Published May 13, 2025 · Updated May 16, 2025
How many people visit Blue Ridge Parkway each year?
Over 16 million visitors come to Blue Ridge Parkway each year.
Totals in recent years:
- 16,733,639 visitors in 2024.
- 16,757,635 visitors in 2023, up 6.7% from 2022.
- 15,711,004 visitors in 2022, down 1.5% from 2021 (15,948,148 visitors).
- 14,976,085 visitors in 2019. Visits dropped to 14,099,485 in 2020 (because of the pandemic), a 5.8% decline from 2019 (pre-pandemic).
How much do visitors spend each year at Blue Ridge Parkway?
Visitors to Blue Ridge Parkway spend over $1 billion per year:
- $1.39 billion in 2023, a 7.8% increase from 2022.
- $1.29 billion in 2022, similar to 2021.
- $1.07 billion in 2020, a 5.3% decrease from 2019 due to pandemic restrictions.
Number of Visitors at Blue Ridge Parkway in 2025
- From January to March of 2025, 2.34 million people visited Blue Ridge Parkway.
| Number of Visitors at Blue Ridge Parkway (2025) | |
|---|---|
| Month | Recreational Visits |
| Jan | 447.86 K |
| Feb | 599.66 K |
| Mar | 1293.79 K |
Source · This data is just preliminary and subject to changes for future updates.
How many people visited Blue Ridge Parkway in 2024?
- In 2024, 16,733,639 people visited Blue Ridge Parkway, a 0.14% decrease from 2023 and a 12% increase from 2019 (pre-pandemic).
How many people visit Blue Ridge Parkway per day?
- 45,000 people visit Blue Ridge Parkway every day, with the number increasing during the summer and fall.
How much does it cost to visit Blue Ridge Parkway?
- Blue Ridge Parkway is an accessible national park site with no entrance fee (free).
When is Blue Ridge Parkway’s peak season?
The peak season for Blue Ridge Parkway is late spring to fall.
- June through August are the busiest. The park receives 2 million visitors monthly during this time.
- Summer and fall are the most popular seasons because of good weather for outdoor activities.
What are the best months to visit Blue Ridge Parkway?
While peak months have the most visitors, the best months to visit are in Spring (April-May) for fewer crowds, blooming wildflowers and mild temperatures.
- Summer (June-July): Warm weather, great for hiking and camping but is the busiest time.
- Fall (September-October): Most popular time for fall colors.
- Winter (December-February): Quietest months with occasional road closures due to snow.
How popular is Blue Ridge Parkway?
Blue Ridge Parkway is consistently among the ranks of the most visited parks in the United States.
- It was named as the #2 most-visited National Park Service Site in 2024.
- It is the longest linear park in the United States, featuring a 469-mile scenic route.
| Top 10 Most Visited Parks in the United States (2024) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rank | Park | Recreation Visitors |
| 1 | Golden Gate NRA | 17,187,508 |
| 2 | Blue Ridge PKWY | 16,733,639 |
| 3 | Great Smoky Mountains NP | 12,191,834 |
| 4 | Gateway NRA | 8,929,035 |
| 5 | Lincoln Memorial | 8,479,349 |
| 6 | Gulf Islands NS | 7,801,176 |
| 7 | Natchez Trace PKWY | 7,364,833 |
| 8 | George Washington MEM PKWY | 6,782,717 |
| 9 | Lake Mead NRA | 6,412,854 |
| 10 | Vietnam Veterans MEM | 5,295,711 |
Why do people visit Blue Ridge Parkway?
People visit the Blue Ridge Parkway because of its:
- Hiking and outdoor activities at Humpback Rocks, Linville Falls and Craggy Gardens
- Many camping options from RV to backcountry
- Wildlife and photography of flora and fauna
- Historic sites, visitor centers and Appalachian heritage exhibits
Camping Statistics for Blue Ridge Parkway in 2024
With 48,960 campers in 2024, Tent camping was most popular at Blue Ridge Parkway. RV Camping was also common and had 32,220 registered campers.
Other campers registered in 2024:
- Concessionaire Lodging: 24,250 campers
- Backcountry Camping: 307 campers
Learn more about Camping Statistics in USA here.
Other Resources
- Cape Cod National Seashore Tourism Statistics
- Castle Clinton National Monument Tourism Statistics
- Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area Tourism Statistics
- Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park Tourism Statistics
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Tourism Statistics
- Gateway National Recreation Area Tourism Statistics
- Gulf Islands National Seashore Tourism Statistics
- Korean War Veterans Memorial Tourism Statistics
- Lincoln Memorial Tourism Statistics
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Tourism Statistics
- Natchez Trace Parkway Tourism Statistics
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial Tourism Statistics
What are the most common causes of visitor deaths at Blue Ridge Parkway?
From 2007 to August 2024, 182 deaths were recorded at Blue Ridge Parkway. The most common were due to:
- Motor Vehicle Crashes: 89 deaths
- Suicide: 51 deaths
- Undetermined Causes: 11 deaths
- Falls: 6 deaths
- Medical (Not During Physical Activity): 6 deaths
- Homicide: 5 deaths
- Medical (During Physical Activity): 5 deaths
- Environmental Factors: 3 deaths
- Other Transportation Accidents: 3 deaths
- Drowning: 2 deaths
- Medical (Unknown): 1 death
Safety Tips for Visiting Blue Ridge Parkway
When you’re at Blue Ridge Parkway don’t forget to:
- Drive safe and watch for wildlife and curves.
- Plan for the weather as it can change fast especially in the mountains.
- Be prepared when hiking by carrying water, wearing good shoes and telling someone where you’re going.
- Watch out for wildlife and don’t feed or approach animals.
- Stay on marked trails so you don’t fall or get lost.
- Save the park rangers’ numbers so you can call during an emergency.
RV rental in the USA
- Albuquerque RV rental
- Boston RV rental
- Cincinnati RV rental
- Orlando RV rental
- RV rental in Portland
- San Diego RV rental
- RV rental in San Francisco
- San Jose RV rental
- RV rental in Seattle
- Washington Dc RV rental
References
- National Park Annual Visitation · irma.nps.gov
