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Crowd calendar · March

The best national parks to visit in March

Last verified 6 parks in shoulder season
March puts 6 national parks in shoulder season: open, past or before the peak, and quieter for it. 14 others are at full tilt. Here’s the whole picture, ranked from five years of National Park Service visitor counts.

Big names in shoulder season

The % badge is March’s visitors as a share of the park’s busiest month.

Shoulder season · 6 parks

Our March picks, quietest first

Each park in a month that borders its busy season, ranked by how far below its own peak it runs. Open for business, without the crush. Parks right at the start or end of their season come last.
  • Quiet · under 40% of peak
  • Moderate · 40–69%
  • Busy · 70–89%
  • Peak · 90%+
  • Near-zero visits (likely closed)
  1. 1

    1. National Park of American SamoaAmerican Samoa

    American Samoa averages 1,555 visits in March, 50% of its April peak. February runs 62% and April 100%.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 35, Feb 62, Mar 50, Apr 100, May 32, Jun 14, Jul 76, Aug 24, Sep 78, Oct 45, Nov 35, Dec 17.
    March 2025: 2,480
  2. 2

    2. Canyonlands National ParkUtah

    Canyonlands averages 77,847 visits in March, 64% of its May peak. Crowds are building: 14% in February, 88% in April.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 9, Feb 14, Mar 64, Apr 88, May 100, Jun 76, Jul 59, Aug 52, Sep 81, Oct 79, Nov 35, Dec 16.
    March 2025: 83,067
  3. 3

    3. Grand Canyon National ParkArizona

    Grand Canyon averages 357,723 visits in March, 67% of its July peak. Crowds are building: 34% in February, 85% in April.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 32, Feb 34, Mar 67, Apr 85, May 95, Jun 94, Jul 100, Aug 90, Sep 81, Oct 83, Nov 62, Dec 56.
    March 2025: 350,351
  4. 4

    4. Zion National ParkUtah

    Zion averages 410,968 visits in March, 68% of its June peak. Crowds are building: 25% in February, 81% in April.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 23, Feb 25, Mar 68, Apr 81, May 94, Jun 100, Jul 92, Aug 77, Sep 79, Oct 82, Nov 50, Dec 36.
    March 2025: 425,780
  5. 5

    5. Arches National ParkUtahIts quiet month

    Arches averages 144,233 visits in March, 74% of its May peak. Crowds are building: 26% in February, 83% in April. By our rule, this is Arches' quiet shoulder month.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 19, Feb 26, Mar 74, Apr 83, May 100, Jun 97, Jul 87, Aug 77, Sep 84, Oct 77, Nov 44, Dec 25.
    March 2025: 152,554
  6. 6

    6. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National ParkHawaii

    Hawaiʻi Volcanoes averages 119,145 visits in March, 79% of its December peak. Crowds are thinning: 82% in February, 73% in April.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 94, Feb 82, Mar 79, Apr 73, May 75, Jun 96, Jul 97, Aug 92, Sep 77, Oct 78, Nov 87, Dec 100.
    March 2025: 162,193

Low season · 12 parks

Quiet in March, often for a reason

These parks still draw at least 30% of their peak, but the month sits away from their busy season. Low season can mean heat, cold, rain or partial closures, so check the park's nps.gov page before planning around it.

  1. Bryce Canyon National ParkUtah

    Bryce Canyon averages 97,703 visits in March, 30% of its June peak. Crowds are building: 11% in February, 65% in April.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 10, Feb 11, Mar 30, Apr 65, May 90, Jun 100, Jul 91, Aug 81, Sep 98, Oct 71, Nov 24, Dec 17.
    March 2025: 106,961

  2. New River Gorge National Park & PreserveWest Virginia

    New River Gorge averages 91,441 visits in March, 33% of its July peak. Crowds are building: 16% in February, 40% in April.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 13, Feb 16, Mar 33, Apr 40, May 70, Jun 82, Jul 100, Aug 84, Sep 66, Oct 69, Nov 33, Dec 18.
    March 2025: 114,670

  3. Redwood National and State ParksCalifornia

    Redwood averages 31,915 visits in March, 34% of its June peak. Crowds are building: 26% in February, 43% in April.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 26, Feb 26, Mar 34, Apr 43, May 68, Jun 100, Jul 96, Aug 85, Sep 76, Oct 52, Nov 30, Dec 24.
    March 2025: 54,640

  4. Gateway Arch National ParkMissouri

    Gateway Arch averages 166,103 visits in March, 35% of its July peak. February runs 13% and April 32%.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 11, Feb 13, Mar 35, Apr 32, May 36, Jun 49, Jul 100, Aug 46, Sep 29, Oct 26, Nov 22, Dec 20.
    March 2025: 216,702

  5. Kobuk Valley National ParkAlaska

    Kobuk Valley averages 705 visits in March, 39% of its July peak. February runs 32% and April 37%. No road in: you arrive by boat or plane, per NPS.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 49, Feb 32, Mar 39, Apr 37, May 38, Jun 77, Jul 100, Aug 93, Sep 84, Oct 91, Nov 72, Dec 75.
    March 2025: 228

  6. Capitol Reef National ParkUtah

    Capitol Reef averages 94,788 visits in March, 44% of its May peak. Crowds are building: 10% in February, 70% in April.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 8, Feb 10, Mar 44, Apr 70, May 100, Jun 82, Jul 58, Aug 51, Sep 80, Oct 80, Nov 30, Dec 15.
    March 2025: 104,856

  7. Cuyahoga Valley National ParkOhio

    Cuyahoga Valley averages 187,738 visits in March, 51% of its July peak. Crowds are building: 28% in February, 64% in April.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 26, Feb 28, Mar 51, Apr 64, May 82, Jun 91, Jul 100, Aug 93, Sep 79, Oct 80, Nov 46, Dec 34.
    March 2025: 198,039

  8. Great Smoky Mountains National ParkNorth Carolina · Tennessee

    Great Smoky Mountains averages 881,563 visits in March, 55% of its October peak. Crowds are building: 30% in February, 64% in April.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 26, Feb 30, Mar 55, Apr 64, May 77, Jun 91, Jul 96, Aug 76, Sep 74, Oct 100, Nov 62, Dec 47.
    March 2025: 845,724

  9. Channel Islands National ParkCalifornia

    Channel Islands averages 21,485 visits in March, 60% of its July peak. Crowds are building: 46% in February, 69% in April. No road in: you arrive by boat or plane, per NPS.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 35, Feb 46, Mar 60, Apr 69, May 72, Jun 89, Jul 100, Aug 85, Sep 77, Oct 71, Nov 64, Dec 46.
    March 2025: 20,331

  10. Mammoth Cave National ParkKentucky

    Mammoth Cave averages 62,032 visits in March, 62% of its July peak. Crowds are building: 21% in February, 63% in April.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 15, Feb 21, Mar 62, Apr 63, May 62, Jun 84, Jul 100, Aug 69, Sep 58, Oct 56, Nov 33, Dec 29.
    March 2025: 74,221

  11. Hot Springs National ParkArkansas

    Hot Springs averages 249,659 visits in March, 72% of its June peak. February runs 59% and April 68%.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 37, Feb 59, Mar 72, Apr 68, May 66, Jun 100, Jul 83, Aug 62, Sep 37, Oct 43, Nov 43, Dec 39.
    March 2025: 252,503

  12. Petrified Forest National ParkArizona

    Petrified Forest averages 47,378 visits in March, 74% of its June peak. February runs 33% and April 66%.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 37, Feb 33, Mar 74, Apr 66, May 91, Jun 100, Jul 84, Aug 66, Sep 67, Oct 70, Nov 45, Dec 46.
    March 2025: 21,375

Peak season · 14

Expect crowds in March

Deep off-season

Under 30% of the peak: few visitors, and services may be limited.

Likely closed · 7

Near-zero visits

These parks average almost no recreation visits in March. That usually means a seasonal closure or no way in, but it’s our inference from the numbers, not an NPS notice. Check before you go:

How we rank

Crowds, not weather

Every number here is National Park Service recreation visits, averaged by calendar month over 2021–2025. A park’s crowd index compares each month with its own busiest month (100). Peak season is 80 or above; shoulder months border the peak and still reach 30. We rank shoulder months quietest first.

We don’t score weather, and a quiet month can be quiet because of it. The crowd calendar has the full method and every park’s twelve months side by side; each park page links to its nps.gov conditions.

March 2025 at a glance

The small figure on each row is the park’s actual March 2025 count from NPS Visitor Use Statistics. Unusual months are kept as reported and flagged in the text.

FAQ

National parks in March, answered

What are the best national parks to visit in March?
For fewer crowds without the off-season, look at the parks in shoulder season in March: American Samoa, Canyonlands, Grand Canyon, Zion, Arches and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes. They're ranked quietest first on this page, from NPS visitor counts for 2021–2025.
Which national parks are busiest in March?
14 parks are in peak season in March, led by Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Saguaro and White Sands. For Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Saguaro and White Sands, March is the busiest month of the year.
Which national parks are closed in March?
We can't say for certain from visitor counts, but Gates of the Arctic, Glacier Bay, Isle Royale, Katmai, Kenai Fjords, Lake Clark and North Cascades average almost no visits in March, which usually means a seasonal closure or no way in. Check each park's nps.gov page.
Is March a busy month in the national parks?
Across all 63 parks combined, March averages about 5,403,062 recreation visits, the 8th busiest month of the year (2021–2025 average).

Sources · 2

  1. 1.NPS Visitor Use Statistics — monthly recreation visits, 2021–2025 (IRMA stats REST service) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior) — Visitor Use Statistics Program
  2. 2.NPS Visitor Use Statistics Definitions · National Park Service

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