Maine’s Acadia Makes Top 10: 7th Most Visited U.S. Park in 2024

Acadia National Park is one of America's most beautiful and popular attractions—and now we have the data to back it up.

The picturesque park spans over 47,000 acres of stunning East Coast landscape. It offers world-class hikes, the tallest mountain on the Atlantic Coast, breathtaking views, outdoor recreation opportunities, and much more. Even during the off-peak months, it provides plenty of activities for locals to enjoy.

The park is also coming off a banner year.

Acadia National Park Has One of its Most Success Years Ever in 2024

According to the Mount Desert Islander, Acadia saw nearly 4 million visitors in 2024, making it one of the most visited years ever. The official visitation number, which comes from the National Park Service, was just above 3.96 million visits. That was roughly a 2% increase from 2023.

The National Park Service utilized data from the Mount Desert Island, Schoodic Peninsula, and Isle Au Haut entries. The Mount Desert Islander also points out that this total represents the number of visits, not the number of visitors, meaning one individual could have accounted for multiple visits.

So, why the banner year?

Well, the first reason had to be the improved weather. A rainy 2023 was eclipsed by a picture-perfect 2024, especially in the warmer months. It's incredible what effect a little sunshine can have.

I would imagine the increased interest in Maine as a travel destination almost certainly contributed to the rise in visitors. It's also a relatively inexpensive activity. A $35 car pass provides park access for a week, even during peak times. The pass is less expensive during non-peak months. In a world where everything seems incredibly expensive, I'd say this is quite a deal.

Acadia 2024 visitation numbers are not only impressive at the local level, but also from a national perspective.

Acadia Was One of the Most Visited National Parks in America in 2024

According to USA Today, Acadia ended 2024 as the seventh most visited national park in America. It was ranked between California’s Yosemite National Park at number six and Washington’s Olympic National Park at number eight.

In fact, Acadia was only a few hundred thousand visitors away from breaking into the top five. That’s pretty astonishing when you consider its location—getting to this remote oasis takes real effort.

The Most Visited National Parks in America in 2024

As great as 2024 was for Acadia, it's safe to say the park won't be breaking into the top three anytime soon. Here's a look at those parks and their visitation numbers:

1. Great Smokey Mountains National Park (Tennessee & North Carolina) - 12.1 million
2. Zion National Park (Utah) - 4.9 million
3. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona) - 4.9 million

A million visitors is a significant number. Still, it's wild to think the Grand Canyon only gets about a million more visitors than Acadia. You'd expect that gap to be much larger. And that 12 million figure for the Great Smoky Mountains? Just insane.

READ MORE: Maine's Chimney Pond Trail Named One of the Best for Spring Hikes

What a wonderfully successful year 2024 was for Acadia National Park. It ranked among the most popular parks nationwide and came close to eclipsing the modern visitation record set in 2021, when there were 4.07 million visits.

Could that record be broken in 2025? We'll find out soon enough. The future is certainly bright for Maine’s golden child.