5 days ago
This Is the Most-visited State Park in the U.S. for 2025—and It Has 19 Waterfalls in 2 Miles
Located in New York's Finger Lakes, Watkins Glen State Park leads this year's rankings by Google Maps.
As travelers increasingly seek out nature-driven getaways, state parks have become popular destinations for everything from hiking and camping. While national parks often get the spotlight, state parks—also protected areas determined at the state level—offer equally stunning landscapes and easy access to local beauty. To see where Americans are heading this year, Google Maps recently analyzed its data to reveal the top 10 most visited state parks in the U.S.
Google Maps based its rankings on direction requests made on the platform since Memorial Day 2025. Topping the list is Watkins Glen State Park in Schuyler County, New York.
Watkins Glen State Park is the most well-known of the Finger Lakes State Parks, with 19 waterfalls packed into just two miles of gorges and streams. The park welcomes both overnight campers and day trip visitors, offering amenities like an Olympic-size pool, facilities for camping and picnicking, and opportunities for hiking and rainbow trout fishing.
Similar to other New York State Parks, Watkins Glen State Park charges a fee for vehicles to use its facilities, which can vary depending on location and season. At the moment, the cost is $10 per vehicle, which includes use of the park's pool. Camping costs $18 to $30 per night, with an additional $5 nightly fee for out of state residents.
New York State has two other parks in the top 10: Letchworth State Park at No. 5, often referred to as the "Grand Canyon of the East," and Jones Beach State Park at No. 10, known for its wide stretches of sand and boardwalk.
The top 10 is rounded out by Liberty State Park in New Jersey at No. 2, Silver Falls State Park in Oregon at No. 3, Starved Rock State Park in Illinois at No. 4, Hammonasset Beach State Park in Connecticut at No. 6, Point Lobos State Natural Reserve in California at No. 7, Warren Dunes State Park in Michigan at No. 8, and Blue Spring State Park in Florida in ninth place.
According the Google Maps data, the most calming state park is St. Andrews State Park in Florida, which has a mile-and-a-half of pristine beaches for fishing and swimming that is a popular spot to see migratory birds.
The best state park for hiking is Devil's Lake State Park in Wisconsin, which has 30 miles of hiking trails through quartzite bluffs that overlook a 360-acre lake.
Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
Solve the daily Crossword
