. After visiting here, many individuals make it a point to also visit Grand Teton National park, as it's only about 10 miles away.

Yosemite National Park

This was the first national park in California. It's 1,200 miles in size and features everything from waterfalls to giant valleys. Many people visit here to see the massive sequoias, as they are quite the sight. There are approximately 500 giant sequoias, that may be up to 3,000 years old. For those that want to stay a few days there is the Yosemite lodge and even a campground to stay at.