This Tiny U.S. National Park in the Midwest Was Just Named the Busiest in the World

"The paradox with travel is that the most interesting or worthy things to do are often the most popular, leading to overcrowding. And in the world of national parks, this tension is amplified by factors like location, accessibility, and sheer size. Take Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve in Alaska, which sprawls 13.2 million acres and is around 3.5 hours by car from Anchorage."

"That contrast helps explain why Gateway Arch was recently named the busiest national park in the world. According to a study by South African tour operator Go2Africa, which analyzed visitor numbers relative to park size, Gateway Arch sees nearly 7 million visitors per square kilometer each year. (With 2.56 million annual visitors and just 0.37 square kilometers of space, the math checks out.)"

The most compelling travel attractions often attract crowds, and national parks show this tension when location, accessibility, and size differ. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve in Alaska covers 13.2 million acres and sits about 3.5 hours by car from Anchorage, making overcrowding nearly impossible. Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis covers just 91 acres and sits in a major city, producing extremely high visitor density. A study by Go2Africa found Gateway Arch sees nearly 7 million visitors per square kilometer annually. The park functions as an urban monument with a 630-foot arch, a museum, gardens, and summer tram service that makes up to 80 daily trips; winter tram service drops to about 48 trips.

Read at Travel + Leisure