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 Lake Havasu City. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ 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. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 93 miles
- Driving time: 5.2 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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2 / 63#2. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 116 miles
- Driving time: 7.4 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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3 / 63#3. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 155 miles
- Driving time: 8.9 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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4 / 63#4. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 176 miles
- Driving time: 6.6 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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5 / 63#5. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
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6 / 63#6. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 223 miles
- Driving time: 11.8 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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7 / 63#7. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 227 miles
- Driving time: 9.9 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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8 / 63#8. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 228 miles
- Driving time: 6.1 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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9 / 63#9. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 272 miles
- Driving time: 14.1 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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10 / 63#10. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 278 miles
- Driving time: 14.1 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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11 / 63#11. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 280 miles
- Driving time: 13.2 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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12 / 63#12. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 303 miles
- Driving time: 9.3 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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13 / 63#13. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 308 miles
- Driving time: 10.4 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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14 / 63#14. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 310 miles
- Driving time: 9.7 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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15 / 63#15. Channel Islands National Park (California)
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16 / 63#16. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 351 miles
- Driving time: 13.2 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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17 / 63#17. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 387 miles
- Driving time: 12.6 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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18 / 63#18. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 418 miles
- Driving time: 11.7 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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19 / 63#19. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 478 miles
- Driving time: 12.9 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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20 / 63#20. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
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21 / 63#21. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 536 miles
- Driving time: 14.1 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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22 / 63#22. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 550 miles
- Driving time: 16.8 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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23 / 63#23. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 574 miles
- Driving time: 14.7 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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24 / 63#24. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 575 miles
- Driving time: 15.5 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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25 / 63#25. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 588 miles
- Driving time: 13.8 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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26 / 63#26. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 636 miles
- Driving time: 15.9 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. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 669 miles
- Driving time: 17.7 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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28 / 63#28. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 675 miles
- Driving time: 19.7 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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29 / 63#29. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 757 miles
- Driving time: 18.9 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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30 / 63#30. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
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31 / 63#31. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 815 miles
- Driving time: 21.7 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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32 / 63#32. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 873 miles
- Driving time: 21.9 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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33 / 63#33. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 903 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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34 / 63#34. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 942 miles
- Driving time: 22.4 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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35 / 63#35. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
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36 / 63#36. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 982 miles
- Driving time: 25.2 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1938
- 2025 visitors: 3,584,187 (#9 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 922,649.41 acres
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37 / 63#37. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 1,173 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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38 / 63#38. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 1,312 miles
- Driving time: 23.6 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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39 / 63#39. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 1,381 miles
- Driving time: 32.3 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. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 1,538 miles
- Driving time: 27.6 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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42 / 63#42. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 1,544 miles
- Driving time: 34.6 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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43 / 63#43. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 1,693 miles
- Driving time: 29.8 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: 1,776 miles
- Driving time: 31.7 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: 1,872 miles
- Driving time: 32.7 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. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,897 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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48 / 63#48. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 1,952 miles
- Driving time: 35.1 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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49 / 63#49. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,989 miles
- Driving time: 41.5 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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50 / 63#50. Everglades National Park (Florida)
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51 / 63#51. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,109 miles
- Driving time: 38.1 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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52 / 63#52. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,143 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. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,311 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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54 / 63#54. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,439 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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55 / 63#55. Acadia National Park (Maine)
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56 / 63#56. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,459 miles
- Date founded: February 26, 1917
- 2025 visitors: 543,300 (#39 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 4,740,911.16 acres
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57 / 63#57. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,459 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
58 / 63#58. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,698 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 14,923 (#62 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres
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59 / 63#59. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 2,756 miles
- Date founded: August 1, 1916
- 2025 visitors: 1,877,854 (#18 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 325,605.28 acres
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60 / 63#60. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
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61 / 63#61. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,825 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 7,786 (#63 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres
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62 / 63#62. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 3,213 miles
- Date founded: August 2, 1956
- 2025 visitors: 471,074 (#42 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,052.53 acres
Lloyd Wallin Photography // Shutterstock
63 / 63#63. National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa)
- Distance: 5,064 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
