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 Sierra Vista. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Sierra Vista-Douglas, 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. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 51 miles
- Driving time: 1.9 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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2 / 63#2. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 221 miles
- Driving time: 4.2 hours
- Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]
- 2025 visitors: 659,742 (#35 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 146,344.31 acres
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3 / 63#3. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 223 miles
- Driving time: 5.5 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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4 / 63#4. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 288 miles
- Driving time: 6.1 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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5 / 63#5. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 314 miles
- Driving time: 6.3 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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6 / 63#6. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 321 miles
- Driving time: 6.7 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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7 / 63#7. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 375 miles
- Driving time: 9.6 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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8 / 63#8. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 381 miles
- Driving time: 7.0 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 2,932,644 (#12 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 795,155.85 acres
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9 / 63#9. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 418 miles
- Driving time: 10.8 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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10 / 63#10. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 420 miles
- Driving time: 10.9 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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11 / 63#11. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 428 miles
- Driving time: 10.2 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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12 / 63#12. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 439 miles
- Driving time: 15.2 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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13 / 63#13. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 445 miles
- Driving time: 12.5 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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14 / 63#14. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 472 miles
- Driving time: 11.1 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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15 / 63#15. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 473 miles
- Driving time: 9.9 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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16 / 63#16. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 478 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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17 / 63#17. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 505 miles
- Driving time: 10.4 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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18 / 63#18. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 554 miles
- Driving time: 13.1 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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19 / 63#19. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 580 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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20 / 63#20. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 600 miles
- Driving time: 15.0 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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21 / 63#21. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 607 miles
- Driving time: 16.0 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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22 / 63#22. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 635 miles
- Driving time: 13.9 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. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 689 miles
- Driving time: 15.1 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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24 / 63#24. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 726 miles
- Driving time: 13.3 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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25 / 63#25. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 822 miles
- Driving time: 19.0 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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26 / 63#26. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 879 miles
- Driving time: 17.4 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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27 / 63#27. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 881 miles
- Driving time: 19.3 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. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 885 miles
- Driving time: 17.3 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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29 / 63#29. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 912 miles
- Driving time: 18.4 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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30 / 63#30. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 985 miles
- Driving time: 17.0 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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31 / 63#31. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 1,020 miles
- Driving time: 20.3 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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32 / 63#32. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,023 miles
- Driving time: 22.3 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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33 / 63#33. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 1,096 miles
- Driving time: 22.1 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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34 / 63#34. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 1,191 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2025 visitors: 3,136,557 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres
Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock
35 / 63#35. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 1,199 miles
- Driving time: 20.6 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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36 / 63#36. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,215 miles
- Driving time: 25.3 hours
- Date founded: March 2, 1899
- 2025 visitors: 1,635,342 (#20 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 236,381.64 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
37 / 63#37. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,307 miles
- Driving time: 27.7 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 46,925 (#57 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 504,780.94 acres
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38 / 63#38. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,326 miles
- Driving time: 28.1 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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39 / 63#39. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 1,396 miles
- Driving time: 24.0 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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40 / 63#40. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 1,425 miles
- Driving time: 25.4 hours
- Date founded: February 15, 2019
- 2025 visitors: 2,629,497 (#13 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,349.08 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
41 / 63#41. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 1,449 miles
- Driving time: 29.2 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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42 / 63#42. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 1,529 miles
- Driving time: 26.1 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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43 / 63#43. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 1,580 miles
- Driving time: 31.4 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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44 / 63#44. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 1,677 miles
- Driving time: 29.2 hours
- Date founded: December 27, 2020
- 2025 visitors: 1,958,440 (#17 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,021 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
45 / 63#45. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 1,687 miles
- Driving time: 27.9 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 2003
- 2025 visitors: 287,833 (#49 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,476.47 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
46 / 63#46. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 1,689 miles
- Driving time: 28.6 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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47 / 63#47. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,709 miles
- Driving time: 35.9 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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48 / 63#48. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,804 miles
- Driving time: 34.1 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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49 / 63#49. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 1,828 miles
- Driving time: 31.5 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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50 / 63#50. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,846 miles
- Driving time: 33.0 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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51 / 63#51. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,238 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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52 / 63#52. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 2,394 miles
- Driving time: 43.3 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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53 / 63#53. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,484 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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54 / 63#54. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,659 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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55 / 63#55. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,789 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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56 / 63#56. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,801 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: 2,807 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 19,778 (#61 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,619,816.49 acres
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58 / 63#58. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 2,939 miles
- Date founded: August 1, 1916
- 2025 visitors: 1,877,854 (#18 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 325,605.28 acres
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
59 / 63#59. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 2,949 miles
- Date founded: August 2, 1956
- 2025 visitors: 471,074 (#42 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,052.53 acres
MH Anderson Photography // Shutterstock
60 / 63#60. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 2,956 miles
- Date founded: July 1, 1961
- 2025 visitors: 853,711 (#27 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,264.62 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
61 / 63#61. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,032 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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62 / 63#62. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,163 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 7,786 (#63 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres
Lloyd Wallin Photography // Shutterstock
63 / 63#63. National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa)
- Distance: 5,129 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
