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Be an outsider.

Some national parks will require entry reservations this summer.

I'm Jason Epperson and this week on America's National Parks

I'll tell you which ones and break down all the details.

I'm standing along the Blue Ridge Parkway,

which for the first time in 2020 was the most visited of the over 400 National Park Service

sites, edging out Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Just down the road, about 90 miles from here, is Great Smoky Mountains National Park,

which consistently ranks as the top visited of the 63 major national parks. I can confirm

after visiting the Smokies last week the Tennessee side is as busy as ever,

though there are still plenty of quiet recreation opportunities to be found.

The parkway here is just beginning to really open up for the season

as the Blue Ridge Mountains prepare for the big display of bright green foliage

and bursts of colorful wildflowers. The Blue Ridge Mountains in the Smoky Mountains are our most

popular recreation destinations primarily due to the fact that two-thirds of Americans live within a day's drive of here.

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