Year after year, the Great Smoky Mountains are America’s most-visited national park. Turns out, fall might be its most impressive season.
A new study ranking the best national parks for an autumn getaway put the Smokies at No. 1, ahead of Acadia, Shenandoah, Rocky Mountain and Grand Teton.
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The research, conducted by Sudoku Bliss, analyzed National Park Service visitation data from September through November between 2021 and 2025, along with Google ratings and reviews. Great Smoky Mountains earned the top overall score after welcoming nearly 19 million fall visitors over that five-year span.
Best for: Sweeping mountain views, colorful fall foliage and beginner-friendly campground options (Getty Images)
And if you’re looking for a second opinion, the acting director of the National Park Service happens to agree.
During a recent interview with OutKick OutDoors, Jessica Bowron named the Smokies and the Blue Ridge Parkway when asked where she’d send someone chasing fall colors.
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“I would send them to the Blue Ridge Parkway, with a close partner being the Great Smoky Mountains National Park,” Bowron said. “Two really incredible parks to see the fall colors.”
Great Smoky Mountains leads the fall rankings
The Smokies finished well ahead of the rest of the field in the study, with a fall score of 94.7.
Acadia National Park in Maine ranked second at 86.6, followed by Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park at 76.0, Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado at 74.1 and Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming at 72.9.
The rest of the top 10 included Yosemite, Zion, Yellowstone, Cuyahoga Valley and New River Gorge.
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And the rankings weren’t based on visitor totals alone.
The study weighted total fall visits, total visitor hours, Google ratings and the number of reviews containing autumn-related language. Shenandoah, for example, had fewer visitors than several parks ranked below it, but 18.4% of its Google reviews mentioned fall — the highest share among the top 10.
An overlook at Shenandoah National Park. (Douglas Rissing / Getty Images)
So while the Smokies won on sheer popularity and overall score, the list includes everything from classic East Coast leaf-peeping destinations to red rocks and wildlife-heavy Western parks.
More of the Blue Ridge Parkway is coming back
Bowron also shared some good news for travelers planning a trip along the Blue Ridge Parkway this fall.
“Just within the next few weeks, we should be reopening additional sections of the parkway that were hit by Hurricane Helene just two years ago,” Bowron told OutKick OutDoors. “We’re really excited to get that work wrapped up and see visitors back on that parkway.”
Linn Cove Viaduct on the Blue Ridge Parkway in the fall. The road winds through the mountains under a blue morning sky. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
For anyone planning a fall road trip through the region, that’s certainly worth keeping an eye on.
Want something a little less obvious?
If your idea of a relaxing fall weekend does not involve joining everybody else in America at the Smokies, Bowron also offered a more under-the-radar option.
Her pick: Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park.
And this wasn’t just an answer pulled from a list.
“I was there just yesterday, actually, we went for a hike on the C&O Canal with my husband and my daughter,” Bowron said.
She highlighted the more than 100-mile towpath running from the Washington, D.C., area into Western Maryland, with opportunities to hike, bike and branch off onto other trails along the way.
“I don’t know that folks recognize what an incredible resource that is,” she said.
That might be the better play for travelers who want fall scenery without traffic and crowds.
Don’t sleep on national parks in winter
Fall gets most of the attention this time of year, but Bowron said winter opens up a completely different set of possibilities.
For warmer-weather trips, she pointed to places like Death Valley, Mojave, Everglades and Saguaro — parks that can be far more comfortable once summer temperatures disappear.
A saguaro cactus forest in Saguaro National Park, Ariz., during sunset. (Getty Images)
And for travelers who actually want the snow, there are plenty of options for that, too. The Rockies offer snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, while Utah’s Bryce Canyon National Park is a great place for winter hiking, snowshoeing and skiing among its snow-covered red rock formations.
Bowron warned, though, to check park websites for road closures, weather conditions and available facilities before you go.
“Days are going to be shorter. Conditions are going to change,” Bowron said. “They’re going to be very different from what you might expect in the summer.”
A woman poses in Bryce Canyon National Park. (Getty Images)
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So don’t be sad your summer vacation has come to an end. Because for the national parks, now is when things start getting really good.
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