Best National Recreation Areas
104 places · 104 rated by visitors · ranked honestly, never by who pays.
These are the best places we track for national recreation area visits, ranked purely by real visitor approval. We show every qualifying place; any without enough reviews yet carries an Insufficient ranking data marker instead of a guessed score.
Top of the list right now: Anna Ruby Falls Recreation Area at 98% approval.
- Anna Ruby Falls Recreation Area
- Ledges Trailhead
- Big Spring - Ozark National Scenic Riverways
- Ross Lake National Recreation Area
- Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
- Croton Gorge Park
- Chickasaw National Recreation Area
- Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area - Siuslaw National Forest Visitor Center
- Fort Fisher State Recreation Area
- Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area
- Curecanti National Recreation Area
- Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
- Foster Falls Recreation Area
- Island Ford Unit, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
- Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area
- Catwalk Recreation Area
- Ozark National Scenic Riverways Park Headquarters (No Visitor Center)
- Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
- Yachats State Recreation Area
- Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
- Cochran Shoals Unit, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
- Sitting Bull Falls Recreation Area
- Sand Flats Recreation Area
- Tongue Ranger District and Forest Supervisor's Office
- Eleven Mile Canyon Recreation Area
- Gauley River National Recreation Area
- Golden Gate National Recreation Area
- Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
- Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
- Gateway National Recreation Area
- Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
- Noccalula Falls Park & Campground
- Island Lake Recreation Area
- Cataract Falls State Recreation Area
- Red Cliffs National Conservation Area
- Prince William Forest Park
- Catoctin Mountain Park
- Dungeness Recreation Area
- Kerr Lake State Recreation Area
- Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area
- Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site
- Double Lake Recreation Area
- Johnson Sauk Trail State Recreation Area
- Waʻahila Ridge State Recreation Area
- Lost Bridge State Recreation Area
- Rock Creek Recreation Area
- North Point Recreation Area
- Big Bog State Recreation Area Southern Unit
- Flight Park State Recreation Area
- Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area
- Sheyenne National Grassland
- Bluff Springs Recreation Area
- Lake Mead National Recreation Area
- Jacob Riis Park (Gateway National Recreation Area)
- Alexander Springs Recreation Area
- Pontiac Lake Recreation Area
- Silver Glen Springs Recreation Area
- Bald Mountain State Recreation Area
- Raccoon Lake State Recreation Area
- Fort Tilden (Gateway National Recreation Area)
- Chalmette Battlefield
- Fort Washington Park
- Fort Wadsworth - Gateway National Recreation Area
- Lieber State Recreation Area
- Clinton Lake State Recreation Area
- Sand Lake Recreation Area
- Coon Bluff Recreation Area
- Keaīwa Heiau State Recreation Area
- Northern State Recreation Area
- Blue Marsh National Recreation Area
- Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area
- Lake Meredith National Recreation Area Headquarters
- Lake Mead National Recreation Area Information and Administrative Offices
- Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area
- Volga River State Recreation Area
- Chena River State Recreation Area
- Randall Creek State Recreation Area
- Richard Bong State Recreation Area
- Mounds State Recreation Area
- Fifth Water Hot Springs Trailhead
- Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area
- Anthony Wayne Recreation Area
- Fall Creek State Recreation Area
- Juniper Springs Recreation Swimming Area, Marion County, FL
- Windmill State Recreation Area
- Paynetown State Recreation Area
- Medlock Bridge Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
- Amistad National Recreation Area
- Scotts Cove Recreation Area
- Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area
- Caddo National Grasslands
- Kincaid Recreation Area
- Juniper Springs Recreation Area
- Round Valley Recreation Area
- Salt Springs Recreation Area
- Charles Memorial Park (Gateway National Recreation Area)
- Thunder Basin National Grassland
- Lake Le-Aqua-Na State Recreation Area
- Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area
- Marble Beach State Recreation Area
Showing the top 100 of 104.
Common questions
How many places are on this list?
104 places, 104 of them rated by visitors.
What is the top pick for national recreation area visits?
Anna Ruby Falls Recreation Area leads with 98% approval from 1,957 reviews.
How does ParksRanked decide the order?
By real visitor approval only. Membership reflects our curated selections from the directory; no advertising or partnership ever influences the ranking, and sparse-data places are clearly marked.