This NC National Park Has Just Been Ranked Among Nation’s Best

A new report has ranked a national park in North Carolina among the 25 best in the country. Thrillist, an online media site that writes about food, drink, travel and entertainment, published the list Monday, ranking Great Smoky Mountains National Park 14th in the country

The rankings were not exactly scientific. The parks were assessed based on how unique and photogenic they were, as well as how diverse their plants and animals are. The list highlighted its proximity to cities, free accessibility and incredible views as reasons they liked Great Smoky National Park so much. Here’s what the authors had to say:

“This park’s visitor numbers are inflated by the confluence of a couple of factors, namely that the Smoky Mountains happen to be located close to a number of sizable cities and other attractions (Dollywood) and also happens to be free. Basically, a lot of people just drive through here on their way to somewhere else. However that’s not Great Smoky Mountains’ fault and should be no reflection of its character. The Clingman’s Dome observation tower offers truly incredible panoramic views of the whole mountain range, there are a ton of swimming holes (that you can actually swim in!) scattered throughout, and to really cap things off you can pick your fill of wild strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and loads of other lesser-known berries while you’re hiking around.”

If national parks are your thing, you might consider visiting California, home to four of the country’s best national parks, including Yosemite, which ranked No. 1 on the list. The park boasts the tallest waterfall in North America, Yosemite Falls, which has a 2,425-foot vertical drop. You can hike, climb, raft and swim throughout the park, and one sightseeing point allows you to see nearly all Yosemite has to offer from one spot.

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Here are the top 10 national parks in America, according to Thrillist.

1. Yosemite National Park; California
2. Grand Canyon National Park; Arizona
3. Yellowstone National Park; Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
4. Sequoia National Park; California
5. Death Valley National Park; California, Nevada
6. Badlands National Park; South Dakota
7. Rocky Mountain National Park; Colorado
8. Arches National Park; Utah
9. Joshua Tree National Park; California
10. Bryce Canyon National Park; Utah

There are 60 national parks and people are visiting them in droves. In 2017, the National Park Service received nearly 331 million recreational visits, a tick below 2016’s record-breaking year, falling short by just 90,000 visits.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina had the most recreational visits in 2017 at about 11.3 million. Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona and Zion National Park in Utah rounded out the top three most-visited at 6.2 million and 4.5 million, respectively.

Anyone can buy a yearly pass for $80 and it’s free for current U.S. military members and their families. Seniors can pay $80 for a lifetime pass or $20 for a yearly pass.

Patch national staffer Dan Hampton contributed to this report

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