National parks with fishing
Bright dots offer fishing. Tap any park to tick it off your checklist.
Quietest picks for fishing
- 1Kobuk Valley National Park7,786 visits
- 2Lake Clark National Park & Preserve19,778 visits
- 3Isle Royale National Park29,091 visits
By 2025 recreation visits (NPS).
Most parks for fishing
- Alaska 7
- California 5
- Colorado 3
- Florida 3
- Washington 3
- Montana 2
- Wyoming 2
- Arizona 1
40 parks
Where to go for fishing
Photo: NPS Photo by Kent MillerAcadia National Park
Maine
4,079,318 visits in 2025Quietest: February$35 / vehicle
Photo: NPS photoBiscayne National Park
Florida
486,567 visits in 2025Quietest: OctoberFree entry
Photo: NPS Photo/LynchBlack Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Colorado
250,086 visits in 2025Quietest: February$30 / 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: NPS Photo / D.J. ReiserCuyahoga Valley National Park
Ohio
3,025,325 visits in 2025Quietest: JanuaryFree entry
Photo: NPS Photo / Nathan KostegianDenali National Park & Preserve
Alaska
543,300 visits in 2025Quietest: January$15 / person
Photo: NPS Photo / Brett SeymourDry Tortugas National Park
Florida
89,355 visits in 2025Quietest: October$15 / person
Photo: NPS Photo by Miguel SalasEverglades National Park
Florida
778,198 visits in 2025Quietest: October$35 / vehicle
Photo: NPS / T. VandenBergGlacier Bay National Park & Preserve
Alaska
740,044 visits in 2025Quietest: FebruaryFree entry
Photo: NPS PhotoGlacier National Park
Montana
3,136,557 visits in 2025Quietest: February$35 / vehicle
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 photoHot Springs National Park
Arkansas
2,494,611 visits in 2025Quietest: SeptemberFree entry
Photo: NPS PhotoIndiana Dunes National Park
Indiana
2,629,497 visits in 2025Quietest: January$25 / vehicle
Photo: NPS Photo / Paul BrownIsle Royale National Park
Michigan
29,091 visits in 2025Quietest: January$7 / person
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/Louise McLaughlinNew River Gorge National Park & Preserve
West Virginia
1,958,440 visits in 2025Quietest: JanuaryFree entry
Photo: NPS Photo/D.DixonNorth Cascades National Park
Washington
46,925 visits in 2025Quietest: DecemberFree entry
Photo: NPS Photo/Jon PrestonOlympic National Park
Washington
3,584,187 visits in 2025Quietest: January$30 / vehicle
Photo: NPS Photo / Steve OlsonRedwood National and State Parks
California
1,202,480 visits in 2025Quietest: DecemberFree entry
Photo: NPS/J.MarinoRocky Mountain National Park
Colorado
4,171,431 visits in 2025Quietest: February$30 / vehicle
Photo: NPS/Rick CainSequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
California
2,158,128 visits in 2025Quietest: February$35 / vehicle
Photo: NPS Photo / Neal LewisShenandoah National Park
Virginia
1,682,152 visits in 2025Quietest: January$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 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
Fishing ideas, park by park
Fishing is a great way to spend your day in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Learn about the best places to fish and how to responsibly enjoy this pastime.
Pets OK
Fishing at Dry Tortugas
Pets OK
- Fishing in the EvergladesAll year
One third of Everglades National Park is covered by water, creating excellent boating and fishing opportunities! Snapper, sea trout, redfish, bass, and bluegill are plentiful. Saltwater fishing includes Florida Bay, the…
Fee
The area surrounding Kenai Fjords has outstanding opportunities for both fresh and salt water fishing
Pets OK
- Go Fishing on Lake Clark2-8 Hours · All year
Lake Clark provides excellent fishing opportunities for adventurous anglers. The park and preserve includes some of the most pristine fishery habitats in the National Park system. Fly or boat out from Port Alsworth onto…
Pets OK - Go Fly Fishing at Tanalian Falls2-5 Hours · Spring, Summer, Fall
Want to try fishing in Alaska? This scenic spot offers both the lure of possible grayling catches and opportunities to take stunning pictures
Pets OK
- Fish Butte Lake0-0 Minutes · Summer, Fall
Fly fishing, Fishing Butte Lake
- Fish Manzanita Lake0-10 Hours · Summer, Fall
Manzanita Lake is one of the most popular fishing spots in the park and it is easily accessible. This lake holds a fair number of rainbow and brown trout and is rated as a blue-ribbon fly fishery by the state of…
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve offers many outstanding opportunities for fishing in teh New River and its tributaries.
Pets OK
- Fishing in the North CascadesAll year
Fishing is popular in many lakes and rivers of the North Cascades.
FeePets OK
Fishing
Reservation/permit
Voyageurs National Park has many options for the aspiring or experienced angler.
Pets OK
- Fishing at Wrangell-St. Elias1-8 Hours · All year
Sport fishing in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park offers many opportunities. Arctic grayling, dolly varden, lake trout, steelhead/rainbow trout, whitefish, sockeye salmon, coho salmon, and chinook salmon are widespread.
Pets OK
From the NPS Data API's things-to-do records, checked 2026-10-01.
FAQ
Fishing, quickly
- Which national parks offer fishing?
- 41 of the 63 national parks list fishing as an activity, according to the National Park Service: Acadia, Biscayne, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Capitol Reef, Channel Islands, Congaree, Crater Lake, Cuyahoga Valley, Denali, Dry Tortugas, Everglades, Glacier Bay, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Great Basin, Great Sand Dunes, Great Smoky Mountains, Hot Springs, Indiana Dunes, Isle Royale, Katmai, Kenai Fjords, Kobuk Valley, Lake Clark, Lassen Volcanic, Mammoth Cave, Mount Rainier, New River Gorge, North Cascades, Olympic, Redwood, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Shenandoah, Virgin Islands, Voyageurs, Wrangell–St. Elias, Yellowstone, Yosemite.
- What's the least crowded national park for fishing?
- By 2025 recreation visits, Kobuk Valley National Park (7,786 visits), then Lake Clark (19,778). The busiest park on this list is Great Smoky Mountains, with 11,527,939.
- Which state has the most national parks for fishing?
- Alaska, with 7, followed by California (5).
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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