National parks with backcountry hiking
Bright dots offer backcountry hiking. Tap any park to tick it off your checklist.
Quietest picks for backcountry hiking
- 1Kobuk Valley National Park7,786 visits
- 2Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve14,923 visits
- 3Lake Clark National Park & Preserve19,778 visits
By 2025 recreation visits (NPS).
Most parks for backcountry hiking
- California 8
- Alaska 7
- Arizona 3
- Colorado 2
- Nevada 2
- Texas 2
- Utah 2
- Washington 2
42 parks
Where to go for backcountry hiking
Photo: NPSBig Bend National Park
Texas
568,104 visits in 2025Quietest: August$30 / vehicle
Photo: NPS Photo/LynchBlack Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Colorado
250,086 visits in 2025Quietest: February$30 / vehicle
Photo: NPS Photo / Peter DensmoreBryce Canyon National Park
Utah
1,967,367 visits in 2025Quietest: January$35 / vehicle
Photo: NPS PhotoCapitol Reef National Park
Utah
1,388,476 visits in 2025Quietest: January$20 / vehicle
Photo: NPS/Brett SeymourChannel Islands National Park
California
227,186 visits in 2025Quietest: JanuaryFree entry
Photo: NPSCongaree National Park
South Carolina
287,833 visits in 2025Quietest: AugustFree entry
Photo: NPS PhotoCrater Lake National Park
Oregon
632,242 visits in 2025Quietest: January$30 / vehicle
Photo: NPSDeath Valley National Park
California, Nevada
1,320,134 visits in 2025Quietest: September$30 / vehicle
Photo: NPS Photo / Nathan KostegianDenali National Park & Preserve
Alaska
543,300 visits in 2025Quietest: January$15 / person
Photo: NPS Photo by Miguel SalasEverglades National Park
Florida
778,198 visits in 2025Quietest: October$35 / vehicle
Photo: NPS Photo / Sean TevebaughGates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve
Alaska
14,923 visits in 2025Quietest: JanuaryFree entry
Photo: NPS/M. QuinnGrand Canyon National Park
Arizona
4,430,653 visits in 2025Quietest: January$35 / vehicle
Photo: NPS Photo/TobiasonGrand Teton National Park
Wyoming
3,800,648 visits in 2025Quietest: December$35 / vehicle
Photo: NPS PhotoGreat Basin National Park
Nevada
161,210 visits in 2025Quietest: DecemberFree entry
Photo: NPS/Patrick MyersGreat Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
Colorado
432,498 visits in 2025Quietest: January$25 / vehicle
Photo: NPS / Bob CarrGreat Smoky Mountains National Park
North Carolina, Tennessee
11,527,939 visits in 2025Quietest: JanuaryFree entry
Photo: NPS/BieriGuadalupe Mountains National Park
Texas
206,423 visits in 2025Quietest: August$10 / person
Photo: NPS PhotoHawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
Hawaii
1,877,854 visits in 2025Quietest: April$30 / vehicle
Photo: NPS Photo / Paul BrownIsle Royale National Park
Michigan
29,091 visits in 2025Quietest: January$7 / person
Photo: NPS / Emily HassellJoshua Tree National Park
California
2,932,644 visits in 2025Quietest: July$30 / vehicle
Photo: NPS/David JacobKatmai National Park & Preserve
Alaska
34,479 visits in 2025Quietest: FebruaryFree entry
Photo: NPS Photo, S. RainoneKenai Fjords National Park
Alaska
425,369 visits in 2025Quietest: NovemberFree entry
Photo: NPS PhotoKobuk Valley National Park
Alaska
7,786 visits in 2025Quietest: FebruaryFree entry
Photo: NPS Photo / James KramerLake Clark National Park & Preserve
Alaska
19,778 visits in 2025Quietest: JanuaryFree entry
Photo: NPS Photo / Scott ArnazLassen Volcanic National Park
California
504,777 visits in 2025Quietest: December$30 / vehicle
Photo: NPS Photo / J. CooperMammoth Cave National Park
Kentucky
660,734 visits in 2025Quietest: JanuaryFree entry
Photo: NPS Photo / E. BrouwerMount Rainier National Park
Washington
1,635,342 visits in 2025Quietest: February$30 / vehicle
Photo: NPS Photo / Michael LarsonNational Park of American Samoa
American Samoa
43,258 visits in 2025Quietest: JuneFree entry
Photo: NPS photo/Louise McLaughlinNew River Gorge National Park & Preserve
West Virginia
1,958,440 visits in 2025Quietest: JanuaryFree entry
Photo: NPS Photo/Jon PrestonOlympic National Park
Washington
3,584,187 visits in 2025Quietest: January$30 / vehicle
Photo: NPS PhotoPetrified Forest National Park
Arizona
315,951 visits in 2025Quietest: February$25 / vehicle
Photo: NPS Photo/ Katherine FieldingPinnacles National Park
California
343,208 visits in 2025Quietest: September$30 / vehicle
Photo: NPS Photo / Steve OlsonRedwood National and State Parks
California
1,202,480 visits in 2025Quietest: DecemberFree entry
Photo: NPS PhotoSaguaro National Park
Arizona
847,749 visits in 2025Quietest: August$25 / vehicle
Photo: NPS/Rick CainSequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
California
2,158,128 visits in 2025Quietest: February$35 / vehicle
Photo: NPS Photo / Mark MeyersTheodore Roosevelt National Park
North Dakota
729,893 visits in 2025Quietest: December$30 / vehicle
Photo: NPS PhotoVirgin Islands National Park
US Virgin Islands
471,074 visits in 2025Quietest: SeptemberFree entry
Photo: NPS Photo / Daniel DendlerVoyageurs National Park
Minnesota
206,326 visits in 2025Quietest: AprilFree entry
Photo: NPS PhotoWind Cave National Park
South Dakota
606,258 visits in 2025Quietest: FebruaryFree entry
Photo: NPS Photo/ Neal HerbertWrangell–St. Elias National Park & Preserve
Alaska
108,840 visits in 2025Quietest: JanuaryFree entry
Photo: NPS / Jacob W. FrankYellowstone National Park
Idaho, Montana, Wyoming
4,762,988 visits in 2025Quietest: November$35 / vehicle
Photo: NPS PhotoYosemite National Park
California
4,278,413 visits in 2025Quietest: January$35 / vehicle
Ideas from the National Park Service
Backcountry Hiking ideas, park by park
- Hat Shop3-4 Hours
The Hat Shop trail descends from Bryce Point into the backcountry using the Under-the-Rim trail, offering views of the colorful cliffs of the Grand Staircase. This strenuous out-and-back hike leads down 1,380 feet (421…
- Swamp Canyon Loop3-4 Hours
Swamp Canyon appears relatively small and sheltered from the overlook, allowing the viewer to develop a more intimate connection with the landscape than some of the grander viewpoints in the park. The Swamp Canyon Loop,…
- Riggs Spring Loop4-5 Hours
The Riggs Spring Loop is a backcountry trail that begins and ends at Yovimpa Point. This trail travels through spruce, fir, and bristlecone forests offering beautiful views of distant cliffs. The western section of the…
Reservation/permit
- Hike Cathedral ValleySpring, Summer, Fall
Explore Cathedral Valley by foot. These hikes are accessible only by rough unpaved roads. A high clearance vehicle is necessary and four-wheel drive is recommended at times.
Fee Get to know the South (Waterpocket) District on foot by hiking an easy trail or strenuous backcountry route. Many of these hikes are accessible only by unpaved roads.
Fee
- Hiking Off Trail in Denali2-12 Hours · Spring, Summer, Fall
Denali National Park and Preserve has very few formal trails for a park of its size, but hiking off trail offers limitless opportunities for recreation and exploration. The terrain and bus system in Denali make hiking…
Reservation/permit
- Backpack the Brooks Range's Arctic WildernessSummer, Fall
Traveling through the park on foot affords opportunities of exploration and discovery. Mountain ridges and passes reveal splendid vistas and can take you to the most remote and least traveled areas of the entire…
Pets OK
- Hike the Snake Divide Route7-12 Hours · Summer
Hike one of the more challenging and rewarding trails inside Great Basin National Park. This over 13 mile hike leads to the peak of a mountain, multiple bristlecone pine groves, and some of the most spectacular views in…
- Backpack the Baker & Johnson Lakes Loop1-14 Days · All year
The most popular backcountry route in the park, the Baker & Johnson Lakes Loop frequently sees campers, but still nothing compared to many other popular parks. This about 12 mile loop will take visitors by mountain…
Reservation/permit - Hike the Highland Route1-2 Days · Summer
Highland Route
- Hike Medano Lake and Mount Herard8-12 Hours · Summer, Fall
Take your 4WD vehicle around the dunes and up to Medano Pass, hike to a small alpine lake, then continue to the summit of 13,297 ft (4,053 m) Mount Herard for an aerial perspective on the entire dunefield! This is a…
Pets OK - Hike Sand Creek Lakes10-15 Hours · Summer, Fall
Sand Creek Lakes are part of the alpine watershed of Great Sand Dunes National Preserve. A longer drive and hike is required to reach these lakes, but the mountain scenery is worth the effort. Check with a ranger for…
Pets OK
- Hike Black Bay Beaver Pond Trail30-60 Minutes · All year
Take a boat one mile from the visitor center and hike this trail through northern pine country to a scenic, active beaver pond.
- Hike Anderson Bay Loop90-150 Minutes · Spring, Summer, Fall
This trail takes you through the forest past rocky clearings and beaver ponds to spectacular views of Rainy Lake form the shoreline and Anderson Bay from the top of the cliffs.
- Hike the Locator Lake Trail2-5 Hours · Spring, Summer, Fall
Please note: The Cranberry Creek Portage Trail into Locator Lake from Rainy Lake has been permanently closed. Explore this two-mile, one-way hike as an afternoon adventure, or use it as a starting point for an exciting…
- Backpacking in Wrangell-St EliasAll year
A backpacking trip in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve can be an exciting and rewarding experience if you are prepared for the difficulties of traveling through rugged, undeveloped land.
Pets OK
From the NPS Data API's things-to-do records, checked 2026-10-01.
FAQ
Backcountry Hiking, quickly
- Which national parks offer backcountry hiking?
- 43 of the 63 national parks list backcountry hiking as an activity, according to the National Park Service: Big Bend, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Channel Islands, Congaree, Crater Lake, Death Valley, Denali, Everglades, Gates of the Arctic, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Great Basin, Great Sand Dunes, Great Smoky Mountains, Guadalupe Mountains, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes, Isle Royale, Joshua Tree, Katmai, Kenai Fjords, Kobuk Valley, Lake Clark, Lassen Volcanic, Mammoth Cave, Mount Rainier, American Samoa, New River Gorge, Olympic, Petrified Forest, Pinnacles, Redwood, Saguaro, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Theodore Roosevelt, Virgin Islands, Voyageurs, Wind Cave, Wrangell–St. Elias, Yellowstone, Yosemite.
- What's the least crowded national park for backcountry hiking?
- By 2025 recreation visits, Kobuk Valley National Park (7,786 visits), then Gates of the Arctic (14,923). The busiest park on this list is Great Smoky Mountains, with 11,527,939.
- Which state has the most national parks for backcountry hiking?
- California, with 8, followed by Alaska (7).
Sources · 2
- 1.NPS Data API — /parks (all park units) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
- 2.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
Activities are the ones each park lists in the NPS Data API. Check the park's own nps.gov page for current trail, water and permit conditions.
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