NSW’s national parks just had their biggest year on record. In the 2024-25 financial year, there were 65.5 million visits to the state’s network of about 900 parks and reserves – smashing the previous record of 60 million set back in 2018.

The numbers behind the numbers are equally striking. Of those 65.5 million visits, 37 million were outside Greater Sydney.

And for the first time, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service tracked international visitation – finding that 72 per cent of overseas tourists to NSW visited at least one national park, generating 4.6 million visits on their own.

Before we dive into the list, we want to say upfront that visitors should always be mindful of their impact on our national parks. Stick to the marked tracks to avoid erosion, avoid unofficial lookouts, take your rubbish with you, respect closures and cultural sites and visit midweek or early in the day wherever possible.

So, where is everyone actually going? Here are the 10 most visited parks in NSW, and what keeps drawing people back.

The Blue Mountains is NSW’s most visited national park. Photo: Getty

1. Blue Mountains National Park – 7.8 million visits

It’s not even close. The Blue Mountains attracted more visitors than any other national park in the state, and it’s easy to understand why.

World Heritage-listed, impossibly scenic and just 90 minutes from Sydney’s CBD, it offers something for everyone – from the Scenic World boardwalk to wilderness treks through the Grand Cliff Top Walk and beyond.

The Three Sisters remains one of the most photographed spots in the country. Take time to soak in the magic of these ancient rainforest gullies and the kind of views that make you stop mid-step.

Royal National Park is the world’s second-oldest national park.

2. Royal National Park – 4.9 million visits

The world’s second-oldest national park is just 30 kilometres south of Sydney and feels like a secret the city keeps badly. Royal draws nearly five million visitors a year for its coastal cliff-top walks, sheltered swimming beaches and wildflower displays that explode into colour each spring.

The Coast Track – a 26-kilometre multiday walk from Bundeena to Otford – is one of the finest coastal walks in Australia, full stop.

The popular Bobbin Head Picnic Ground in Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park. Photo: Destination NSW

3. Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park – 4.3 million visits

On Sydney’s northern fringe, Ku-ring-gai Chase protects one of the largest collections of Aboriginal rock engravings in NSW alongside the stunning waterways of the Hawkesbury River.

It’s a park of two personalities: Quiet forest trails and sandstone plateau walks on one hand, and popular boating, kayaking and picnicking spots on the other.

Lane Cove River is perfect for kayakers. Photo: Destination NSW

4. Lane Cove National Park – 2.4 million visits

A green ribbon running through Sydney’s inner north, Lane Cove punches well above its size.

The river walking and cycling trails draw a loyal local crowd year-round, and the calm flatwater is perfect for kayakers and stand-up paddleboarders wanting to escape the harbour chop.

Kosciuszko National Park isn’t only a winter destination. Photo: Getty

5. Kosciuszko National Park – 2.4 million visits

The only park in the top five that isn’t on Sydney’s doorstep, Kosciuszko is a two-season destination in the Snowy Mountains, drawing visitors for skiing and snowboarding in winter and alpine wildflower walks, including to Australia’s highest suspension bridge, in summer.

At 2.4 million visits, it’s proof that Australians will travel for the right landscape.

Cockatoo Island is a former shipyard and jail now used for camping and public events. Photo: Destination NSW

6. Sydney Harbour National Park – 2.2 million visits

One of the most unusual parks in NSW, Sydney Harbour National Park is scattered across dozens of separate headlands, bushland reserves and islands around the harbour. It protects historic fortifications, quiet coves and some of the most coveted camping spots in the country – Cockatoo Island and the Quarantine Station among them.

More than 2.2 million people found their way in last year, which makes sense: It’s everywhere, and it’s free.

Explore the Girrakool Loop Track, at the Brisbane Water National Park. Photo: Destination NSW

7. Brisbane Water National Park – 2.1 million visits

On NSW Central Coast, Brisbane Water is best known for two things: Its spectacular wildflower season in spring, when the heathland erupts with colour, and its extensive network of Aboriginal rock engravings at Bulgandry and elsewhere.

The park’s estuaries and inlets are popular with kayakers and fishing enthusiasts, and the Bouddi Peninsula walking track passes through the southern edge of the park on its way to some very fine coastal views.

8. Morton National Park – 1.9 million visits

Morton is one of NSW’s largest and most underrated parks – a vast sandstone wilderness in the Southern Highlands that rewards those willing to go looking.

Deep slot canyons, hidden waterfalls and the spectacular Fitzroy Falls are the drawcards, alongside some of the best remote camping in the state. If you’ve been to the Blue Mountains but not Morton, this is the one to add to the list.

The Bouddi Coastal Walk links beaches and headlands. Photo: Destination NSW

9. Bouddi National Park – 1.6 million visits

A compact coastal gem between Gosford and Broken Bay, Bouddi rewards the effort it takes to get there.

The multiday Bouddi Coastal Walk links beaches and headlands above a protected marine park, offering some of the best snorkelling on the NSW coast. Little Beach – only accessible on foot – is the kind of place that earns its name.

Hiking and biking are the features at Glenrock. Photo: Destination NSW

10. Glenrock State Conservation Area – 1.5 million visits

Rounding out the top 10 is a Newcastle favourite that many Sydneysiders haven’t heard of. Glenrock is a rugged coastal conservation area offering world-class mountain biking trails, a surf beach, and one of the few protected coastal areas in NSW where dogs are permitted.

Republished from Australian Traveller