National parks with picnicking
Bright dots offer picnicking. Tap any park to tick it off your checklist.
Quietest picks for picnicking
- 1Katmai National Park & Preserve34,479 visits
- 2Great Basin National Park161,210 visits
- 3Voyageurs National Park206,326 visits
By 2025 recreation visits (NPS).
Most parks for picnicking
- California 6
- New Mexico 2
- Utah 2
- Washington 2
- Alaska 1
- Arizona 1
- Arkansas 1
- Colorado 1
33 parks
Where to go for picnicking
Photo: NPS Photo by Kent MillerAcadia National Park
Maine
4,079,318 visits in 2025Quietest: February$35 / 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 / Michael LarsonCarlsbad Caverns National Park
New Mexico
410,778 visits in 2025Quietest: January$15 / person
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 by Miguel SalasEverglades National Park
Florida
778,198 visits in 2025Quietest: October$35 / vehicle
Photo: NPS Photo/Sue FordGateway Arch National Park
Missouri
2,209,028 visits in 2025Quietest: JanuaryFree entry
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 / 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 / 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/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/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 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 PhotoWhite Sands National Park
New Mexico
659,742 visits in 2025Quietest: February$25 / vehicle
Photo: NPS PhotoWind Cave National Park
South Dakota
606,258 visits in 2025Quietest: FebruaryFree 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
Picnicking ideas, park by park
- Picnic at Jordan PondAll year
Eat at Acadia's only restaurant, the historic Jordan Pond House, or bring your own picnic. This popular spot on Park Loop Road is a crossroad for historic carriage roads and hiking trails, as well as a launch point for…
Pets OK
Looking for a good place to enjoy a picnic? Here is a list of Bryce Canyon picnic areas.
Pets OK
- PicnicAll year
Enjoy a picnic in Capitol Reef National Park! In the Fruita Historic District, look for the Doc Inglesby and Chesnut picnic areas, as well as tables and a water fountain near the Gifford House. At the end of Capitol…
FeePets OK
- Rattlesnake Springs Picnic AreaAll year
Have a relaxing picnic among tall cottonwood trees and watch for a variety of birds.
Pets OK
Find out how you can host an event in the park.
Reservation/permitFeePets OK
- Picnic at Pole Canyon5-120 Minutes · Spring, Summer, Fall
The entrance to Pole Canyon area has day use picnic areas with picnic tables and charcoal grills. This shaded area offers a chance to be removed from the crowded visitor center to enjoy and mid day snack. Please pack…
Pets OK - Picnic at the Lehman Caves Picnic Area5-120 Minutes · All year
Picnic Area at Lehman Caves
Pets OK - Picnic at Upper Lehman Campground5-60 Minutes · All year
Upper Lehman Campground Picnic Area
Pets OK
Gather around a picnic at these spots from Giant Forest to Grant Grove.
Pets OK
East and West side, picnic areas
Pets OK
- Picnicking at White SandsAll year
White Sands National Park offers three picnic areas where people can enjoy shade, relaxation, and access to the parks incredible dunes.
Pets OK
- Picnic at Wind CaveSpring, Summer, Fall
Looking for a quiet place to enjoy a picnic? Whether you're looking for a good picnic spot or just a place to eat lunch while waiting for a tour, the picnic area is open year-round from sunrise to sunset.
Pets OK
From the NPS Data API's things-to-do records, checked 2026-10-01.
FAQ
Picnicking, quickly
- Which national parks offer picnicking?
- 34 of the 63 national parks list picnicking as an activity, according to the National Park Service: Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Carlsbad Caverns, Channel Islands, Congaree, Crater Lake, Cuyahoga Valley, Everglades, Gateway Arch, Great Basin, Great Sand Dunes, Great Smoky Mountains, Hot Springs, Indiana Dunes, Joshua Tree, Katmai, Lassen Volcanic, Mammoth Cave, Mount Rainier, New River Gorge, Olympic, Petrified Forest, Pinnacles, Redwood, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Shenandoah, Theodore Roosevelt, Virgin Islands, Voyageurs, White Sands, Wind Cave, Yellowstone.
- What's the least crowded national park for picnicking?
- By 2025 recreation visits, Katmai National Park & Preserve (34,479 visits), then Great Basin (161,210). The busiest park on this list is Great Smoky Mountains, with 11,527,939.
- Which state has the most national parks for picnicking?
- California, with 6, followed by New Mexico (2).
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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