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 Fort Smith. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Fort Smith, AR-OK 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: Are homes selling in Fort Smith in 2026?
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
1 / 63#1. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 97 miles
- Driving time: 2.7 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
2 / 63#2. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 315 miles
- Driving time: 6.1 hours
- Date founded: February 22, 2018[47]
- 2025 visitors: 2,209,028 (#15 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 192.83 acres
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
3 / 63#3. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 472 miles
- Driving time: 8.5 hours
- Date founded: July 1, 1941
- 2025 visitors: 660,734 (#34 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 54,011.91 acres
Delmas Lehman // Shutterstock
4 / 63#4. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 580 miles
- Driving time: 10.9 hours
- Date founded: February 15, 2019
- 2025 visitors: 2,629,497 (#13 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,349.08 acres
ZakZeinert // Shutterstock
5 / 63#5. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
Doug Meek // Shutterstock
6 / 63#6. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 626 miles
- Driving time: 11.0 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
7 / 63#7. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 642 miles
- Driving time: 11.7 hours
- Date founded: September 24, 2004
- 2025 visitors: 432,498 (#44 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 107,341.87 acres
ShuPhoto // Shutterstock
8 / 63#8. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 656 miles
- Driving time: 12.1 hours
- Date founded: October 15, 1966
- 2025 visitors: 206,423 (#52 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 86,367.10 acres
Eric Foltz // Shutterstock
9 / 63#9. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 676 miles
- Driving time: 14.3 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
10 / 63#10. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 703 miles
- Driving time: 12.8 hours
- Date founded: January 26, 1915
- 2025 visitors: 4,171,431 (#6 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 265,807.25 acres
You may also like: Best restaurants for 9 cuisines in Fort Smith
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
11 / 63#11. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 705 miles
- Driving time: 11.9 hours
- Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]
- 2025 visitors: 659,742 (#35 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 146,344.31 acres
Matt Ragen // Shutterstock
12 / 63#12. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 719 miles
- Driving time: 14.0 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 1,139,361 (#26 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 242,755.94 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
13 / 63#13. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 743 miles
- Driving time: 14.7 hours
- Date founded: January 9, 1903
- 2025 visitors: 606,258 (#37 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,970.84 acres
Steve Heap // Shutterstock
14 / 63#14. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 754 miles
- Driving time: 14.0 hours
- Date founded: December 27, 2020
- 2025 visitors: 1,958,440 (#17 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,021 acres
SL-Photography // Shutterstock
15 / 63#15. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
16 / 63#16. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 778 miles
- Driving time: 13.6 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
17 / 63#17. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 798 miles
- Driving time: 14.3 hours
- Date founded: October 11, 2000
- 2025 visitors: 3,025,325 (#11 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 32,571.88 acres
Sopotnicki // Shutterstock
18 / 63#18. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 800 miles
- Driving time: 14.9 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1906
- 2025 visitors: 463,130 (#43 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 52,485.17 acres
Manamana // Shutterstock
19 / 63#19. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 871 miles
- Driving time: 16.8 hours
- Date founded: November 12, 1971
- 2025 visitors: 1,511,740 (#21 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 76,678.98 acres
Felix Lipov // Shutterstock
20 / 63#20. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
Manamana // Shutterstock
21 / 63#21. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 886 miles
- Driving time: 21.5 hours
- Date founded: September 12, 1964
- 2025 visitors: 796,057 (#29 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 337,597.83 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
22 / 63#22. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 903 miles
- Driving time: 15.0 hours
- Date founded: April 8, 1975
- 2025 visitors: 206,326 (#53 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 218,222.35 acres
Jon Bilous // Shutterstock
23 / 63#23. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 906 miles
- Driving time: 16.1 hours
- Date founded: December 26, 1935
- 2025 visitors: 1,682,152 (#19 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 199,223.77 acres
SveKo // Shutterstock
24 / 63#24. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 921 miles
- Driving time: 17.9 hours
- Date founded: April 3, 1940
- 2025 visitors: 29,091 (#60 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 571,790.30 acres
Laurens Hoddenbagh // Shutterstock
25 / 63#25. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
Layne V. Naylor // Shutterstock
26 / 63#26. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 953 miles
- Driving time: 18.6 hours
- Date founded: December 18, 1971
- 2025 visitors: 1,388,476 (#22 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 241,904.50 acres
kojihirano // Shutterstock
27 / 63#27. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 956 miles
- Driving time: 16.9 hours
- Date founded: October 14, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 847,749 (#28 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 92,867.42 acres
Josemaria Toscano // Shutterstock
28 / 63#28. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,002 miles
- Driving time: 16.7 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,430,653 (#4 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres
ronnybas frimages // Shutterstock
29 / 63#29. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,004 miles
- Driving time: 20.3 hours
- Date founded: February 25, 1928
- 2025 visitors: 1,967,367 (#16 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 35,835.08 acres
Varina C // Shutterstock
30 / 63#30. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,011 miles
- Driving time: 22.8 hours
- Date founded: October 26, 1992
- 2025 visitors: 89,355 (#56 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 64,701.22 acres
You may also like: Fort Smith 7-day weather forecast
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
31 / 63#31. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 1,046 miles
- Driving time: 19.4 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1929
- 2025 visitors: 3,800,648 (#8 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 310,044.36 acres
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
32 / 63#32. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,051 miles
- Driving time: 20.3 hours
- Date founded: November 19, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,984,525 (#2 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 147,242.66 acres
Simon Dannhauer // Shutterstock
33 / 63#33. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,059 miles
- Driving time: 20.9 hours
- Date founded: May 30, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 778,198 (#31 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,508,938.57 acres
Lane V. Erickson // Shutterstock
34 / 63#34. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 1,062 miles
- Driving time: 20.4 hours
- Date founded: March 1, 1872
- 2025 visitors: 4,762,988 (#3 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres
Claudia G Cooper // Shutterstock
35 / 63#35. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,082 miles
- Driving time: 19.9 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 seafood restaurants in Fort Smith
Arlene Waller // Shutterstock
36 / 63#36. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 1,127 miles
- Driving time: 21.2 hours
- Date founded: October 27, 1986
- 2025 visitors: 161,210 (#54 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 77,180.00 acres
Dennis Silvas // Shutterstock
37 / 63#37. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,234 miles
- Driving time: 20.4 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 2,932,644 (#12 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 795,155.85 acres
Bryan Brazil // Shutterstock
38 / 63#38. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 1,262 miles
- Driving time: 20.9 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 1,320,134 (#24 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres
Patrick Poendl // Shutterstock
39 / 63#39. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,356 miles
- Driving time: 27.5 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1940
- 2025 visitors: 779,791 (#30 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 461,901.20 acres
Pung // Shutterstock
40 / 63#40. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 1,361 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2025 visitors: 3,136,557 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres
You may also like: Cheapest gas stations in Fort Smith
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
41 / 63#41. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,365 miles
- Driving time: 26.5 hours
- Date founded: September 25, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 1,378,337 (#23 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 404,062.63 acres
Stephen Moehle // Shutterstock
42 / 63#42. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,405 miles
- Driving time: 26.5 hours
- Date founded: October 1, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 4,278,413 (#5 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 761,747.50 acres
Ethan Daniels // Shutterstock
43 / 63#43. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,429 miles
- Date founded: March 5, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 227,186 (#51 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 249,561.00 acres
Yhelfman // Shutterstock
44 / 63#44. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,502 miles
- Driving time: 25.1 hours
- Date founded: January 10, 2013
- 2025 visitors: 343,208 (#47 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,685.73 acres
Romiana Lee // Shutterstock
45 / 63#45. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 1,507 miles
- Driving time: 28.9 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,079,318 (#7 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 49,076.63 acres
You may also like: The most expensive neighborhoods in Fort Smith
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
46 / 63#46. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,519 miles
- Driving time: 28.3 hours
- Date founded: August 9, 1916
- 2025 visitors: 504,777 (#40 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 106,589.02 acres
Hank Shiffman // Shutterstock
47 / 63#47. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 1,570 miles
- Driving time: 30.0 hours
- Date founded: May 22, 1902
- 2025 visitors: 632,242 (#36 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 183,224.05 acres
Diane Fetzner // Shutterstock
48 / 63#48. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,621 miles
- Driving time: 30.0 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
49 / 63#49. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,644 miles
- Driving time: 32.7 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 46,925 (#57 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 504,780.94 acres
Bob Pool // Shutterstock
50 / 63#50. Redwood National Park (California)
f11photo // Shutterstock
51 / 63#51. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,724 miles
- Driving time: 33.1 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1938
- 2025 visitors: 3,584,187 (#9 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 922,649.41 acres
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
52 / 63#52. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 2,160 miles
- Date founded: August 2, 1956
- 2025 visitors: 471,074 (#42 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,052.53 acres
Laurie Gronewold // Shutterstock
53 / 63#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,502 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
54 / 63#54. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,724 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
55 / 63#55. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
Marc Cappelletti // Shutterstock
56 / 63#56. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,031 miles
- Date founded: February 26, 1917
- 2025 visitors: 543,300 (#39 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 4,740,911.16 acres
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock
57 / 63#57. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,098 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 19,778 (#61 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,619,816.49 acres
Robert Harding Video // Shutterstock
58 / 63#58. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,139 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 34,479 (#59 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,674,529.33 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
59 / 63#59. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,178 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 14,923 (#62 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
60 / 63#60. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
jo Crebbin // Shutterstock
61 / 63#61. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 3,841 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
62 / 63#62. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 3,850 miles
- Date founded: July 1, 1961
- 2025 visitors: 853,711 (#27 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,264.62 acres
Lloyd Wallin Photography // Shutterstock
63 / 63#63. National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa)
- Distance: 6,044 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
