The most and least popular national parks

Ken Burns’ PBS series “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” shines a spotlight on our great natural treasures. Here are the most-visited national parks -- eight are in the West -- and the least-visited ones, where the views come with a bit more solitude. For photos, go to latimes.com/nationalparks.

Source: National Park Service

* Numbers (rounded) through August **Damaged in the late September tsunami

*--* MOST VISITED National park 2008 attendance* 2009 attendance* 1. Great Smoky Mountains (Tenn.) 6 million 6.4 million 2. Grand Canyon (Ariz.) 3.3 million 3.2 million 3. Yosemite (Calif.) 2.5 million 2.7 million 4. Yellowstone (Wyo., Mont., 2.5 million 2.7 million Idaho) 5. Olympic (Wash.) 2.2 million 2.4 million 6. Rocky Mountain (Colo.) 2 million 2.1 million 7. Grand Teton (Wyo.) 1.9 million 2 million 8. Zion (Utah) 1.9 million 2 million 9. Cuyahoga Valley (Ohio) 2 million 1.8 million 10. Glacier (Mont.) 1.5 million 1.6 million *--*

*--* LEAST VISITED National park 2008 attendance* 2009 attendance* 58. Kobuk Valley (Alaska) 1,042 1,250 57. National Park of American 2,510 2,412 Samoa** 56. Lake Clark (Alaska) 4,134 4,134 55. Katmai (Alaska) 7,970 4,535 54. Gates of the Arctic (Alaska) 10,783 9,257 53. Isle Royale (Mich.) 12,691 12,691 52. North Cascades (Wash.) 14,944 13,759 51. Wrangell-St. Elias (Alaska) 59,300 53,274 50. Great Basin (Nev.) 50,960 60,248 49. Congaree (S.C.) 72,924 63,068 *--*