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 Phoenix. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, 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.
You may also like: Highest-rated Middle Eastern restaurants in Phoenix by diners
kojihirano // Shutterstock
1 / 63#1. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 112 miles
- Driving time: 3.2 hours
- Date founded: October 14, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 847,749 (#28 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 92,867.42 acres
Felix Lipov // Shutterstock
2 / 63#2. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 185 miles
- Driving time: 3.9 hours
- Date founded: December 9, 1962
- 2025 visitors: 315,951 (#48 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 221,390.21 acres
Josemaria Toscano // Shutterstock
3 / 63#3. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 198 miles
- Driving time: 4.1 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,430,653 (#4 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres
Dennis Silvas // Shutterstock
4 / 63#4. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 225 miles
- Driving time: 4.3 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 2,932,644 (#12 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 795,155.85 acres
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
5 / 63#5. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 289 miles
- Driving time: 8.2 hours
- Date founded: November 19, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,984,525 (#2 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 147,242.66 acres
You may also like: Biggest sources of immigrants to Phoenix
ronnybas frimages // Shutterstock
6 / 63#6. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 302 miles
- Driving time: 8.1 hours
- Date founded: February 25, 1928
- 2025 visitors: 1,967,367 (#16 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 35,835.08 acres
Sopotnicki // Shutterstock
7 / 63#7. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 342 miles
- Driving time: 7.7 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1906
- 2025 visitors: 463,130 (#43 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 52,485.17 acres
Bryan Brazil // Shutterstock
8 / 63#8. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 343 miles
- Driving time: 7.6 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 1,320,134 (#24 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
9 / 63#9. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 344 miles
- Driving time: 6.1 hours
- Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]
- 2025 visitors: 659,742 (#35 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 146,344.31 acres
Layne V. Naylor // Shutterstock
10 / 63#10. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
Manamana // Shutterstock
11 / 63#11. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 366 miles
- Driving time: 12.1 hours
- Date founded: September 12, 1964
- 2025 visitors: 796,057 (#29 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 337,597.83 acres
Manamana // Shutterstock
12 / 63#12. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 404 miles
- Driving time: 8.4 hours
- Date founded: November 12, 1971
- 2025 visitors: 1,511,740 (#21 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 76,678.98 acres
Arlene Waller // Shutterstock
13 / 63#13. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 419 miles
- Driving time: 10.2 hours
- Date founded: October 27, 1986
- 2025 visitors: 161,210 (#54 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 77,180.00 acres
Ethan Daniels // Shutterstock
14 / 63#14. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 428 miles
- Date founded: March 5, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 227,186 (#51 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 249,561.00 acres
ShuPhoto // Shutterstock
15 / 63#15. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
16 / 63#16. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 437 miles
- Driving time: 12.3 hours
- Date founded: September 25, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 1,378,337 (#23 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 404,062.63 acres
Patrick Poendl // Shutterstock
17 / 63#17. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 444 miles
- Driving time: 13.3 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1940
- 2025 visitors: 779,791 (#30 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 461,901.20 acres
SL-Photography // Shutterstock
18 / 63#18. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 444 miles
- Driving time: 10.6 hours
- Date founded: October 21, 1999
- 2025 visitors: 250,086 (#50 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 30,779.83 acres
Doug Meek // Shutterstock
19 / 63#19. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 450 miles
- Driving time: 8.2 hours
- Date founded: May 14, 1930
- 2025 visitors: 410,778 (#46 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 46,766.45 acres
Kris Wiktor // Shutterstock
20 / 63#20. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 485 miles
- Driving time: 11.1 hours
- Date founded: September 24, 2004
- 2025 visitors: 432,498 (#44 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 107,341.87 acres
You may also like: Is it cheaper to buy or rent in Phoenix in 2026?
Stephen Moehle // Shutterstock
21 / 63#21. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 527 miles
- Driving time: 12.2 hours
- Date founded: October 1, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 4,278,413 (#5 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 761,747.50 acres
Yhelfman // Shutterstock
22 / 63#22. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 564 miles
- Driving time: 10.4 hours
- Date founded: January 10, 2013
- 2025 visitors: 343,208 (#47 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,685.73 acres
Eric Foltz // Shutterstock
23 / 63#23. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 588 miles
- Driving time: 12.1 hours
- Date founded: June 12, 1944
- 2025 visitors: 568,104 (#38 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 801,163.21 acres
Anna Krivitskaya // Shutterstock
24 / 63#24. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 614 miles
- Driving time: 14.8 hours
- Date founded: January 26, 1915
- 2025 visitors: 4,171,431 (#6 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 265,807.25 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
25 / 63#25. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
26 / 63#26. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 731 miles
- Driving time: 16.3 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1929
- 2025 visitors: 3,800,648 (#8 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 310,044.36 acres
Lane V. Erickson // Shutterstock
27 / 63#27. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 792 miles
- Driving time: 16.7 hours
- Date founded: March 1, 1872
- 2025 visitors: 4,762,988 (#3 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
28 / 63#28. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 854 miles
- Driving time: 18.3 hours
- Date founded: January 9, 1903
- 2025 visitors: 606,258 (#37 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,970.84 acres
Bob Pool // Shutterstock
29 / 63#29. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 862 miles
- Driving time: 19.5 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 1,202,480 (#25 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 138,999.37 acres
Hank Shiffman // Shutterstock
30 / 63#30. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
Matt Ragen // Shutterstock
31 / 63#31. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 893 miles
- Driving time: 19.7 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 1,139,361 (#26 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 242,755.94 acres
Laurens Hoddenbagh // Shutterstock
32 / 63#32. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 1,053 miles
- Driving time: 23.0 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 729,893 (#33 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 70,446.89 acres
Diane Fetzner // Shutterstock
33 / 63#33. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,072 miles
- Driving time: 22.6 hours
- Date founded: March 2, 1899
- 2025 visitors: 1,635,342 (#20 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 236,381.64 acres
Pung // Shutterstock
34 / 63#34. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 1,082 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2025 visitors: 3,136,557 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
35 / 63#35. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 1,096 miles
- Driving time: 19.0 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1921
- 2025 visitors: 2,494,611 (#14 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 5,554.15 acres
You may also like: Most expensive homes for sale in Phoenix
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
36 / 63#36. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,170 miles
- Driving time: 25.0 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 46,925 (#57 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 504,780.94 acres
f11photo // Shutterstock
37 / 63#37. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,181 miles
- Driving time: 25.9 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: 1,280 miles
- Driving time: 21.7 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: 1,451 miles
- Driving time: 30.3 hours
- Date founded: April 8, 1975
- 2025 visitors: 206,326 (#53 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 218,222.35 acres
Delmas Lehman // Shutterstock
40 / 63#40. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 1,488 miles
- Driving time: 26.5 hours
- Date founded: February 15, 2019
- 2025 visitors: 2,629,497 (#13 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,349.08 acres
You may also like: Highest-rated brunch restaurants in Phoenix
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
41 / 63#41. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 1,490 miles
- Driving time: 25.7 hours
- Date founded: July 1, 1941
- 2025 visitors: 660,734 (#34 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 54,011.91 acres
SveKo // Shutterstock
42 / 63#42. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 1,597 miles
- Driving time: 32.7 hours
- Date founded: April 3, 1940
- 2025 visitors: 29,091 (#60 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 571,790.30 acres
ZakZeinert // Shutterstock
43 / 63#43. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 1,633 miles
- Driving time: 27.9 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: 1,762 miles
- Driving time: 29.7 hours
- Date founded: October 11, 2000
- 2025 visitors: 3,025,325 (#11 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 32,571.88 acres
Steve Heap // Shutterstock
45 / 63#45. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 1,768 miles
- Driving time: 30.3 hours
- Date founded: December 27, 2020
- 2025 visitors: 1,958,440 (#17 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,021 acres
You may also like: Are home prices going down in Phoenix in 2026?
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
46 / 63#46. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 1,800 miles
- Driving time: 29.8 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 2003
- 2025 visitors: 287,833 (#49 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,476.47 acres
Varina C // Shutterstock
47 / 63#47. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,858 miles
- Driving time: 37.5 hours
- Date founded: October 26, 1992
- 2025 visitors: 89,355 (#56 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 64,701.22 acres
Jon Bilous // Shutterstock
48 / 63#48. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 1,917 miles
- Driving time: 33.2 hours
- Date founded: December 26, 1935
- 2025 visitors: 1,682,152 (#19 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 199,223.77 acres
Simon Dannhauer // Shutterstock
49 / 63#49. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,949 miles
- Driving time: 35.5 hours
- Date founded: May 30, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 778,198 (#31 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,508,938.57 acres
Claudia G Cooper // Shutterstock
50 / 63#50. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,989 miles
- Driving time: 34.5 hours
- Date founded: June 28, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 486,567 (#41 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 172,971.11 acres
You may also like: Highest-rated delis in Phoenix by diners
Laurie Gronewold // Shutterstock
51 / 63#51. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,096 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 740,044 (#32 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,223,383.43 acres
Martin Capek // Shutterstock
52 / 63#52. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,342 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 108,840 (#55 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,323,146.48 acres
Romiana Lee // Shutterstock
53 / 63#53. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 2,458 miles
- Driving time: 44.4 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,079,318 (#7 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 49,076.63 acres
Tomasz Wozniak // Shutterstock
54 / 63#54. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,510 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 425,369 (#45 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 669,650.05 acres
Robert Harding Video // Shutterstock
55 / 63#55. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock
56 / 63#56. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,658 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 19,778 (#61 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,619,816.49 acres
Marc Cappelletti // Shutterstock
57 / 63#57. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,658 miles
- Date founded: February 26, 1917
- 2025 visitors: 543,300 (#39 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 4,740,911.16 acres
jo Crebbin // Shutterstock
58 / 63#58. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 2,818 miles
- Date founded: August 1, 1916
- 2025 visitors: 1,877,854 (#18 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 325,605.28 acres
MH Anderson Photography // Shutterstock
59 / 63#59. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 2,830 miles
- Date founded: July 1, 1961
- 2025 visitors: 853,711 (#27 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,264.62 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
60 / 63#60. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
61 / 63#61. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,023 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
62 / 63#62. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 3,094 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: 5,057 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
