
In the summer travelers usually flock to national parks. National monuments, however, are less-crowded alternatives that often shine a light on the history of the U.S. Many of the country’s most popular national monuments have patriotic significance, while others are visited for the scenic beauty.
To identify the most popular national monuments in 2020, 24/7 Tempo reviewed last year’s recreational visits published in the National Park Service’s annual visitation report. The NPS aggregates visitation data for various government land designations and visitation purposes. Only national monuments (NM) were considered in our analysis.
The NPS takes care of more than 85 million acres in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. Though NPS locations are generally referred to as parks, there are several name designations. The NPS manages a total of 84 national monuments.
Monuments in the West and Southwest are the most visited — perhaps suggesting people living in those regions are the biggest fans of national monuments. Of the 30 most visited in 2020, six are in Arizona, four in California, and three in New Mexico.
Exploring the wilderness, hiking through mountains, and sleeping under the stars are just some of the nature experiences these parks have to offer, often free of charge. And these are the national parks that had the most visitors in 2020.
Click here to see the most popular national monuments

30. Tuzigoot
> Recreation visits in 2020: 78,358
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 0.86%
> Location: Clarkdale, Arizona
[in-text-ad]

29. Sunset Crater Volcano
> Recreation visits in 2020: 83,669
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 0.92%
> Location: Flagstaff, Arizona

28. John Day Fossil Beds
> Recreation visits in 2020: 88,571
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 0.97%
> Location: Kimberly, Oregon

27. Timpanogos Cave
> Recreation visits in 2020: 92,481
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 1.02%
> Location: American Fork, Utah
[in-text-ad-2]

26. Bandelier
> Recreation visits in 2020: 94,948
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 1.05%
> Location: Los Alamos, New Mexico

25. Little Bighorn Battlefield
> Recreation visits in 2020: 97,461
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 1.07%
> Location: Crow Agency, Montana
[in-text-ad]

24. Governors Island
> Recreation visits in 2020: 102,915
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 1.13%
> Location: New York City

23. Walnut Canyon
> Recreation visits in 2020: 107,422
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 1.18%
> Location: Flagstaff, Arizona

22. Devils Postpile
> Recreation visits in 2020: 108,590
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 1.20%
> Location: Mammoth Lakes, California
[in-text-ad-2]

21. Lava Beds
> Recreation visits in 2020: 111,258
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 1.22%
> Location: Tulelake, California

20. El Malpais
> Recreation visits in 2020: 139,336
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 1.53%
> Location: Grants, New Mexico
[in-text-ad]

19. Wupatki
> Recreation visits in 2020: 146,074
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 1.61%
> Location: Flagstaff, Arizona

18. Fort McHenry
> Recreation visits in 2020: 163,224
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 1.80%
> Location: Baltimore, Maryland

17. Scotts Bluff
> Recreation visits in 2020: 181,900
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 2.00%
> Location: Gering, Nebraska
[in-text-ad-2]

16. Organ Pipe Cactus
> Recreation visits in 2020: 191,512
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 2.11%
> Location: Ajo, Arizona

15. Fort Frederica
> Recreation visits in 2020: 210,892
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 2.32%
> Location: St. Simons Island, Georgia
[in-text-ad]

14. Montezuma Castle
> Recreation visits in 2020: 242,028
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 2.66%
> Location: Camp Verde, Arizona

13. Craters of the Moon
> Recreation visits in 2020: 250,872
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 2.76%
> Location: Arco, Idaho

12. Castillo de San Marcos
> Recreation visits in 2020: 251,061
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 2.76%
> Location: Saint Augustine, Florida
[in-text-ad-2]

11. Dinosaur
> Recreation visits in 2020: 264,145
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 2.91%
> Location: Jensen, Utah

10. Muir Woods
> Recreation visits in 2020: 324,232
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 3.57%
> Location: Mill Valley, California
[in-text-ad]

9. Petroglyph
> Recreation visits in 2020: 356,492
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 3.92%
> Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico

8. Fort Pulaski
> Recreation visits in 2020: 357,970
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 3.94%
> Location: Savannah, Georgia

7. Devils Tower
> Recreation visits in 2020: 423,997
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 4.67%
> Location: Devils Tower, Wyoming
[in-text-ad-2]

6. Colorado
> Recreation visits in 2020: 435,625
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 4.80%
> Location: Fruita, Colorado

5. Cabrillo
> Recreation visits in 2020: 523,878
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 5.77%
> Location: San Diego, California
[in-text-ad]

4. Fort Matanzas
> Recreation visits in 2020: 543,590
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 5.98%
> Location: Saint Augustine, Florida

3. Statue of Liberty
> Recreation visits in 2020: 576,396
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 6.34%
> Location: Liberty Island, New York

2. Castle Clinton
> Recreation visits in 2020: 633,793
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 6.98%
> Location: New York City
[in-text-ad-2]

1. Cedar Breaks
> Recreation visits in 2020: 845,867
> Share of all NM recreation visits in 2020: 9.31%
> Location: Brian Head, Utah
Escape Credit Card Debt Quicksand With a 0% Card Today (sponsor)
Looking for a smarter way to tackle your credit card debt? A balance transfer card could be your ticket to financial freedom, finally eliminating your debt once and for all. We’ve assembled a list of the top balance transfer cards available today. Many offer a 0% introductory APR, giving YOU the chance to pay down your balance without the added cost of interest. Even better, many come with no annual fee—so you can focus on eliminating debt and keeping more money in your pocket. Click here to get started today.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.