Approximately 323 million people visited American national parks in 2025, a 2.7% year-over-year decrease and the first annual decline since 2020.
President Woodrow Wilson in 1916 signed the act creating the National Park Service to leave natural and historic phenomenons "unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." Since then, our national parks have welcomed visitors from around the world to experience some of the best the country has to offer and showcase the country's natural beauty and cultural heritage. Today, the country's 63 national parks contain at least 247 species of endangered or threatened plants and animals, more than 75,000 archaeological sites, and 18,000 miles of trails.
Stacker compiled a list of the closest national parks to Grand Junction. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Grand Junction, CO Metro Area and each national park. Estimated driving times are from Here and are only available within the lower 48 states. All featured distances and driving times are estimated using representative locations from the center of each metro and national park—for some places within the metro area, the actual distance may be slightly shorter or longer to reach the closest entryway to a park.
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1 / 63#1. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 51 miles
- Driving time: 1.6 hours
- Date founded: October 21, 1999
- 2025 visitors: 250,086 (#50 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 30,779.83 acres
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2 / 63#2. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 64 miles
- Driving time: 2.3 hours
- Date founded: November 12, 1971
- 2025 visitors: 1,511,740 (#21 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 76,678.98 acres
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3 / 63#3. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 98 miles
- Driving time: 8.0 hours
- Date founded: September 12, 1964
- 2025 visitors: 796,057 (#29 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 337,597.83 acres
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4 / 63#4. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 127 miles
- Driving time: 4.7 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1906
- 2025 visitors: 463,130 (#43 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 52,485.17 acres
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5 / 63#5. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 157 miles
- Driving time: 3.9 hours
- Date founded: December 18, 1971
- 2025 visitors: 1,388,476 (#22 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 241,904.50 acres
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6 / 63#6. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 181 miles
- Driving time: 5.4 hours
- Date founded: January 26, 1915
- 2025 visitors: 4,171,431 (#6 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 265,807.25 acres
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7 / 63#7. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 183 miles
- Driving time: 4.9 hours
- Date founded: September 24, 2004
- 2025 visitors: 432,498 (#44 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 107,341.87 acres
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8 / 63#8. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 226 miles
- Driving time: 5.9 hours
- Date founded: February 25, 1928
- 2025 visitors: 1,967,367 (#16 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 35,835.08 acres
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9 / 63#9. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 277 miles
- Driving time: 6.4 hours
- Date founded: November 19, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,984,525 (#2 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 147,242.66 acres
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10 / 63#10. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
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11 / 63#11. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 287 miles
- Driving time: 7.7 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,430,653 (#4 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres
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12 / 63#12. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 314 miles
- Driving time: 6.4 hours
- Date founded: October 27, 1986
- 2025 visitors: 161,210 (#54 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 77,180.00 acres
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13 / 63#13. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 347 miles
- Driving time: 9.0 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1929
- 2025 visitors: 3,800,648 (#8 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 310,044.36 acres
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14 / 63#14. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 399 miles
- Driving time: 10.2 hours
- Date founded: March 1, 1872
- 2025 visitors: 4,762,988 (#3 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres
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15 / 63#15. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
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16 / 63#16. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 449 miles
- Driving time: 10.4 hours
- Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]
- 2025 visitors: 659,742 (#35 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 146,344.31 acres
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17 / 63#17. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 450 miles
- Driving time: 10.2 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 1,139,361 (#26 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 242,755.94 acres
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18 / 63#18. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 481 miles
- Driving time: 12.2 hours
- Date founded: October 14, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 847,749 (#28 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 92,867.42 acres
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19 / 63#19. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 497 miles
- Driving time: 9.6 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 1,320,134 (#24 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres
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20 / 63#20. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
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21 / 63#21. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 530 miles
- Driving time: 12.8 hours
- Date founded: October 15, 1966
- 2025 visitors: 206,423 (#52 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 86,367.10 acres
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22 / 63#22. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 549 miles
- Driving time: 11.8 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 2,932,644 (#12 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 795,155.85 acres
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23 / 63#23. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 572 miles
- Driving time: 17.5 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1940
- 2025 visitors: 779,791 (#30 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 461,901.20 acres
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24 / 63#24. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 587 miles
- Driving time: 16.2 hours
- Date founded: September 25, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 1,378,337 (#23 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 404,062.63 acres
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25 / 63#25. Yosemite National Park (California)
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26 / 63#26. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 604 miles
- Driving time: 13.6 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 729,893 (#33 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 70,446.89 acres
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27 / 63#27. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 700 miles
- Date founded: March 5, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 227,186 (#51 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 249,561.00 acres
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28 / 63#28. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 702 miles
- Driving time: 14.4 hours
- Date founded: August 9, 1916
- 2025 visitors: 504,777 (#40 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 106,589.02 acres
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29 / 63#29. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 716 miles
- Driving time: 14.9 hours
- Date founded: January 10, 2013
- 2025 visitors: 343,208 (#47 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,685.73 acres
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30 / 63#30. Glacier National Park (Montana)
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31 / 63#31. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 736 miles
- Driving time: 17.1 hours
- Date founded: June 12, 1944
- 2025 visitors: 568,104 (#38 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 801,163.21 acres
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32 / 63#32. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 762 miles
- Driving time: 16.0 hours
- Date founded: May 22, 1902
- 2025 visitors: 632,242 (#36 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 183,224.05 acres
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33 / 63#33. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 836 miles
- Driving time: 19.4 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 1,202,480 (#25 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 138,999.37 acres
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34 / 63#34. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 862 miles
- Driving time: 16.4 hours
- Date founded: March 2, 1899
- 2025 visitors: 1,635,342 (#20 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 236,381.64 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
35 / 63#35. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
36 / 63#36. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 920 miles
- Driving time: 18.8 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 46,925 (#57 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 504,780.94 acres
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37 / 63#37. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 973 miles
- Driving time: 19.5 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1938
- 2025 visitors: 3,584,187 (#9 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 922,649.41 acres
Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock
38 / 63#38. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 985 miles
- Driving time: 15.7 hours
- Date founded: February 22, 2018[47]
- 2025 visitors: 2,209,028 (#15 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 192.83 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
39 / 63#39. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 1,014 miles
- Driving time: 21.0 hours
- Date founded: April 8, 1975
- 2025 visitors: 206,326 (#53 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 218,222.35 acres
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40 / 63#40. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
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41 / 63#41. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 1,175 miles
- Driving time: 23.9 hours
- Date founded: April 3, 1940
- 2025 visitors: 29,091 (#60 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 571,790.30 acres
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
42 / 63#42. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 1,222 miles
- Driving time: 20.7 hours
- Date founded: July 1, 1941
- 2025 visitors: 660,734 (#34 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 54,011.91 acres
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43 / 63#43. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 1,387 miles
- Driving time: 24.0 hours
- Date founded: June 15, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 11,527,939 (#1 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 522,426.88 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
44 / 63#44. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 1,428 miles
- Driving time: 23.7 hours
- Date founded: October 11, 2000
- 2025 visitors: 3,025,325 (#11 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 32,571.88 acres
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45 / 63#45. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
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46 / 63#46. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 1,578 miles
- Driving time: 27.8 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 2003
- 2025 visitors: 287,833 (#49 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,476.47 acres
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47 / 63#47. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 1,619 miles
- Driving time: 27.9 hours
- Date founded: December 26, 1935
- 2025 visitors: 1,682,152 (#19 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 199,223.77 acres
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48 / 63#48. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,792 miles
- Driving time: 38.2 hours
- Date founded: October 26, 1992
- 2025 visitors: 89,355 (#56 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 64,701.22 acres
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49 / 63#49. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,847 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 740,044 (#32 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,223,383.43 acres
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50 / 63#50. Everglades National Park (Florida)
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51 / 63#51. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,887 miles
- Driving time: 34.9 hours
- Date founded: June 28, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 486,567 (#41 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 172,971.11 acres
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52 / 63#52. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,087 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 108,840 (#55 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,323,146.48 acres
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53 / 63#53. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 2,093 miles
- Driving time: 38.1 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,079,318 (#7 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 49,076.63 acres
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54 / 63#54. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,290 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 425,369 (#45 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 669,650.05 acres
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55 / 63#55. Denali National Park (Alaska)
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56 / 63#56. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,436 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 19,778 (#61 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,619,816.49 acres
Robert Harding Video // Shutterstock
57 / 63#57. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,445 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 34,479 (#59 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,674,529.33 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
58 / 63#58. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,610 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 14,923 (#62 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
59 / 63#59. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,749 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 7,786 (#63 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
60 / 63#60. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
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61 / 63#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 3,087 miles
- Date founded: July 1, 1961
- 2025 visitors: 853,711 (#27 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,264.62 acres
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62 / 63#62. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 3,089 miles
- Date founded: August 1, 1916
- 2025 visitors: 1,877,854 (#18 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 325,605.28 acres
Lloyd Wallin Photography // Shutterstock
63 / 63#63. National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa)
- Distance: 5,431 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
