To be honest, I actually am kind of surprised.

I think having grown up in Maine, I am extremely desensitized by our state’s beauty and the jaw-dropping awe of our national park. I obviously admire our beloved Acadia but I guess I’m just so used to it, it doesn’t give off the same starstruck effect as other national parks in the country for me since they seem so far out of reach and daunting.

That being said, it’s an unbelievably gorgeous park with distinctive views, hikes, and sights.

Top 10 National Parks in America

The National Park Service is comprised of 423 park units, including 63 national parks. Through basic conversation, popular songs, television shows, and even movies, you hear about the popular ones like Yosemite and Yellowstone. So, is it surprising that Maine’s very own national park made the list of top 10 in the country?

National Geographic released a list of the Top 10 Most Popular National Parks based on the number of visitors. Out of the 63 in the country, Acadia National Park made it on the list.

We may have not made it to the No. 1 spot but just merely being on this list is incredible. Maine’s national park is ranked among the Great Smoky Mountains, Grand Canyon, Zion, Yellowstone, and all the famous ones. Our valued Acadia came in at No. 7.

Here’s the list:

  1. Great Smoky Mountains National Park
  2. Grand Canyon National Park
  3. Rocky Mountain National Park
  4. Zion National Park
  5. Yellowstone National Park
  6. Yosemite National Park
  7. Acadia National Park
  8. Gran Teton National Park
  9. Indiana Dunes National Park
  10. Glacier National Park

The renowned publication wrote the following about Acadia: “Sea and mountain meet at Acadia National Park in Maine. Most of the park is on Mount Desert Island, a patchwork of parkland, private property, and waterside villages.”

Acadia National Park

Maine’s national park boasts 27 miles of scenic historic motor roads, 158 miles of hiking trails, and 45 miles of gorgeous carriage roads along the coast and through the forest.

For many months out of the year, the tallest peak, Cadillac Mountain, is the very first place you can see the sunrise in the country. The park is comprised of rocky shores, sandy beaches, lakes, streams, wetlands, forests, coastlines, and meadows, filled with diverse landscapes.

Every nook and cranny of this national park is stunning, so while I may have been surprised to see it on the top 10 list, it does deserve to be there.

The park is gorgeous every day of the year but it showcases a special kind of beauty in the fall season. Scroll through these beautiful images to get a feel for what Maine’s top-rated national park looks like in autumn:

50 Stunning Photos Show Acadia National Park’s Beauty in the Fall Season

Acadia National Park boasts stunning views year-round, especially during the leaf-peeping months of Autumn. Here are the views you experience in Acadia during the fall season:

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