Smokies see increased visitation
The Smokies yet again earned the designation of the country’s most visited national park. File photo
Last week, the National Park Service announced that 400 national parks reported a total of 325.5 million visits in 2023, an increase of 13 million or 4% over 2022.
At Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 2023 visitation was 3% higher than 2022. With 13.3 million visits, it is the second highest year on record at the park, after 2021. June through October were the busiest months, with over 1 million visits each month. Over the last decade, the park has averaged nearly 12 million visits per year.
“This year’s data shows that Great Smoky Mountains National Park continues to resonate with millions of visitors,” said Superintendent Cassius Cash. “People come here to build deeper connections with the park, seek adventures, and make new discoveries.”
