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 Norwich. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Norwich-New London, CT 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. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 280 miles
- Driving time: 6.2 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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2 / 63#2. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 388 miles
- Driving time: 7.9 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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3 / 63#3. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 491 miles
- Driving time: 9.0 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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4 / 63#4. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 532 miles
- Driving time: 10.5 hours
- Date founded: December 27, 2020
- 2025 visitors: 1,958,440 (#17 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,021 acres
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5 / 63#5. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 712 miles
- Driving time: 14.2 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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6 / 63#6. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 735 miles
- Driving time: 13.6 hours
- Date founded: June 15, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 11,527,939 (#1 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 522,426.88 acres
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7 / 63#7. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 774 miles
- Driving time: 13.7 hours
- Date founded: February 15, 2019
- 2025 visitors: 2,629,497 (#13 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,349.08 acres
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8 / 63#8. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 805 miles
- Driving time: 15.2 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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9 / 63#9. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 926 miles
- Driving time: 21.3 hours
- Date founded: April 3, 1940
- 2025 visitors: 29,091 (#60 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 571,790.30 acres
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10 / 63#10. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 977 miles
- Driving time: 17.0 hours
- Date founded: February 22, 2018[47]
- 2025 visitors: 2,209,028 (#15 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 192.83 acres
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11 / 63#11. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 1,123 miles
- Driving time: 24.4 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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12 / 63#12. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,182 miles
- Driving time: 22.1 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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13 / 63#13. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,223 miles
- Driving time: 23.1 hours
- Date founded: May 30, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 778,198 (#31 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,508,938.57 acres
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14 / 63#14. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 1,236 miles
- Driving time: 21.8 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1921
- 2025 visitors: 2,494,611 (#14 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 5,554.15 acres
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15 / 63#15. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
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16 / 63#16. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 1,549 miles
- Driving time: 27.1 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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17 / 63#17. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 1,590 miles
- Driving time: 28.9 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 729,893 (#33 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 70,446.89 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
18 / 63#18. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 1,599 miles
- Driving time: 28.5 hours
- Date founded: January 9, 1903
- 2025 visitors: 606,258 (#37 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,970.84 acres
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19 / 63#19. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 1,653 miles
- Date founded: August 2, 1956
- 2025 visitors: 471,074 (#42 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,052.53 acres
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20 / 63#20. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,742 miles
- Driving time: 29.3 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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21 / 63#21. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,790 miles
- Driving time: 31.5 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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22 / 63#22. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,886 miles
- Driving time: 33.4 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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23 / 63#23. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,891 miles
- Driving time: 32.5 hours
- Date founded: May 14, 1930
- 2025 visitors: 410,778 (#46 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 46,766.45 acres
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24 / 63#24. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,921 miles
- Driving time: 33.6 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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25 / 63#25. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
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26 / 63#26. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 1,938 miles
- Driving time: 35.1 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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27 / 63#27. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,957 miles
- Driving time: 35.5 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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28 / 63#28. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,959 miles
- Driving time: 33.3 hours
- Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]
- 2025 visitors: 659,742 (#35 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 146,344.31 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
29 / 63#29. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 1,961 miles
- Driving time: 34.5 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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30 / 63#30. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,979 miles
- Driving time: 33.8 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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31 / 63#31. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 2,008 miles
- Driving time: 41.0 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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32 / 63#32. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 2,072 miles
- Driving time: 35.5 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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33 / 63#33. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 2,078 miles
- Driving time: 34.9 hours
- Date founded: December 9, 1962
- 2025 visitors: 315,951 (#48 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 221,390.21 acres
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34 / 63#34. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 2,081 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2025 visitors: 3,136,557 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres
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35 / 63#35. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
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36 / 63#36. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 2,174 miles
- Driving time: 38.0 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,430,653 (#4 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
37 / 63#37. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 2,190 miles
- Driving time: 38.1 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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38 / 63#38. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 2,200 miles
- Driving time: 38.3 hours
- Date founded: October 14, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 847,749 (#28 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 92,867.42 acres
Arlene Waller // Shutterstock
39 / 63#39. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 2,216 miles
- Driving time: 38.1 hours
- Date founded: October 27, 1986
- 2025 visitors: 161,210 (#54 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 77,180.00 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
40 / 63#40. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
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41 / 63#41. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 2,411 miles
- Driving time: 41.3 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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42 / 63#42. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,433 miles
- Driving time: 42.1 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 2,932,644 (#12 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 795,155.85 acres
Diane Fetzner // Shutterstock
43 / 63#43. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,453 miles
- Driving time: 44.6 hours
- Date founded: March 2, 1899
- 2025 visitors: 1,635,342 (#20 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 236,381.64 acres
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44 / 63#44. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,486 miles
- Driving time: 49.2 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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45 / 63#45. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,502 miles
- Driving time: 48.0 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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46 / 63#46. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,508 miles
- Driving time: 46.9 hours
- Date founded: October 1, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 4,278,413 (#5 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 761,747.50 acres
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47 / 63#47. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,521 miles
- Driving time: 47.2 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1938
- 2025 visitors: 3,584,187 (#9 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 922,649.41 acres
Hank Shiffman // Shutterstock
48 / 63#48. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 2,529 miles
- Driving time: 45.2 hours
- Date founded: May 22, 1902
- 2025 visitors: 632,242 (#36 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 183,224.05 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
49 / 63#49. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,548 miles
- Driving time: 44.0 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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50 / 63#50. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,608 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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51 / 63#51. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,628 miles
- Driving time: 46.3 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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52 / 63#52. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,655 miles
- Driving time: 48.7 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 1,202,480 (#25 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 138,999.37 acres
Laurie Gronewold // Shutterstock
53 / 63#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,982 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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54 / 63#54. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,134 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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55 / 63#55. Denali National Park (Alaska)
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56 / 63#56. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,392 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 14,923 (#62 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres
Tomasz Wozniak // Shutterstock
57 / 63#57. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,405 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 425,369 (#45 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 669,650.05 acres
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock
58 / 63#58. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,509 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 19,778 (#61 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,619,816.49 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
59 / 63#59. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,549 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 7,786 (#63 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres
Robert Harding Video // Shutterstock
60 / 63#60. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,616 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 34,479 (#59 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,674,529.33 acres
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61 / 63#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 4,992 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: 5,000 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: 7,305 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
