National parks with kayaking
Bright dots offer kayaking. Tap any park to tick it off your checklist.
Quietest picks for kayaking
- 1Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve14,923 visits
- 2Lake Clark National Park & Preserve19,778 visits
- 3Isle Royale National Park29,091 visits
By 2025 recreation visits (NPS).
Most parks for kayaking
- Alaska 4
- California 3
- Florida 2
- Wyoming 2
- Colorado 1
- Idaho 1
- Indiana 1
- Kentucky 1
23 parks
Where to go for kayaking
Photo: NPS Photo by Kent MillerAcadia National Park
Maine
4,079,318 visits in 2025Quietest: February$35 / vehicle
Photo: NPSBig Bend National Park
Texas
568,104 visits in 2025Quietest: August$30 / 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/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 Photo / D.J. ReiserCuyahoga Valley National Park
Ohio
3,025,325 visits in 2025Quietest: JanuaryFree entry
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 / T. VandenBergGlacier Bay National Park & Preserve
Alaska
740,044 visits in 2025Quietest: FebruaryFree entry
Photo: NPS Photo/TobiasonGrand Teton National Park
Wyoming
3,800,648 visits in 2025Quietest: December$35 / vehicle
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 Photo, S. RainoneKenai Fjords National Park
Alaska
425,369 visits in 2025Quietest: NovemberFree 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/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 Photo / Steve OlsonRedwood National and State Parks
California
1,202,480 visits in 2025Quietest: DecemberFree entry
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 / Jacob W. FrankYellowstone National Park
Idaho, Montana, Wyoming
4,762,988 visits in 2025Quietest: November$35 / vehicle
Ideas from the National Park Service
Kayaking ideas, park by park
- Kayak the Beardslees1-3 Days · All year
If you’re visiting Glacier Bay on a budget, one of the more accessible wilderness areas of the park is the Beardslee Islands. Kayak through these peaceful, wild waters and look for wildlife along the shoreline for a…
- Kayak in Kenai FjordsSpring, Summer, Fall
Explore Kenai Fjords by kayak. Paddling in Kenai Fjords can be a once in a lifetime experience. By dipping your paddle into these waters, you're participating in the long history of human powered travel along the Kenai…
- Kayak from Port Alsworth to Tommy Island2-7 Hours · Spring, Summer, Fall
Get acquainted with the beauty and vastness of Lake Clark firsthand. Spend a day on the water watching birds and jumping fish while paddling out to Tommy Island
Pets OK
From the NPS Data API's things-to-do records, checked 2026-10-01.
FAQ
Kayaking, quickly
- Which national parks offer kayaking?
- 23 of the 63 national parks list kayaking as an activity, according to the National Park Service: Acadia, Big Bend, Biscayne, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Channel Islands, Congaree, Cuyahoga Valley, Everglades, Gates of the Arctic, Glacier Bay, Grand Teton, Indiana Dunes, Isle Royale, Kenai Fjords, Lake Clark, Lassen Volcanic, Mammoth Cave, New River Gorge, Olympic, Redwood, Virgin Islands, Voyageurs, Yellowstone.
- What's the least crowded national park for kayaking?
- By 2025 recreation visits, Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve (14,923 visits), then Lake Clark (19,778). The busiest park on this list is Yellowstone, with 4,762,988.
- Which state has the most national parks for kayaking?
- Alaska, with 4, followed by California (3).
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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