5. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (ND)

Photo Credit: Randy Runtsch / Shutterstock

  • Share of all national park stays at in-park lodging or park-run RV camps (2025): 64.4%
  • Total national park stays at in-park lodging (2025): 0
  • Total national park stays at park-run RV camps (2025): 23,996
  • Total national park stays (2025): 37,237
  • Total national park stays (2019): 40,422
  • Percentage change in total national park stays (2019–2025): -7.9%

Theodore Roosevelt credited his time ranching in the North Dakota Badlands with shaping his conservation philosophy, making the park that bears his name one of the most historically significant in the National Park System. Today, visitors come to see its colorful badlands, roaming bison and wild horses while exploring scenic drives and hiking trails. Unlike many of the other parks in this ranking, Theodore Roosevelt National Park does not offer in-park lodging, relying instead on developed campgrounds that accommodate both tent and RV campers.

Randy Runtsch

As featured on

Best U.S. National Parks for Soft-Adventure Travel
Best U.S. National Parks for Soft-Adventure Travel
With national parks entering one of their busiest travel seasons, researchers at Dunhill Travel Deals analyzed overnight stay data from all 63 U.S. national parks to identify where travelers are most likely to find comfortable accommodations while still enjoying an outdoor adventure. Rather than focusing on backcountry camping, the study ranks parks and states by the share of overnight stays occurring at in-park lodges and park-run RV campgrounds—highlighting the destinations where visitors most often choose "soft adventure" experiences. Researchers also examined overnight visitation trends since before the pandemic and how travelers are choosing to stay inside America's national parks. 1 min