- On April 22, Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt announced that the Trump administration would work with governors and local public health officials to gradually reopen national parks.
- Keeping in line with CDC and state recommendations, several of America’s most visited national parks are beginning to reopen.
- Acting National Park Service (NPS) director David Vela told the Saint Louis Tribune that visitors should anticipate a “different normal” as many park facilities will reopen in phases and with social distancing guidelines in place.
- Of the 419 parks overseen by the NPS, 62 are officially designated “national parks.”
- In ascending order, here are the ten most visited national parks according to 2019 National Park Service data, their top attractions based on TripAdvisor rankings, and their plans for reopening.
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This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Glacier National Park
Visitors in 2019: 3 million
Location: Montana
Top attractions: Going-to-the-Sun Road, Grinnell Glacier, Lake McDonald, Avalanche Lake, Highline Trail
Reopening plans: Glacier National Park will open during Phase Three of Montana's Reopening the Big Sky Phased Approach, the state's roadmap for lifting coronavirus restrictions. Montana is currently in Phase One, which has allowed restaurants, retail shops, and places of worship to reopen as long they observe social distancing measures. Montana has not established a timeline for when it will enter Phase Two or Three.
Currently, lodges in the park are closed until at least June 15, and red bus tours are on hold until July 15. Glacier Park Boat Company has suspended all boat tours and rentals for the 2020 season.
The park closed to all visitors on March 27, though the section of US Highway 2 that crosses through the park remained open.
See the latest updates on the National Park Service's website >>
Olympic National Park
Visitors in 2019: 3.2 million
Location: Washington
Top attractions: Hurricane Ridge mountain area, Ruby Beach, Hoh Rainforest, Olympic National Forest, Lake Crescent
Reopening plans: Olympic National Park began a phased reopening on May 5. The Lake Crescent area and Sol Duc Road have opened for recreational day use; however, visitor centers, most restrooms, overnight campgrounds, and all coastal areas remain closed. The park's lodges have announced tentative reopening dates beginning with Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort on May 29. The Kalaloch Lodge and Log Cabin Resort will follow on June 12.
Olympic National Park shut down most roads, campgrounds, and facilities on March 24 and closed beaches and coastal areas in mid-April.
See the latest updates on the National Park Service's website >>
Grand Teton National Park
Visitors in 2019: 3.4 million
Location: Wyoming
Top attractions: Grand Teton peak, Jenny Lake Trail, Scenic Loop Drive, Chapel of the Transfiguration (a log-cabin-style church built in 1925), Moose Wilson Road
Reopening plans: Grand Teton National Park began a phased reopening on May 18, reinstating access to primary roads, some public restrooms, seasonal trails, shore fishing, and select commercial tours during the day.
For the time being, campgrounds, visitor centers, backcountry permits, marinas, restaurants, and boating activities remain unavailable. Ahead of full reopening, the park is implementing plexiglass barriers in high-traffic areas to promote social distancing.
The park closed to visitors on March 24, though highways that run through and extend beyond the park remained open.
See the latest updates on the National Park Service's website >>
Acadia National Park
Visitors in 2019: 3.4 million
Location: Maine
Top attractions: Cadillac Mountain, Park Loop Road, Champlain Mountain & Beehive Loop Trail, Jordan Pond, Carriage Roads cycling trail
Reopening plans: Most of Acadia National Park, including campgrounds, car-free carriage roads, visitor centers, and restrooms, has been closed since March 25; however Park Loop Road and most trails have remained open to hikers, cyclists, and pedestrians.
Park campgrounds are set to reopen on June 15, pending the status of the pandemic. Hulls Cove, the park's main visitor center, is currently scheduled to reopen on June 1, and Sieur de Monts Visitor Center will reopen June 15. Overnight parking is banned for the time being, and Island Explorer shuttle service between the park and nearby Bar Habor has been suspended indefinitely for 2020.
See the latest updates on the National Park Service's website >>
Yellowstone National Park
Visitors in 2019: 4 million
Location: Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
Top attractions: Lamar Valley, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Grand Prismatic Spring, Old Faithful geyser, Lower Yellowstone River Falls
Reopening plans: Yellowstone National Park announced a three-phase reopening plan that went into effect May 18. So far, the park has opened its South and East entrances in Wyoming, access to the lower loop of Grand Loop Road, as well as select restrooms, self-service gas stations, trails and boardwalks, medical clinics, and tours.
The park will enter Phase 2, which involves reopening campgrounds, visitor centers, and visitor cabins, as health conditions allow later in May or in June.
The park closed to visitors on March 24, though highways that run through and extend beyond the park remained open.
See the latest updates on the National Park Service's website >>
Yosemite National Park
Visitors in 2019: 4 million
Location: California
Top attractions: Glacier Point outlook, Yosemite Valley, Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, Half Dome rock formation, Tunnel View outlook
Reopening plans: Yosemite National Park has not yet announced plans to reopen. The park closed to visitors on March 20, though it remains open to residents of communities within the park's boundaries.
See the latest updates on the National Park Service's website >>
Zion National Park
Visitors in 2019: 4.5 million
Location: Utah
Top attractions: The Narrows trail, Angel's Landing trail, Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, Canyon Overlook trail, Observation Point
Reopening plans: Zion National Park partially reopened for day use beginning May 13 and has waived visitor fees to minimize the potential for disease transmission at park entrances. Eight trails reopened; however, no off-trail hiking is permitted and hikers are urged to stay six feet apart. The six-mile Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is also open, but only private vehicles will be allowed and the drive temporarily has been temporarily closing to visitors when its 400-car parking lot reaches capacity.
Beginning May 22, The Narrows hiking trail will be open depending on water flow.
The park fully closed to visitors on April 3, though roads through the park remained open for residents.
See the latest updates on the National Park Service's website >>
Rocky Mountain National Park
Visitors in 2019: 4.7 million
Location: Colorado
Top attractions: Trail Ridge Road, Emerald Lake Trail, Bear Lake, Old Fall River Road, Alberta Falls
Reopening plans: Rocky Mountain National Park will begin a phased reopening to increase recreational access on May 27. While details of the reopening are still being figured out, so far the park has announced that it will begin issuing wilderness camping permits again, and shuttle bus service within Bear Lake Road corridor will resume with a maximum of 15 passengers per trip. Moraine Park and Glacier Basin campgrounds will open at half capacity on June 4.
The park closed to all visitors on March 20.
See the latest updates on the National Park Service's website >>
Grand Canyon National Park
Visitors in 2019: 5.97 million
Location: Arizona
Top attractions: Grand Canyon South Rim, Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon North Rim, South Kaibab Trail, Rim Trail
Reopening plans: Grand Canyon National Park will reopen its South Rim for day use May 22-25, though visitors will only be allowed to enter through the South entrance between the hours of 4 and 10 a.m. and must pay entrance fees at automated fee machines or purchase a pass in advance.
Inner canyon trails, the Rim Trail and Greenway Trail system, bicycle and wheelchair rentals, limited food and beverage services, and the East Desert View Drive up until Navajo Point will be open.
Existing backcountry permits will also be honored. Additional reopening plans will be determined as conditions allow.
The park, and the section of Highway 64 that runs through the park, closed on April 1.
See the latest updates on the National Park Service's website >>
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Visitors in 2019: 12.5 million
Location: Tennessee, North Carolina
Top attractions: Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, Foothills Parkway, Clingmans Dome observation deck, Cades Cove, Laurel Falls
Reopening: Great Smoky Mountains National Park reopened select roads, trails, restrooms, and picnic areas on May 9. The park is also issuing backcountry permits, and the LeConte Lodge, the park's official lodging option, reopened May 18. Additional roads, trails, and facilities will reopen on May 23; however, visitor centers and campgrounds remain closed. The park also canceled its popular synchronous firefly viewing event, when shuttles take ticketed visitors to the Elkmont section of the park in late May and early June to witness tens of thousands of fireflies.
The park closed, with the exception of the Foothills Parkway and the Spur, on March 24.
See the latest updates on the National Park Service's website >>
