Closest national parks to Hot Springs

Written by:
July 17, 2026
Doug Meek // Shutterstock

Closest national parks to Hot Springs

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 Hot Springs. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Hot Springs, AR 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. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)

- Distance: 7 miles
- Driving time: 0.3 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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Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock

#2. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)

- Distance: 324 miles
- Driving time: 6.9 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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Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock

#3. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)

- Distance: 434 miles
- Driving time: 8.0 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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ZakZeinert // Shutterstock

#4. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)

- Distance: 550 miles
- Driving time: 10.3 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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Delmas Lehman // Shutterstock

#5. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)

- Distance: 590 miles
- Driving time: 11.4 hours
- Date founded: February 15, 2019
- 2025 visitors: 2,629,497 (#13 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,349.08 acres
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#6. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)

- Distance: 673 miles
- Driving time: 12.0 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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#7. Big Bend National Park (Texas)

- Distance: 698 miles
- Driving time: 15.0 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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ShuPhoto // Shutterstock

#8. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)

- Distance: 703 miles
- Driving time: 13.1 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#9. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)

- Distance: 710 miles
- Driving time: 12.8 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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#10. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)

- Distance: 714 miles
- Driving time: 13.6 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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Kris Wiktor // Shutterstock

#11. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 724 miles
- Driving time: 14.4 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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Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock

#12. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)

- Distance: 760 miles
- Driving time: 14.6 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#13. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)

- Distance: 782 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
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#14. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 791 miles
- Driving time: 15.5 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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#15. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)

- Distance: 807 miles
- Driving time: 16.6 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#16. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)

- Distance: 831 miles
- Driving time: 17.3 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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#17. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 855 miles
- Driving time: 18.2 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. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)

- Distance: 866 miles
- Driving time: 15.7 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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#19. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 878 miles
- Driving time: 17.6 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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#20. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)

- Distance: 922 miles
- Driving time: 22.1 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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#21. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)

- Distance: 945 miles
- Driving time: 15.7 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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#22. Arches National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 954 miles
- Driving time: 19.5 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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#23. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)

- Distance: 961 miles
- Driving time: 17.6 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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#24. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)

- Distance: 963 miles
- Driving time: 19.4 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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#25. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 967 miles
- Driving time: 24.2 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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#26. Everglades National Park (Florida)

- Distance: 970 miles
- Driving time: 20.2 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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#27. Biscayne National Park (Florida)

- Distance: 994 miles
- Driving time: 19.1 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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#28. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)

- Distance: 1,010 miles
- Driving time: 20.4 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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#29. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)

- Distance: 1,014 miles
- Driving time: 19.5 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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#30. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 1,033 miles
- Driving time: 21.2 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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#31. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)

- Distance: 1,076 miles
- Driving time: 19.3 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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#32. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 1,083 miles
- Driving time: 22.9 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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Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock

#33. Zion National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 1,129 miles
- Driving time: 22.9 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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#34. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)

- Distance: 1,135 miles
- Driving time: 22.0 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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#35. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)

- Distance: 1,152 miles
- Driving time: 23.0 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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Arlene Waller // Shutterstock

#36. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)

- Distance: 1,209 miles
- Driving time: 23.8 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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#37. Joshua Tree National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,302 miles
- Driving time: 23.1 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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#38. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)

- Distance: 1,338 miles
- Driving time: 23.6 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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#39. Kings Canyon National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,433 miles
- Driving time: 30.1 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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#40. Sequoia National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,441 miles
- Driving time: 29.2 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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#41. Glacier National Park (Montana)

- Distance: 1,449 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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#42. Yosemite National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,485 miles
- Driving time: 29.2 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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#43. Acadia National Park (Maine)

- Distance: 1,486 miles
- Driving time: 28.8 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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#44. Channel Islands National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,499 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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#45. Pinnacles National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,579 miles
- Driving time: 27.8 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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#46. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,602 miles
- Driving time: 31.0 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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#47. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)

- Distance: 1,657 miles
- Driving time: 32.5 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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#48. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)

- Distance: 1,710 miles
- Driving time: 32.6 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#49. North Cascades National Park (Washington)

- Distance: 1,733 miles
- Driving time: 35.3 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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#50. Redwood National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,738 miles
- Driving time: 36.0 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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#51. Olympic National Park (Washington)

- Distance: 1,813 miles
- Driving time: 35.7 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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#52. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)

- Distance: 2,074 miles
- Date founded: August 2, 1956
- 2025 visitors: 471,074 (#42 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,052.53 acres
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#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 2,590 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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#54. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 2,811 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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#55. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,049 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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#56. Denali National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,118 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. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,186 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. Katmai National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,228 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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#59. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,262 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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#60. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,414 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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#61. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)

- Distance: 3,907 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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#62. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)

- Distance: 3,918 miles
- Date founded: July 1, 1961
- 2025 visitors: 853,711 (#27 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,264.62 acres
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Lloyd Wallin Photography // Shutterstock

#63. National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa)

- Distance: 6,086 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres

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