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 Sioux City. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD 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.
- Distance: 318 miles - Driving time: 5.4 hours - Date founded: November 10, 1978 - 2025 visitors: 1,139,361 (#26 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 242,755.94 acres
2 / 63
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
#2. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 364 miles - Driving time: 6.8 hours - Date founded: January 9, 1903 - 2025 visitors: 606,258 (#37 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 33,970.84 acres
3 / 63
Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock
#3. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 424 miles - Driving time: 7.9 hours - Date founded: February 22, 2018[47] - 2025 visitors: 2,209,028 (#15 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 192.83 acres
4 / 63
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
#4. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 448 miles - Driving time: 9.4 hours - Date founded: April 8, 1975 - 2025 visitors: 206,326 (#53 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 218,222.35 acres
5 / 63
Laurens Hoddenbagh // Shutterstock
#5. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 462 miles - Driving time: 9.2 hours - Date founded: November 10, 1978 - 2025 visitors: 729,893 (#33 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 70,446.89 acres
- Distance: 486 miles - Driving time: 8.6 hours - Date founded: February 15, 2019 - 2025 visitors: 2,629,497 (#13 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 15,349.08 acres
7 / 63
Anna Krivitskaya // Shutterstock
#7. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 496 miles - Driving time: 9.8 hours - Date founded: January 26, 1915 - 2025 visitors: 4,171,431 (#6 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 265,807.25 acres
8 / 63
SveKo // Shutterstock
#8. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 544 miles - Driving time: 11.9 hours - Date founded: April 3, 1940 - 2025 visitors: 29,091 (#60 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 571,790.30 acres
9 / 63
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
#9. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 582 miles - Driving time: 11.1 hours - Date founded: March 4, 1921 - 2025 visitors: 2,494,611 (#14 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 5,554.15 acres
10 / 63
Kris Wiktor // Shutterstock
#10. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 582 miles - Driving time: 12.5 hours - Date founded: September 24, 2004 - 2025 visitors: 432,498 (#44 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 107,341.87 acres
#11. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 652 miles - Driving time: 14.0 hours - Date founded: October 21, 1999 - 2025 visitors: 250,086 (#50 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 30,779.83 acres
12 / 63
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
#12. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 661 miles - Driving time: 12.9 hours - Date founded: July 1, 1941 - 2025 visitors: 660,734 (#34 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 54,011.91 acres
13 / 63
Lane V. Erickson // Shutterstock
#13. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 720 miles - Driving time: 13.5 hours - Date founded: March 1, 1872 - 2025 visitors: 4,762,988 (#3 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres
14 / 63
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
#14. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 730 miles - Driving time: 14.0 hours - Date founded: February 26, 1929 - 2025 visitors: 3,800,648 (#8 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 310,044.36 acres
15 / 63
Sopotnicki // Shutterstock
#15. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 738 miles - Driving time: 16.2 hours - Date founded: June 29, 1906 - 2025 visitors: 463,130 (#43 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 52,485.17 acres
- Distance: 739 miles - Driving time: 14.4 hours - Date founded: November 12, 1971 - 2025 visitors: 1,511,740 (#21 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 76,678.98 acres
17 / 63
Manamana // Shutterstock
#17. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 771 miles - Driving time: 20.1 hours - Date founded: September 12, 1964 - 2025 visitors: 796,057 (#29 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 337,597.83 acres
18 / 63
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
#18. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 772 miles - Driving time: 13.2 hours - Date founded: October 11, 2000 - 2025 visitors: 3,025,325 (#11 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 32,571.88 acres
19 / 63
Layne V. Naylor // Shutterstock
#19. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 831 miles - Driving time: 16.0 hours - Date founded: December 18, 1971 - 2025 visitors: 1,388,476 (#22 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 241,904.50 acres
20 / 63
ZakZeinert // Shutterstock
#20. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 837 miles - Driving time: 16.3 hours - Date founded: June 15, 1934 - 2025 visitors: 11,527,939 (#1 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 522,426.88 acres
- Distance: 837 miles - Driving time: 16.8 hours - Date founded: May 14, 1930 - 2025 visitors: 410,778 (#46 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 46,766.45 acres
22 / 63
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
#22. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 856 miles - Driving time: 16.9 hours - Date founded: December 20, 2019[111] - 2025 visitors: 659,742 (#35 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 146,344.31 acres
23 / 63
ShuPhoto // Shutterstock
#23. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 865 miles - Driving time: 17.9 hours - Date founded: October 15, 1966 - 2025 visitors: 206,423 (#52 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 86,367.10 acres
24 / 63
Steve Heap // Shutterstock
#24. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 866 miles - Driving time: 16.5 hours - Date founded: December 27, 2020 - 2025 visitors: 1,958,440 (#17 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 7,021 acres
25 / 63
Felix Lipov // Shutterstock
#25. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 883 miles - Driving time: 17.8 hours - Date founded: December 9, 1962 - 2025 visitors: 315,951 (#48 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 221,390.21 acres
- Distance: 900 miles - Driving time: 18.1 hours - Date founded: February 25, 1928 - 2025 visitors: 1,967,367 (#16 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 35,835.08 acres
27 / 63
Josemaria Toscano // Shutterstock
#27. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 950 miles - Driving time: 19.9 hours - Date founded: February 26, 1919 - 2025 visitors: 4,430,653 (#4 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres
28 / 63
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
#28. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 951 miles - Driving time: 18.6 hours - Date founded: November 19, 1919 - 2025 visitors: 4,984,525 (#2 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 147,242.66 acres
29 / 63
Pung // Shutterstock
#29. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 952 miles - Date founded: May 11, 1910 - 2025 visitors: 3,136,557 (#10 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres
30 / 63
Arlene Waller // Shutterstock
#30. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 966 miles - Driving time: 18.6 hours - Date founded: October 27, 1986 - 2025 visitors: 161,210 (#54 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 77,180.00 acres
- Distance: 989 miles - Driving time: 20.1 hours - Date founded: December 26, 1935 - 2025 visitors: 1,682,152 (#19 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 199,223.77 acres
32 / 63
Eric Foltz // Shutterstock
#32. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 990 miles - Driving time: 19.4 hours - Date founded: June 12, 1944 - 2025 visitors: 568,104 (#38 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 801,163.21 acres
33 / 63
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
#33. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 1,041 miles - Driving time: 20.1 hours - Date founded: November 10, 2003 - 2025 visitors: 287,833 (#49 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 26,476.47 acres
34 / 63
kojihirano // Shutterstock
#34. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,046 miles - Driving time: 21.6 hours - Date founded: October 14, 1994 - 2025 visitors: 847,749 (#28 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 92,867.42 acres
35 / 63
Bryan Brazil // Shutterstock
#35. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 1,170 miles - Driving time: 21.8 hours - Date founded: October 31, 1994 - 2025 visitors: 1,320,134 (#24 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres
- Distance: 1,215 miles - Driving time: 24.2 hours - Date founded: October 31, 1994 - 2025 visitors: 2,932,644 (#12 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 795,155.85 acres
37 / 63
Patrick Poendl // Shutterstock
#37. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,239 miles - Driving time: 29.7 hours - Date founded: March 4, 1940 - 2025 visitors: 779,791 (#30 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 461,901.20 acres
38 / 63
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
#38. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,257 miles - Driving time: 28.5 hours - Date founded: September 25, 1890 - 2025 visitors: 1,378,337 (#23 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 404,062.63 acres
39 / 63
Stephen Moehle // Shutterstock
#39. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,258 miles - Driving time: 27.5 hours - Date founded: October 1, 1890 - 2025 visitors: 4,278,413 (#5 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 761,747.50 acres
40 / 63
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
#40. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,267 miles - Driving time: 24.6 hours - Date founded: October 2, 1968 - 2025 visitors: 46,925 (#57 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 504,780.94 acres
- Distance: 1,276 miles - Driving time: 23.0 hours - Date founded: March 2, 1899 - 2025 visitors: 1,635,342 (#20 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 236,381.64 acres
42 / 63
Hank Shiffman // Shutterstock
#42. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 1,301 miles - Driving time: 25.8 hours - Date founded: May 22, 1902 - 2025 visitors: 632,242 (#36 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 183,224.05 acres
43 / 63
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
#43. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,303 miles - Driving time: 25.1 hours - Date founded: August 9, 1916 - 2025 visitors: 504,777 (#40 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 106,589.02 acres
44 / 63
f11photo // Shutterstock
#44. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,365 miles - Driving time: 25.3 hours - Date founded: June 29, 1938 - 2025 visitors: 3,584,187 (#9 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 922,649.41 acres
45 / 63
Ethan Daniels // Shutterstock
#45. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,375 miles - Date founded: March 5, 1980 - 2025 visitors: 227,186 (#51 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 249,561.00 acres
- Distance: 1,380 miles - Driving time: 26.9 hours - Date founded: January 10, 2013 - 2025 visitors: 343,208 (#47 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 26,685.73 acres
47 / 63
Bob Pool // Shutterstock
#47. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,417 miles - Driving time: 29.1 hours - Date founded: October 2, 1968 - 2025 visitors: 1,202,480 (#25 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 138,999.37 acres
48 / 63
Romiana Lee // Shutterstock
#48. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 1,419 miles - Driving time: 27.6 hours - Date founded: February 26, 1919 - 2025 visitors: 4,079,318 (#7 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 49,076.63 acres
49 / 63
Varina C // Shutterstock
#49. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,456 miles - Driving time: 29.6 hours - Date founded: October 26, 1992 - 2025 visitors: 89,355 (#56 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 64,701.22 acres
50 / 63
Simon Dannhauer // Shutterstock
#50. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,477 miles - Driving time: 27.8 hours - Date founded: May 30, 1934 - 2025 visitors: 778,198 (#31 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 1,508,938.57 acres
- Distance: 1,488 miles - Driving time: 26.8 hours - Date founded: June 28, 1980 - 2025 visitors: 486,567 (#41 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 172,971.11 acres
52 / 63
Laurie Gronewold // Shutterstock
#52. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,056 miles - Date founded: December 2, 1980 - 2025 visitors: 740,044 (#32 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 3,223,383.43 acres
53 / 63
Martin Capek // Shutterstock
#53. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,267 miles - Date founded: December 2, 1980 - 2025 visitors: 108,840 (#55 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 8,323,146.48 acres
54 / 63
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
#54. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 2,495 miles - Date founded: August 2, 1956 - 2025 visitors: 471,074 (#42 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 15,052.53 acres
55 / 63
Tomasz Wozniak // Shutterstock
#55. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,514 miles - Date founded: December 2, 1980 - 2025 visitors: 425,369 (#45 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 669,650.05 acres
- Distance: 2,567 miles - Date founded: February 26, 1917 - 2025 visitors: 543,300 (#39 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 4,740,911.16 acres
57 / 63
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock
#57. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,647 miles - Date founded: December 2, 1980 - 2025 visitors: 19,778 (#61 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 2,619,816.49 acres
58 / 63
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
#58. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,696 miles - Date founded: December 2, 1980 - 2025 visitors: 14,923 (#62 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres
59 / 63
Robert Harding Video // Shutterstock
#59. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,702 miles - Date founded: December 2, 1980 - 2025 visitors: 34,479 (#59 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 3,674,529.33 acres
60 / 63
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
#60. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,850 miles - Date founded: December 2, 1980 - 2025 visitors: 7,786 (#63 highest among all national parks) - Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres
