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 Yuma. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Yuma, 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. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 135 miles
- Driving time: 4.0 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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2 / 63#2. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 202 miles
- Driving time: 4.6 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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3 / 63#3. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 248 miles
- Driving time: 5.7 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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4 / 63#4. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 285 miles
- Driving time: 5.8 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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5 / 63#5. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
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6 / 63#6. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 316 miles
- Driving time: 8.6 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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7 / 63#7. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 330 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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8 / 63#8. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 345 miles
- Driving time: 9.8 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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9 / 63#9. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 371 miles
- Driving time: 11.6 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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10 / 63#10. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 383 miles
- Driving time: 12.5 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. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 405 miles
- Driving time: 11.5 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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12 / 63#12. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 428 miles
- Driving time: 12.0 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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13 / 63#13. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 432 miles
- Driving time: 9.4 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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14 / 63#14. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 436 miles
- Driving time: 13.8 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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15 / 63#15. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 451 miles
- Driving time: 7.5 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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16 / 63#16. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 470 miles
- Driving time: 11.6 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. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 475 miles
- Driving time: 10.1 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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18 / 63#18. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 485 miles
- Driving time: 9.6 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. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 530 miles
- Driving time: 12.3 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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20 / 63#20. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 532 miles
- Driving time: 9.4 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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21 / 63#21. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 555 miles
- Driving time: 9.6 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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22 / 63#22. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 585 miles
- Driving time: 12.8 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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23 / 63#23. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 677 miles
- Driving time: 13.6 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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24 / 63#24. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 679 miles
- Driving time: 13.7 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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25 / 63#25. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 700 miles
- Driving time: 16.6 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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26 / 63#26. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 774 miles
- Driving time: 16.9 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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27 / 63#27. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 809 miles
- Driving time: 18.7 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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28 / 63#28. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 831 miles
- Driving time: 17.1 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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29 / 63#29. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 836 miles
- Driving time: 17.2 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
30 / 63#30. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 935 miles
- Driving time: 20.0 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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31 / 63#31. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 977 miles
- Driving time: 21.4 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 1,139,361 (#26 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 242,755.94 acres
Diane Fetzner // Shutterstock
32 / 63#32. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,056 miles
- Driving time: 23.4 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: 1,106 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: 1,124 miles
- Driving time: 23.7 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. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,162 miles
- Driving time: 25.1 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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36 / 63#36. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,162 miles
- Driving time: 25.4 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 46,925 (#57 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 504,780.94 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
37 / 63#37. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 1,206 miles
- Driving time: 20.4 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1921
- 2025 visitors: 2,494,611 (#14 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 5,554.15 acres
Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock
38 / 63#38. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 1,389 miles
- Driving time: 23.4 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: 1,539 miles
- Driving time: 32.0 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: 1,601 miles
- Driving time: 27.3 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: 1,691 miles
- Driving time: 34.3 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: 1,744 miles
- Driving time: 29.3 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: 1,870 miles
- Driving time: 31.4 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)
- Distance: 1,878 miles
- Driving time: 32.0 hours
- Date founded: December 27, 2020
- 2025 visitors: 1,958,440 (#17 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,021 acres
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46 / 63#46. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 1,911 miles
- Driving time: 31.3 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. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,958 miles
- Driving time: 39.1 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. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 2,027 miles
- Driving time: 34.9 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: 2,052 miles
- Driving time: 37.0 hours
- Date founded: May 30, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 778,198 (#31 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,508,938.57 acres
Laurie Gronewold // Shutterstock
50 / 63#50. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
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51 / 63#51. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,093 miles
- Driving time: 35.8 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: 2,322 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 108,840 (#55 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,323,146.48 acres
Tomasz Wozniak // Shutterstock
53 / 63#53. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,480 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 425,369 (#45 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 669,650.05 acres
Romiana Lee // Shutterstock
54 / 63#54. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 2,564 miles
- Driving time: 46.3 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,079,318 (#7 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 49,076.63 acres
Robert Harding Video // Shutterstock
55 / 63#55. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
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56 / 63#56. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,628 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: 2,636 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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58 / 63#58. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 2,707 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: 2,721 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: 3,006 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: 3,197 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: 4,950 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
