Closest national parks to Fort Wayne

Written by:
July 13, 2022
Aviator31 // Wikimedia Commons

Closest national parks to Fort Wayne

Approximately 237 million people visited American national parks in 2020, representing a 28% year-over-year decrease attributed to the coronavirus pandemic. Many parks were forced to close to combat the spread of the virus, but that’s not the whole story—when the parks were open, many of them saw record crowds as throngs of people desperate to safely enjoy nature descended onto parks when they reopened.

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 Fort Wayne. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Fort Wayne, IN 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.

Be sure to check with individual parks before you visit to find out about ongoing, pandemic-related safety precautions at www.nps.gov/coronavirus.

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#1. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)

- Distance: 102 miles
- Driving time: 2.2 hours
- Date founded: February 15, 2019
- 2020 visitors: 2,293,106 (#11 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,349.08 acres
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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#2. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)

- Distance: 191 miles
- Driving time: 3.4 hours
- Date founded: October 11, 2000
- 2020 visitors: 2,755,628 (#7 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 32,571.88 acres
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Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock

#3. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)

- Distance: 275 miles
- Driving time: 5.0 hours
- Date founded: July 1, 1941
- 2020 visitors: 290,392 (#41 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 54,011.91 acres
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#4. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)

- Distance: 305 miles
- Driving time: 6.9 hours
- Date founded: December 27, 2020
- 2020 visitors: 1,054,374 (#19 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,021 acres
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Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock

#5. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)

- Distance: 315 miles
- Driving time: 5.6 hours
- Date founded: February 22, 2018[47]
- 2020 visitors: 486,021 (#31 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 192.83 acres

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Aviator31 // Wikimedia Commons

#6. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)

- Distance: 386 miles
- Driving time: 8.1 hours
- Date founded: June 15, 1934
- 2020 visitors: 12,095,720 (#1 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 522,426.88 acres
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Jon Bilous // Shutterstock

#7. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)

- Distance: 406 miles
- Driving time: 10.0 hours
- Date founded: December 26, 1935
- 2020 visitors: 1,666,265 (#14 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 199,223.77 acres
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MDuchek // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)

- Distance: 510 miles
- Driving time: 10.9 hours
- Date founded: April 3, 1940
- 2020 visitors: 6,493 (#59 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 571,790.30 acres
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Jtmartin57 // Wikimedia Commons

#9. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)

- Distance: 561 miles
- Driving time: 12.0 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 2003
- 2020 visitors: 119,306 (#51 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,476.47 acres
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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#10. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)

- Distance: 625 miles
- Driving time: 11.2 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1921
- 2020 visitors: 1,348,215 (#16 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 5,554.15 acres

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#11. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)

- Distance: 633 miles
- Driving time: 12.5 hours
- Date founded: April 8, 1975
- 2020 visitors: 263,091 (#44 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 218,222.35 acres
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Romiana Lee // Shutterstock

#12. Acadia National Park (Maine)

- Distance: 892 miles
- Driving time: 18.0 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2020 visitors: 2,669,034 (#8 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 49,076.63 acres
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Matt Ragen // Shutterstock

#13. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)

- Distance: 900 miles
- Driving time: 15.3 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2020 visitors: 916,932 (#21 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 242,755.94 acres
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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#14. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)

- Distance: 948 miles
- Driving time: 16.7 hours
- Date founded: January 9, 1903
- 2020 visitors: 448,405 (#33 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,970.84 acres
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Laurens Hoddenbagh // Shutterstock

#15. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)

- Distance: 991 miles
- Driving time: 17.1 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2020 visitors: 551,303 (#28 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 70,446.89 acres

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#16. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 1,067 miles
- Driving time: 17.8 hours
- Date founded: January 26, 1915
- 2020 visitors: 3,305,199 (#4 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 265,807.25 acres
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NPS // Wikimedia Commons

#17. Biscayne National Park (Florida)

- Distance: 1,106 miles
- Driving time: 20.2 hours
- Date founded: June 28, 1980
- 2020 visitors: 402,770 (#36 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 172,971.11 acres
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Kris Wiktor // Shutterstock

#18. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 1,108 miles
- Driving time: 20.3 hours
- Date founded: September 24, 2004
- 2020 visitors: 461,532 (#32 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 107,341.87 acres
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Simon Dannhauer // Shutterstock

#19. Everglades National Park (Florida)

- Distance: 1,116 miles
- Driving time: 21.2 hours
- Date founded: May 30, 1934
- 2020 visitors: 702,319 (#25 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,508,938.57 acres
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U.S. National Park Service // Wikimedia Commons

#20. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)

- Distance: 1,144 miles
- Driving time: 23.1 hours
- Date founded: October 26, 1992
- 2020 visitors: 48,543 (#55 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 64,701.22 acres

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SL-Photography // Shutterstock

#21. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 1,206 miles
- Driving time: 21.9 hours
- Date founded: October 21, 1999
- 2020 visitors: 341,620 (#39 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 30,779.83 acres
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#22. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)

- Distance: 1,229 miles
- Driving time: 21.2 hours
- Date founded: May 14, 1930
- 2020 visitors: 183,835 (#45 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 46,766.45 acres
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#23. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)

- Distance: 1,260 miles
- Driving time: 22.3 hours
- Date founded: October 15, 1966
- 2020 visitors: 151,256 (#49 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 86,367.10 acres
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#24. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 1,275 miles
- Driving time: 24.1 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1906
- 2020 visitors: 287,477 (#42 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 52,485.17 acres
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#25. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)

- Distance: 1,290 miles
- Driving time: 22.0 hours
- Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]
- 2020 visitors: 415,383 (#34 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 146,344.31 acres

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#26. Arches National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 1,301 miles
- Driving time: 22.4 hours
- Date founded: November 12, 1971
- 2020 visitors: 1,238,083 (#17 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 76,678.98 acres
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Lane V. Erickson // Shutterstock

#27. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)

- Distance: 1,301 miles
- Driving time: 23.7 hours
- Date founded: March 1, 1872
- 2020 visitors: 3,806,306 (#2 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres
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#28. Big Bend National Park (Texas)

- Distance: 1,303 miles
- Driving time: 24.5 hours
- Date founded: June 12, 1944
- 2020 visitors: 393,907 (#37 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 801,163.21 acres
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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#29. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)

- Distance: 1,315 miles
- Driving time: 23.0 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1929
- 2020 visitors: 3,289,638 (#5 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 310,044.36 acres
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#30. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 1,328 miles
- Driving time: 29.5 hours
- Date founded: September 12, 1964
- 2020 visitors: 493,914 (#30 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 337,597.83 acres

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Layne V. Naylor // Shutterstock

#31. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 1,393 miles
- Driving time: 23.9 hours
- Date founded: December 18, 1971
- 2020 visitors: 981,038 (#20 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 241,904.50 acres
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#32. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)

- Distance: 1,397 miles
- Driving time: 23.3 hours
- Date founded: December 9, 1962
- 2020 visitors: 384,483 (#38 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 221,390.21 acres
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#33. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 1,459 miles
- Driving time: 26.0 hours
- Date founded: February 25, 1928
- 2020 visitors: 1,464,655 (#15 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 35,835.08 acres
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#34. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)

- Distance: 1,492 miles
- Driving time: 26.9 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2020 visitors: 2,897,098 (#6 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres
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#35. Glacier National Park (Montana)

- Distance: 1,497 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2020 visitors: 1,698,864 (#13 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres

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#36. Zion National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 1,510 miles
- Driving time: 26.6 hours
- Date founded: November 19, 1919
- 2020 visitors: 3,591,254 (#3 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 147,242.66 acres
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#37. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)

- Distance: 1,524 miles
- Driving time: 26.9 hours
- Date founded: October 14, 1994
- 2020 visitors: 762,226 (#24 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 92,867.42 acres
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#38. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)

- Distance: 1,542 miles
- Driving time: 26.5 hours
- Date founded: October 27, 1986
- 2020 visitors: 120,248 (#50 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 77,180.00 acres
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#39. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)

- Distance: 1,732 miles
- Driving time: 29.8 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2020 visitors: 820,023 (#22 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres
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#40. Joshua Tree National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,751 miles
- Driving time: 30.6 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2020 visitors: 2,399,542 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 795,155.85 acres

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#41. Kings Canyon National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,808 miles
- Driving time: 37.5 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1940
- 2020 visitors: 415,077 (#35 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 461,901.20 acres
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National Park Service/Deby Dixon // Wikimedia Commons

#42. North Cascades National Park (Washington)

- Distance: 1,823 miles
- Driving time: 34.5 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2020 visitors: 30,885 (#56 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 504,780.94 acres
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#43. Sequoia National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,824 miles
- Driving time: 36.3 hours
- Date founded: September 25, 1890
- 2020 visitors: 796,086 (#23 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 404,062.63 acres
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Stephen Moehle // Shutterstock

#44. Yosemite National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,835 miles
- Driving time: 35.4 hours
- Date founded: October 1, 1890
- 2020 visitors: 2,268,313 (#12 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 761,747.50 acres
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#45. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)

- Distance: 1,846 miles
- Driving time: 33.0 hours
- Date founded: March 2, 1899
- 2020 visitors: 1,160,754 (#18 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 236,381.64 acres

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#46. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)

- Distance: 1,887 miles
- Driving time: 33.6 hours
- Date founded: May 22, 1902
- 2020 visitors: 670,500 (#26 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 183,224.05 acres
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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#47. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,890 miles
- Driving time: 32.5 hours
- Date founded: August 9, 1916
- 2020 visitors: 542,274 (#29 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 106,589.02 acres
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#48. Channel Islands National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,927 miles
- Date founded: March 5, 1980
- 2020 visitors: 167,290 (#47 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 249,561.00 acres
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f11photo // Shutterstock

#49. Olympic National Park (Washington)

- Distance: 1,927 miles
- Driving time: 35.2 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1938
- 2020 visitors: 2,499,177 (#9 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 922,649.41 acres
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#50. Pinnacles National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,952 miles
- Driving time: 34.9 hours
- Date founded: January 10, 2013
- 2020 visitors: 165,740 (#48 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,685.73 acres

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Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#51. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)

- Distance: 1,984 miles
- Date founded: August 2, 1956
- 2020 visitors: 167,540 (#46 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,052.53 acres
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#52. Redwood National Park (California)

- Distance: 2,004 miles
- Driving time: 37.1 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2020 visitors: 265,177 (#43 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 138,999.37 acres
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Alan Wu // Wikimedia Commons

#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 2,526 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2020 visitors: 5,748 (#60 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,223,383.43 acres
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Sewtex // Wikimedia Commons

#54. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 2,713 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2020 visitors: 16,655 (#57 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,323,146.48 acres
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National Park Service, Alaska Region // Wikimedia Commons

#55. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 2,975 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2020 visitors: 115,882 (#52 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 669,650.05 acres
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Denali National Park and Preserve // Wikimedia Commons

#56. Denali National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 2,992 miles
- Date founded: February 26, 1917
- 2020 visitors: 54,850 (#53 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 4,740,911.16 acres
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National Park Service, Alaska Region // Wikimedia Commons

#57. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,072 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2020 visitors: 2,872 (#63 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres
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Ryjil Christianson // Wikimedia Commons

#58. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,097 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2020 visitors: 4,948 (#61 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,619,816.49 acres
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Katmai National Park and Preserve // Wikimedia Commons

#59. Katmai National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,175 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2020 visitors: 51,511 (#54 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,674,529.33 acres
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LCGS Russ // Wikimedia Commons

#60. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,230 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2020 visitors: 11,185 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres
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MH Anderson Photography // Shutterstock

#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)

- Distance: 4,321 miles
- Date founded: July 1, 1961
- 2020 visitors: 319,147 (#40 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,264.62 acres
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jo Crebbin // Shutterstock

#62. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)

- Distance: 4,325 miles
- Date founded: August 1, 1916
- 2020 visitors: 589,775 (#27 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 325,605.28 acres
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Tavita Togia, National Park Service // Wikimedia Commons

#63. National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa)

- Distance: 6,628 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2020 visitors: 4,819 (#62 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres

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