There are over 890 national parks and reserves in NSW so there’s no dearth of things to do when it comes to outdoor exploration. Some though, are far busier than others and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service 2022 Park Visitor Survey has now revealed the most visited national parks across our stunning state. A look at this list should help you decide if you want to go to the popular, more touristy spots or find a local hidden gem if you’re looking for some alone time. A bunch of National Parks mentioned in the list are right here in Sydney so you know where to start.
Top ten visited National Parks in NSW
The Blue Mountains National Park took out the first spot, retaining its position as the number one most visited national park in NSW. Home to the Three Sisters rock formation, rich landscapes, waterfalls and breathtaking views, this popular spot is the most frequented on the list with a total of 6.4 million domestic visits to the heritage-listed site.
The second most visited national park in NSW is the world’s third-oldest national park and it’s home to some of NSW’s most picture-perfect landscapes. This is, of course, The Royal National Park, Australia’s first-ever national park and the world’s first to have “National Park” as part of its name. 5 million visits were reported to this local favourite spot.
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, less than an hour’s drive from Sydney rounded out the top 3 with 4.40 million people visiting it annually.
The relatively under-the-radar Lane Cove National Park made it to the list at number 4 with 2.61 million visits. Located close to Sydney’s city centre, this picture-perfect spot is ideal for a family picnic, a walk through the rich bushland and lots of local wildlife.
Check out the full list of the top 10 most-visited National Parks in NSW
- Blue Mountains National Park — 6.40 million visits
- Royal National Park — 5.05 million visits
- Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park — 4.40 million visits
- Lane Cove National Park — 2.61 million visits
- Kosciuszko National Park — 2.48 million visits
- Sydney Harbour National Park — 1.93 million visits
- Eurobodalla National Park — 1.41 million visits
- Garigal National Park — 1.18 million visits
- Cape Byron National Park — 1.03 million visits
- Brisbane Water National Park — 929,000 visits
Head to the NSW National Parks website to read more about these popular spots and start planning your next weekend hike.