National parks with swimming
Bright dots offer swimming. Tap any park to tick it off your checklist.
Quietest picks for swimming
- 1National Park of American Samoa43,258 visits
- 2Dry Tortugas National Park89,355 visits
- 3Voyageurs National Park206,326 visits
By 2025 recreation visits (NPS).
Most parks for swimming
- California 4
- Florida 2
- Montana 2
- American Samoa 1
- Colorado 1
- Hawaii 1
- Idaho 1
- Indiana 1
17 parks
Where to go for swimming
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/Brett SeymourChannel Islands National Park
California
227,186 visits in 2025Quietest: JanuaryFree entry
Photo: NPS PhotoCrater Lake National Park
Oregon
632,242 visits in 2025Quietest: January$30 / vehicle
Photo: NPS Photo / Brett SeymourDry Tortugas National Park
Florida
89,355 visits in 2025Quietest: October$15 / person
Photo: NPS PhotoGlacier National Park
Montana
3,136,557 visits in 2025Quietest: February$35 / vehicle
Photo: NPS/Patrick MyersGreat Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
Colorado
432,498 visits in 2025Quietest: January$25 / vehicle
Photo: NPSHaleakalā National Park
Hawaii
853,711 visits in 2025Quietest: February$30 / vehicle
Photo: NPS PhotoIndiana Dunes National Park
Indiana
2,629,497 visits in 2025Quietest: January$25 / vehicle
Photo: NPS Photo / Scott ArnazLassen Volcanic National Park
California
504,777 visits in 2025Quietest: December$30 / vehicle
Photo: NPS Photo / Michael LarsonNational Park of American Samoa
American Samoa
43,258 visits in 2025Quietest: JuneFree 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
Photo: NPS PhotoYosemite National Park
California
4,278,413 visits in 2025Quietest: January$35 / vehicle
Ideas from the National Park Service
Swimming ideas, park by park
- Swim Echo Lake BeachSummer
Echo Lake Beach is a popular, freshwater swimming area on the southern end of Echo Lake. It is accessible off Route 102 in Southwest Harbor.
Pets OK - Swim Lake WoodSummer
Lake Wood is a secluded pond with a small beach area, just a short drive away from Hulls Cove Visitor Center. There are no lifeguards and access road does not open until June 1.
Pets OK - Swim Sand BeachSpring, Summer, Fall
Acadia’s only sandy ocean beach, at the beginning of the Park Loop Road’s coastal section, is one of the park’s most heavily-visited areas. Visitors come to swim in the frigid water, bask and play on the sand, seek…
Pets OK
From the NPS Data API's things-to-do records, checked 2026-10-01.
Pair it with
Related things to do
FAQ
Swimming, quickly
- Which national parks offer swimming?
- 17 of the 63 national parks list swimming as an activity, according to the National Park Service: Acadia, Biscayne, Channel Islands, Crater Lake, Dry Tortugas, Glacier, Great Sand Dunes, Haleakalā, Indiana Dunes, Lassen Volcanic, American Samoa, Olympic, Redwood, Virgin Islands, Voyageurs, Yellowstone, Yosemite.
- What's the least crowded national park for swimming?
- By 2025 recreation visits, National Park of American Samoa (43,258 visits), then Dry Tortugas (89,355). The busiest park on this list is Yellowstone, with 4,762,988.
- Which state has the most national parks for swimming?
- California, with 4, followed by Florida (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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