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CNN
08-03-2025
- CNN
The 15 least visited US national parks
Timed entry, long lines of cars at the gates and trails crowded with people angling for the best photos ops. Visitors aren't likely to find any such hurdles at the least visited of the United States' national parks. Visitation numbers hit a new record for 2024, with the National Park Service's more than 400 sites welcoming a whopping 331.9 million recreation visits. The 63 headliners — the sites with 'national park' in the name — accounted for 28% of all the visits. But some are way more packed than others. And with the recent slashing of about 1,000 park jobs, some parks may soon feel the strain of crowds acutely. While Zion National Park in Utah and the Grand Canyon in Arizona are managing summer crowds, these 15 spots — five of which are in Alaska — will see a small fraction of the millions of visitors crowding the most popular parks. Some are very remote and lack much of the infrastructure of the blockbuster spots, but there's no shortage of vast, spectacular wilderness to explore. Here are the 15 least visited US parks for 2024: 11,907 recreation visits With no roads, no trails, no cell service and no established campsites, this massive expanse is a true wilderness experience. The park and preserve has six designated Wild Rivers. 'Visitors may wander at will across 8.4 million acres of superlative natural beauty,' the park's website says. Visitors must be self-sufficient, flexible and 'able to execute self-extraction and communication, should an emergency situation arise.' Arrive prepared. 16,485 recreation visits Peaks crowned by more than 300 glaciers tower over this alpine landscape that sees a fraction of the visitors of Washington's other national parks — Mount Rainier and Olympic. While the park itself is sparsely visited, two bordering National Recreation Areas — Ross Lake and Lake Chelan — mean visitation to the combined three-unit North Cascades complex is much higher. Over 1,600 species of plants — more than any other US national park — have been identified on this land that spans temperate rainforest to a dry ponderosa pine ecosystem. North Cascades has more than 400 miles of trails. 17,233 recreation visits There are no roads, campgrounds or entrance gates for this 1.8 million-acre expanse's human visitors. Half a million caribou migrate through this park, crossing the Kobuk River and Onion Portage, according to the National Park Service. An 8,000-year tradition of hunting caribou here continues today. 18,505 recreation visits Stretching across more than 4 million acres, this national park and preserve is home to three designated Wild Rivers and two National Natural Landmark volcanoes. The land holds 10,000 years of human history and preserves the ancestral homelands of the Dena'ina people. 22,567 recreation visits Most parkgoers will need a passport to visit this spot in a remote part of the South Pacific. Hawaiian Airlines offers direct flights to American Samoa from Honolulu. The park has units on three islands and stretches across 13,500 acres, some 4,000 of which are marine acres that are mostly coral reefs. 28,806 recreation visits An isolated archipelago in Lake Superior, Isle Royale boasts 165 miles of trails and more than 30 campgrounds. It's open from mid-April through the end of October. Ferry and seaplane service typically runs from mid-May through the end of September, according to NPS. There are fewer mammal species here — only 18 — than on the mainland because animals must cross at least 14 miles of Lake Superior. Wolves and moose are among the notable animal residents. 36,230 recreation visits Katmai is an important habitat for thousands of brown bears. One of the world's premier bear-viewing spots, according to the Park Service, Katmai is home to an estimated 2,200 brown bears. Brooks Camp along the Brooks River is one of the most popular viewing spots to observe bears feasting on salmon. 81,670 recreation visits America's largest national park, Wrangell-St. Elias encompasses 13.2 million acres — or about the size of Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park and Switzerland combined, the Park Service says. Most of the park is backcountry, and visitor services are limited. There are some maintained trails in the frontcountry Nabesna and McCarthy areas. 84,873 recreation visits About 70 miles (113 kilometers) west of Key West, Dry Tortugas is mostly open water with seven small islands. Garden Key is home to one of the nation's largest 19th-century forts, Fort Jefferson. The park is accessible by boat or plane and is host to nearly 300 species of birds. Bush Key closes every year from February to September so that sooty terns and brown noddies can breed there undisturbed. 152,068 recreation visits Mountain peaks meet hot desert valleys here. Great Basin National Park is home to 13,063-foot Wheeler Peak, ancient bristlecone pines, about 40 caves and a wide array of plants and animals. The elevation ranges from 5,000 to 13,000 feet with hiking trails for all levels. 199,030 recreation visits Billed as a park of 'water, islands and horizons,' Voyageurs covers 218,055 acres — 84,000 of which is water. There are more than 500 islands and four large lakes, plus more than two dozen smaller lakes in the park, which is best experienced by boat. Voyageurs shares its northern boundary with Canada, and lucky visitors may even see the northern lights. 226,134 recreation visits This park boasts the four highest peaks in Texas and the world's most extensive Permian fossil reef. Guadalupe Mountains Wilderness has more than 80 miles of trail including a hike in the Salt Basin Dunes that rise 100 feet from the desert floor. 242,049 recreation visits Congaree National Park's landscape is 'defined by the presence of both flood and flame,' the Park Service says. Floodwaters from the Congaree and Wateree rivers regularly cover the park's old-growth bottomland hardwood forest, and the upland pine forest depends on wildfires to clear out competing vegetation. Canoeing and kayaking are popular ways to explore the park. There's a 15-mile marked canoe trail. 262,581 recreation visits Stretching over five islands and the surrounding ocean, Channel Islands National Park offer opportunities to hike, snorkel, kayak, birdwatch and more. The National Park Service strongly recommends sea kayaking with an authorized guide. Anemones, sea stars, urchins, barnacles, periwinkles and other marine creatures inhabit the park's tide pools — some of the best in Southern California. There is one established campground on each island; reservations are required. Backcountry camping is allowed on two islands. 335,862 recreation visits The canyon, sculpted over two million years by the Gunnison River and other natural forces, measures 2,722 feet (829 meters) at its greatest depth. A wide variety of rock types — including igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary — are displayed within its walls. The wilderness of the inner canyon requires a permit to enter. Nearly 60 mammal species and 174 bird species call the Black Canyon home.
CNN
08-03-2025
- CNN
The 15 least visited US national parks
Timed entry, long lines of cars at the gates and trails crowded with people angling for the best photos ops. Visitors aren't likely to find any such hurdles at the least visited of the United States' national parks. Visitation numbers hit a new record for 2024, with the National Park Service's more than 400 sites welcoming a whopping 331.9 million recreation visits. The 63 headliners — the sites with 'national park' in the name — accounted for 28% of all the visits. But some are way more packed than others. And with the recent slashing of about 1,000 park jobs, some parks may soon feel the strain of crowds acutely. While Zion National Park in Utah and the Grand Canyon in Arizona are managing summer crowds, these 15 spots — five of which are in Alaska — will see a small fraction of the millions of visitors crowding the most popular parks. Some are very remote and lack much of the infrastructure of the blockbuster spots, but there's no shortage of vast, spectacular wilderness to explore. Here are the 15 least visited US parks for 2024: 11,907 recreation visits With no roads, no trails, no cell service and no established campsites, this massive expanse is a true wilderness experience. The park and preserve has six designated Wild Rivers. 'Visitors may wander at will across 8.4 million acres of superlative natural beauty,' the park's website says. Visitors must be self-sufficient, flexible and 'able to execute self-extraction and communication, should an emergency situation arise.' Arrive prepared. 16,485 recreation visits Peaks crowned by more than 300 glaciers tower over this alpine landscape that sees a fraction of the visitors of Washington's other national parks — Mount Rainier and Olympic. While the park itself is sparsely visited, two bordering National Recreation Areas — Ross Lake and Lake Chelan — mean visitation to the combined three-unit North Cascades complex is much higher. Over 1,600 species of plants — more than any other US national park — have been identified on this land that spans temperate rainforest to a dry ponderosa pine ecosystem. North Cascades has more than 400 miles of trails. 17,233 recreation visits There are no roads, campgrounds or entrance gates for this 1.8 million-acre expanse's human visitors. Half a million caribou migrate through this park, crossing the Kobuk River and Onion Portage, according to the National Park Service. An 8,000-year tradition of hunting caribou here continues today. 18,505 recreation visits Stretching across more than 4 million acres, this national park and preserve is home to three designated Wild Rivers and two National Natural Landmark volcanoes. The land holds 10,000 years of human history and preserves the ancestral homelands of the Dena'ina people. 22,567 recreation visits Most parkgoers will need a passport to visit this spot in a remote part of the South Pacific. Hawaiian Airlines offers direct flights to American Samoa from Honolulu. The park has units on three islands and stretches across 13,500 acres, some 4,000 of which are marine acres that are mostly coral reefs. 28,806 recreation visits An isolated archipelago in Lake Superior, Isle Royale boasts 165 miles of trails and more than 30 campgrounds. It's open from mid-April through the end of October. Ferry and seaplane service typically runs from mid-May through the end of September, according to NPS. There are fewer mammal species here — only 18 — than on the mainland because animals must cross at least 14 miles of Lake Superior. Wolves and moose are among the notable animal residents. 36,230 recreation visits Katmai is an important habitat for thousands of brown bears. One of the world's premier bear-viewing spots, according to the Park Service, Katmai is home to an estimated 2,200 brown bears. Brooks Camp along the Brooks River is one of the most popular viewing spots to observe bears feasting on salmon. 81,670 recreation visits America's largest national park, Wrangell-St. Elias encompasses 13.2 million acres — or about the size of Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park and Switzerland combined, the Park Service says. Most of the park is backcountry, and visitor services are limited. There are some maintained trails in the frontcountry Nabesna and McCarthy areas. 84,873 recreation visits About 70 miles (113 kilometers) west of Key West, Dry Tortugas is mostly open water with seven small islands. Garden Key is home to one of the nation's largest 19th-century forts, Fort Jefferson. The park is accessible by boat or plane and is host to nearly 300 species of birds. Bush Key closes every year from February to September so that sooty terns and brown noddies can breed there undisturbed. 152,068 recreation visits Mountain peaks meet hot desert valleys here. Great Basin National Park is home to 13,063-foot Wheeler Peak, ancient bristlecone pines, about 40 caves and a wide array of plants and animals. The elevation ranges from 5,000 to 13,000 feet with hiking trails for all levels. 199,030 recreation visits Billed as a park of 'water, islands and horizons,' Voyageurs covers 218,055 acres — 84,000 of which is water. There are more than 500 islands and four large lakes, plus more than two dozen smaller lakes in the park, which is best experienced by boat. Voyageurs shares its northern boundary with Canada, and lucky visitors may even see the northern lights. 226,134 recreation visits This park boasts the four highest peaks in Texas and the world's most extensive Permian fossil reef. Guadalupe Mountains Wilderness has more than 80 miles of trail including a hike in the Salt Basin Dunes that rise 100 feet from the desert floor. 242,049 recreation visits Congaree National Park's landscape is 'defined by the presence of both flood and flame,' the Park Service says. Floodwaters from the Congaree and Wateree rivers regularly cover the park's old-growth bottomland hardwood forest, and the upland pine forest depends on wildfires to clear out competing vegetation. Canoeing and kayaking are popular ways to explore the park. There's a 15-mile marked canoe trail. 262,581 recreation visits Stretching over five islands and the surrounding ocean, Channel Islands National Park offer opportunities to hike, snorkel, kayak, birdwatch and more. The National Park Service strongly recommends sea kayaking with an authorized guide. Anemones, sea stars, urchins, barnacles, periwinkles and other marine creatures inhabit the park's tide pools — some of the best in Southern California. There is one established campground on each island; reservations are required. Backcountry camping is allowed on two islands. 335,862 recreation visits The canyon, sculpted over two million years by the Gunnison River and other natural forces, measures 2,722 feet (829 meters) at its greatest depth. A wide variety of rock types — including igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary — are displayed within its walls. The wilderness of the inner canyon requires a permit to enter. Nearly 60 mammal species and 174 bird species call the Black Canyon home.
Fox News
05-02-2025
- Science
- Fox News
1,000-year-old food storage pit discovered in Alaska
A cache pit dating back about 1,000 years was discovered in Alaska last year, military officials recently revealed — providing a glimpse into the food storage methods of the past. Archaeologists from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER), Northern Land Use Research Alaska and area tribal councils uncovered the birchbark-lined cache pit along Upper Cook Inlet in June, according to a Dec. 6 news release from the Alaska military complex where the discovery was made. Cache pits are like root cellars. They were used to preserve fish, meat and berries, archaeologist Elizabeth Ortiz said. "The caches were dug into well-drained soils and lined with birchbark and layers of grasses to preserve food and are rarely discovered intact," Ortiz said, according to the news release. Initial radiocarbon dating revealed that the food storage pit was used about 1,000 years ago. The pit was found along a trail well-known to have been used by the region's indigenous Dene people. It measured about 3½ deep, researchers said. Dene, or Athabascan, is a language group stretching from the Alaska interior through Canada and into the American Southwest, according to the release. Athabascans, including Dena'ina and Ahtna people, are Dene speakers. "This is the oldest known site on the east side of Upper Cook Inlet and further substantiates Dena'ina and Ahtna oral traditions that JBER and the surrounding area have been used for a very long time," archaeologist and JBER cultural resource manager Margan Grover said. Most of the site was demolished by the military in 1942, Grover said. Yet the pit and its intact birchbark lining was one of the few undisturbed features left at the Dene site. "We are testing to determine what types of food were stored in the cache." Samples of the intact bark lining were used to test the age and contents of the pit. "Additional radiocarbon and stable isotope tests could yield new and significant information about the history of Upper Cook Inlet," Ortiz said. "We are also testing to determine what types of food were stored in the cache." Preliminary findings indicate the cache was used to store moose or caribou meat. "People came to this area in the spring and would stay through the summer to catch and preserve salmon," according to the release. Grover called the discovery "an opportunity for people to understand who the Dene of Knik Arm are and how their ancestors lived on the land that is now JBER and Anchorage."
