The 15 Quietest National Parks in the Country

Social distancing is an important part of life now. With more people itching to travel and see the nation's incredible natural scenery and wildlife up close now more than ever, it's important to take in how busy the national parks are. For those who wish to explore the world without all the crowds, check out this list of the fifteen quietest national parks in the country. ESTA America analyzed the national parks and figured out how many visitors there are in each park per square kilometer and ranked the parks by their population densities. They found that the quietest parks were overwhelmingly located in Alaska, making this state a great option for socially distant travel. Other national parks, like Big Bend in Texas, Voyageurs in Michigan and Death Valley in California and Nevada also had fewer tourists.

The Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is the quietest park in the country, welcoming a little more than 10,000 visitors back in 2019. It's no wonder why, with no roads or trails within the park, let alone near it, most people decide to take a bush plane to access the pristine wilderness or endure a rigorous trek to the park. With eight million acres of mountains, forests, rivers, tundras and grasslands, the park is perfect for those wishing for solitude away from technology, where one can reconnect with nature and oneself.

Lake Clark is another tricky national park to access. Accessible either by boat or by plane, Lake Clark is filled with stunning mountain scenery, incredibly blue lakes, eager salmon and hungry bears, as well as active volcanoes. With only two visitors per square kilometer, you'll be able to socially distance to your heart's content while enjoying the outdoor activities available in this park, like salmon fishing in the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world and learning about the ancestral homeland of the Dena'ina people.

The Wrangell-St. Elias National Park takes the title of being the largest national park in America. Boasting that it is the same size as Yosemite National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Switzerland combined, at 13.2 million acres, this national park is a park to get lost in. With two visitors per square kilometer, visitors can rest assured that they'll be able to socially distance within its borders. The Wrangell and St. Elias mountain ranges, the park's namesakes, contain some of the most glaciers and some of the largest volcanoes located within North America. This national park also has a car trail to follow, called the McCarthy Road, where you'll be able to see the historic sites of Kennecott and McCarthy, as well as have access to bathrooms, trailheads and camping areas.

For over 9,000 years, caribou and humans have migrated along the Kobuk Valley in Alaska, located thirty miles above the Arctic circle. Today, it is home to the fourth quietest national park in America, where one can find the Kobuk River and incredible sand dunes. Access is typically by plane, and unless one has Arctic survival experience, it is recommended that travelers visit during the summer. Located near the national park are the Cape Krusenstern National Monument, where it is believed the first Americans accessed the continent by Beringia, as well as the stunning, vast landscape of Noatak National Preserve.

The fifth quietest national park is, unsurprisingly, also in Alaska and is only accessible by plane or boat. Katmai National Park & Preserve was created over a hundred years ago to preserve the volcanic area of Novarupta and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. Salmon and brown bears are more plentiful here than people, where the average is six people per square kilometer.

Isle Royale National Park is a great place for those wishing for some solitude, but don't necessarily wish to travel all the way to Alaska to find it. The island, surrounded by the clear blue waters of Lake Superior, is perfect for campers and watersports lovers. With eleven visitors per square kilometer, this lesser-known but no less gorgeous national park is also a great area for spotting the elusive wolf, which had been recently reintroduced to the island.

Less than three hours from Seattle, Washington's North Cascades National Park beckons with over three hundred glaciers to see. The seventh least populated national park, it has an average of nineteen people per square kilometer. Here, one can find incredible landscapes of rugged, snow-capped peaks and alpine forests ringing sky-blue lakes and rivers.

We return to Alaska to look at the eighth quietest national park, Denali National Park. Perhaps the most well-known in Alaska, Denali is home to the incredible mountain range of the same name and a completely stunning landscape of taiga forests. Ride by car or truck through the park on the Denali Park Road. The park also offers a variety of different bus tours to choose from to make the trip through the park more accessible.

Glacier Bay National Park protects part of Alaska's Inside Passage and is part of one of the largest UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world. This park is also one of the most popular for travelers coming to Alaska by cruising, as the glaciers here are accessible by cruise ship. The Kluane, Wrangell-St. Elias, Glacier Bay and Tatshenshini-Alsek parks are together a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to the largest non-polar icefield in the world and hold value as being some of the earliest sites of prehistoric activity in North America. Here, besides incredible glaciers, one can find sea lions, seabirds and more.

Death Valley National Park, located within both Nevada and California, is the driest and hottest part of the United States, which can make it a challenging visit during certain months of the year. This park receives an average of 126 visitors per square kilometer, which still makes for a scenic and serene visit. Exploring the desert is great during the winter months especially. Make sure to sleep overnight in this Dark Sky Park, where you'll be able to see the Milky Way like never before.

Kenai Fjords National Park is home to another Alaskan crown jewel: the Harding Icefield, out of which almost 40 glaciers flow, and through which scientists measure the effects of global warming. This ancient Icefield, a remnant of the Ice Age itself, is one of the most popular places to visit in Alaska, but the park itself is still one of the quietest in the country. Take a boat tour to experience the awe-inspiring views of the fjords, as well as to catch a glimpse of whales and other incredible wildlife.

Texas' most diverse landscape is found here, at Big Bend National Park. Home to dry mountains, verdant river valleys and cactus forests, Big Bend is the twelfth quietest national park in the U.S. Big Bend is also home to 450 species of birds, making this a perfect spot for birdwatchers. The park also has a variety of paved and dirt roads to drive through, so it can be easily accessible and safe.

Everglades National Park is home to several endangered species, like the Florida panther, American crocodile and the manatee. As the nation's largest subtropical ecosystem, it's also become a World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve. One can take a guided tour with one of the park's passionate guides, or spend the day boating, fishing, kayaking or biking. Camping is also available here, so be sure to scope out the best places to camp, whether right above the water on a platform, on the beach or in the grass.

Voyageurs National Park is the fourteenth quietest national park in the U.S., with 264 visitors per square kilometer. It may seem like much, but this land of islands, forests and rivers offers much to be explored in a secluded setting. Here you'll find ample space to hike, kayak or canoe. Make sure to stick around overnight, because this Dark Sky Park has year-round awesome night skies. Winter nights have some of the best displays of the Northern Lights in the country.

Dry Tortugas National Park has something for everyone to explore. Accessible only by plane or boat, this seven-island park is home to a nineteenth century fort, called Fort Jefferson, as well as vibrant coral reefs and marine life. Just off the coast of Loggerhead Key is Little Africa, a coral reef system with incredibly colorful marine life. Avid scuba divers can also enjoy exploring the Windjammer Wreck, located nearby the Little Africa reef system. Pretend you're a member of LOST and camp out on the beach on Garden Key and you might just discover an incredible night sky filled with stars.