Student Data Viz Gallery 

Student Data Viz Gallery 

2025 student contestants used a data set from the National Park Service. 

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Americans Value National Parks More than Ever

Description
This set of interactive visualizations shows trends in recreational visitor counts for the most and least popular national parks over the past 30 years, demonstrating that both highly-visited and less-visited parks have seen significant increases in popularity in the past several decades. The radial design shows the yearly fluctuations and growth rates of individual parks while also highlighting the overall growth of each set of parks

Author
Lauren Hyde - University of Illinois


National Parks Visitation: A multidimensional Journey through space and time

 

Description
This comprehensive set of visualization offers a unique, multi-faceted exploration of National Parks visitation trends across the United States from 1979 to 2023. Through three distinct yet complementary visualizations, we uncover patterns, regional variations, and temporal shifts in how Americans engage with their national parks. 

A key motivation behind these complex visualizations is to actively engage viewers, encouraging them to explore and uncover patterns themselves. I believe this approach fosters curiosity rather than presenting information directly, allowing for discoveries that traditional visualizations might miss. Ultimately, the goal is to create subjective experiences that empower viewers to interpret and discover insights independently!

Author
Dilip Nikil Francies - Indiana University

 

Mapping Visitor Trends in U.S. National Parks

Description
This plot displays the trends in recreational visits (in millions) to National Parks across various U.S. regions from 1980 to 2023. Each line represents a region and shows how visitation has changed over 40 years. Notably, all regions have seen an increase in the number of visitors over the decades, particularly around 2010 and just before the pandemic. The pandemic led to a significant reduction in visits, followed by a rebound, possibly as lockdowns increased people’s desire to spend more time in nature.

Author
Guadalupe Gonzalez, a Ph.D. student, Government and Politics Department - University of Maryland

 

Most Visited U.S. National Parks, A look at the 20 most popular parks

 

Description
This data visualization explores the question, "What are the most popular national parks in the U.S.?" using a nature-inspired design to reflect the essence of the parks themselves. By focusing on the top 20 parks with the highest annual visitation data, it highlights the unparalleled popularity of the Great Smoky Mountains, followed closely by iconic destinations like the Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Parks. Additionally, smaller visuals provide regional insights into where these parks are located and illustrate the total visitation trends across the top parks since 1979.

Author
Amy Lee, undergraduate student in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts - University of Michigan

 

Spartan Parks Analysis Reveals Truly Awesome Numbers

Description

Spartan Parks: Analysis Reveals Truly Awesome Numbers is an interactive data visualization project that explores U.S. National Park visitation trends from 1979 to 2023 using responsible, publicly available datasets. The dashboard integrates a suite of visuals—from time-series and regional line charts to clustering dendrograms, polar representations, and even a Fourier analysis—to offer deep insights into visitation dynamics. Enhanced with creative MSU-themed elements, the viz not only meets institutional guidelines but also resonates with the Big Ten community by linking historical park data to broader themes of athletic and enrollment trends. Accessible via a no-login link, this project is designed to inform, engage, and delight both students and faculty alike.


Author
Myles Yankie - Michigan State University


Exploring Seasonal and Yearly Trends in U.S. National Park Visits (1979–2023)

Description
This interactive data visualization showcases long-term and seasonal visitation trends for U.S. national parks, based on recreation visit data from 1979 to 2023. Users can explore annual patterns, compare park-specific trends, and analyze monthly visitation dynamics through interactive charts and a geographic heatmap. The tool provides insights into the popularity of national parks over time, the influence of geography on seasonal peaks, and opportunities to optimize park visits based on crowd levels and seasonal preferences.

Author
Xiaohuan Zeng - University of Minnesota

 

 

U.S. National Parks by Region and State

Description: 
The Sankey diagram visualizes the flow of visits to the U.S National Park from 1979 – 2023, showing how visits to the National Parks are distributed across different states and regions, with the size of the nodes reflecting the distribution of visits.  The Left sections represent individual states grouped by their respective regions, which are shown in the middle of the diagram which flows and aggregates into the total visits displayed at the right.

Author
Timothy Okoliko - University of Nebraska


 

RV Camping Throughout Time

Description
My four data visualizations illustrate various aspects of RV camping in the National Parks throughout time. Since 1979, RV camping has been on a decline, but numbers are still in the millions.

Author
Isabel Su, Undergraduate Student, Northwestern University, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences

 

An Interdisciplinary Analysis of the United States Parks System

Description: 
A visual overview of the national parks, combining geography, history, mathematics, and machine learning to provide a comprehensive analysis of the past and future of the parks. Be sure to check out all the tabs for detailed analysis and predictions. 

Authors
Agastya Mishra and Nikhil Kasam - Ohio State University


National Park Visit Trends Analysis

Description
This dashboard explores U.S. National Park visitation trends from 1979 to 2023 using interactive filters for year, month, park, region, and state. Key metrics such as total visitors, recreation patterns, camping trends, and peak years are visualized to reveal insights over time. Park-specific details, including location and area, provide additional context. Designed for effective decision-making, it supports resource planning, accessibility improvements, and sustainable management.

Author
Lihn Tran - Penn State University

 

The Impact of COVID on National Parks

 

 

Description
This analysis focuses on understanding visitation trends across U.S. National Parks, particularly evaluating the impact of COVID-19 on park attendance and their recovery rates since the pandemic. Specific goals include analyzing growth trends and highlighting recovery percentages of each park.

Author
Max Enabnit - University of Iowa

 

Plan your Journey for U.S. National Parks


Description
This interactive dashboard is designed to provide travelers with comprehensive insights into U.S. National Parks, helping you efficiently plan your visits. Whether you're a first-time visitor or a seasoned adventurer, this tool is your ultimate companion for exploring the beauty and diversity of U.S. national parks.

Key Features of the Dashboard

  1. Regional Overview
  • Discover the distribution of national parks across various regions in the United States.
  • Use the interactive map to visualize park locations and explore regional trends with ease.
  1. Park Insights and Statistics
  • Learn about specific parks in each region or state, including their names and annual visitation numbers.
  • Compare popular destinations within regions to plan your ideal trip.
  1. Data Summaries and Travel Tips
  • Gain valuable insights from summarized data, including key trends and notable highlights.
  • Use these tips to optimize your national park visits and create an unforgettable travel experience.

Authors 
Siqi Chen and Dianping Yang - Purdue University

 

Interactive Explorer: U.S. National Park Visitation Trends (1979-2023)

Description
A data visualization web application designed to present 44 years (1979–2023) of U.S. National Park visitation data. This tool combines interactive visualizations—including charts, maps, and rankings—to provide a comprehensive analysis of trends and patterns.

 Key Features:

  • National Park Rankings Over Time: A longitudinal analysis of how visitation rankings among parks have evolved over the decades.
  • Annual Trends in Visits: Insights into long-term patterns and fluctuations in visitation across all parks.
  • Park, State, and Regional Data: Tailored visualizations emphasizing geographical differences and trends.
  • Monthly Patterns: Scatter plots highlighting seasonal visitation dynamics and peak times.
  • Purpose-Based Analysis: A comparative view of recreation versus non-recreation visits.
  • Camping and Backcountry Activities: Exploration of trends in overnight stays and wilderness usage.

 The design prioritizes clarity and interactivity, ensuring all visualizations are accessible and user-friendly. This allows for seamless exploration of complex data, making it intuitive to uncover insights into visitation trends across the decades.

Author
Eugenie Huang - University of Wisconsin-Madison

 

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