America’s 10 Loneliest National Parks Story by Dave G. Houser Photos courtesy of U.S. National Park Service
One poll after another indicates that a substantial number of Americans are not happy with the way things are going. Divisive politics, climate change, immigration, and economic concerns are chief instigators of this wave of negativity. While there’s a limit to what we as individuals can do to overcome such large-scale matters of contention— we can, and should, seek some relief—perhaps with a relaxing, reinvigorating getaway. We suggest that a visit to one or more of America’s national parks may be just the answer. Presently, there are 63 national parks, alongside 429 other units—national monuments, recreation areas, battlefields, nature preserves, seashores, lakeshores, wild/scenic rivers, and historic sites—overseen by the National Park Service. These national parks are very popular. As outdoor writer Emily Pennington notes in the Wall Street Journal’s O Duty Travel magazine, “With their mile- deep sandstone canyons, glacier-polished granite domes, and herds of charismatic megafauna, it’s no wonder that America’s national parks received nearly 312 million visits in 2022.”
Gates of the Artic National Park & Preserve.
Problem is, more than a quarter of those visitors squeezed into just nine parks. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, for example, receives more than 14 million visitors a year, followed by Grand Canyon, and Zion, each with visitation topping five million annually. Yellowstone is not far behind. Crowding is the inevitable result, creating frustration, headaches, and traffic jams, and negating the very thing most parkgoers seek: A bit of solitude. A soulful escape. Don’t let this discourage you, because there are other no less spectacular parks that see a fraction of those numbers. So, let’s head off the beaten path for a look at some of America’s least visited national parks.
North Cascades National Park.
LONELIEST NATIONAL PARKS
COAST TO COAST MAGAZINE FALL 2024 | 21
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker