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 Bakersfield. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Bakersfield, CA 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. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 75 miles
- Driving time: 5.4 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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2 / 63#2. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 100 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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3 / 63#3. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 101 miles
- Driving time: 6.4 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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4 / 63#4. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 124 miles
- Driving time: 4.5 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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5 / 63#5. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 157 miles
- Driving time: 4.1 hours
- Date founded: January 10, 2013
- 2025 visitors: 343,208 (#47 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,685.73 acres
Stephen Moehle // Shutterstock
6 / 63#6. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 177 miles
- Driving time: 5.4 hours
- Date founded: October 1, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 4,278,413 (#5 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 761,747.50 acres
Dennis Silvas // Shutterstock
7 / 63#7. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 194 miles
- Driving time: 5.1 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
8 / 63#8. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 344 miles
- Driving time: 7.5 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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9 / 63#9. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 350 miles
- Driving time: 9.5 hours
- Date founded: October 27, 1986
- 2025 visitors: 161,210 (#54 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 77,180.00 acres
Josemaria Toscano // Shutterstock
10 / 63#10. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 374 miles
- Driving time: 7.9 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,430,653 (#4 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
11 / 63#11. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 386 miles
- Driving time: 7.8 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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12 / 63#12. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 396 miles
- Driving time: 9.5 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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13 / 63#13. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 463 miles
- Driving time: 10.2 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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14 / 63#14. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 500 miles
- Driving time: 12.6 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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15 / 63#15. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 507 miles
- Driving time: 8.8 hours
- Date founded: December 9, 1962
- 2025 visitors: 315,951 (#48 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 221,390.21 acres
kojihirano // Shutterstock
16 / 63#16. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 519 miles
- Driving time: 10.8 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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17 / 63#17. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 526 miles
- Driving time: 15.9 hours
- Date founded: September 12, 1964
- 2025 visitors: 796,057 (#29 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 337,597.83 acres
Hank Shiffman // Shutterstock
18 / 63#18. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 554 miles
- Driving time: 10.7 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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19 / 63#19. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 556 miles
- Driving time: 11.0 hours
- Date founded: November 12, 1971
- 2025 visitors: 1,511,740 (#21 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 76,678.98 acres
Sopotnicki // Shutterstock
20 / 63#20. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 585 miles
- Driving time: 12.4 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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21 / 63#21. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 648 miles
- Driving time: 12.9 hours
- Date founded: October 21, 1999
- 2025 visitors: 250,086 (#50 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 30,779.83 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
22 / 63#22. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 716 miles
- Driving time: 15.6 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
23 / 63#23. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 741 miles
- Driving time: 13.8 hours
- Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]
- 2025 visitors: 659,742 (#35 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 146,344.31 acres
Kris Wiktor // Shutterstock
24 / 63#24. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 753 miles
- Driving time: 15.7 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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25 / 63#25. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 773 miles
- Driving time: 16.0 hours
- Date founded: March 1, 1872
- 2025 visitors: 4,762,988 (#3 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres
Anna Krivitskaya // Shutterstock
26 / 63#26. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 798 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
Diane Fetzner // Shutterstock
27 / 63#27. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 809 miles
- Driving time: 17.1 hours
- Date founded: March 2, 1899
- 2025 visitors: 1,635,342 (#20 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 236,381.64 acres
ShuPhoto // Shutterstock
28 / 63#28. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 832 miles
- Driving time: 15.7 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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29 / 63#29. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 850 miles
- Driving time: 15.9 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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30 / 63#30. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 905 miles
- Driving time: 18.7 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1938
- 2025 visitors: 3,584,187 (#9 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 922,649.41 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
31 / 63#31. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 930 miles
- Driving time: 19.1 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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32 / 63#32. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 959 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
33 / 63#33. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 991 miles
- Driving time: 19.0 hours
- Date founded: January 9, 1903
- 2025 visitors: 606,258 (#37 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,970.84 acres
Eric Foltz // Shutterstock
34 / 63#34. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 997 miles
- Driving time: 19.9 hours
- Date founded: June 12, 1944
- 2025 visitors: 568,104 (#38 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 801,163.21 acres
Matt Ragen // Shutterstock
35 / 63#35. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 1,040 miles
- Driving time: 20.4 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
36 / 63#36. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 1,127 miles
- Driving time: 22.5 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 729,893 (#33 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 70,446.89 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
37 / 63#37. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 1,455 miles
- Driving time: 24.6 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: 1,588 miles
- Driving time: 26.4 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: 1,600 miles
- Driving time: 31.9 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: 1,760 miles
- Driving time: 29.6 hours
- Date founded: February 15, 2019
- 2025 visitors: 2,629,497 (#13 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,349.08 acres
SveKo // Shutterstock
41 / 63#41. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 1,775 miles
- Driving time: 34.9 hours
- Date founded: April 3, 1940
- 2025 visitors: 29,091 (#60 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 571,790.30 acres
Laurie Gronewold // Shutterstock
42 / 63#42. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,805 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 740,044 (#32 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,223,383.43 acres
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
43 / 63#43. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 1,817 miles
- Driving time: 30.3 hours
- Date founded: July 1, 1941
- 2025 visitors: 660,734 (#34 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 54,011.91 acres
ZakZeinert // Shutterstock
44 / 63#44. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 1,973 miles
- Driving time: 32.5 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
45 / 63#45. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 2,045 miles
- Driving time: 34.2 hours
- Date founded: October 11, 2000
- 2025 visitors: 3,025,325 (#11 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 32,571.88 acres
Martin Capek // Shutterstock
46 / 63#46. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,048 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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47 / 63#47. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 2,084 miles
- Driving time: 34.9 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
48 / 63#48. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 2,153 miles
- Driving time: 35.4 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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49 / 63#49. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,189 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 425,369 (#45 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 669,650.05 acres
Jon Bilous // Shutterstock
50 / 63#50. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 2,228 miles
- Driving time: 38.4 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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51 / 63#51. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,259 miles
- Driving time: 43.9 hours
- Date founded: October 26, 1992
- 2025 visitors: 89,355 (#56 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 64,701.22 acres
Robert Harding Video // Shutterstock
52 / 63#52. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,296 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 34,479 (#59 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,674,529.33 acres
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock
53 / 63#53. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,336 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 19,778 (#61 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,619,816.49 acres
Simon Dannhauer // Shutterstock
54 / 63#54. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,346 miles
- Driving time: 41.8 hours
- Date founded: May 30, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 778,198 (#31 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,508,938.57 acres
Marc Cappelletti // Shutterstock
55 / 63#55. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,357 miles
- Date founded: February 26, 1917
- 2025 visitors: 543,300 (#39 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 4,740,911.16 acres
Claudia G Cooper // Shutterstock
56 / 63#56. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,384 miles
- Driving time: 40.8 hours
- Date founded: June 28, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 486,567 (#41 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 172,971.11 acres
jo Crebbin // Shutterstock
57 / 63#57. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 2,478 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
58 / 63#58. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 2,480 miles
- Date founded: July 1, 1961
- 2025 visitors: 853,711 (#27 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,264.62 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
59 / 63#59. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,619 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 14,923 (#62 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres
Romiana Lee // Shutterstock
60 / 63#60. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 2,713 miles
- Driving time: 49.0 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,079,318 (#7 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 49,076.63 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
61 / 63#61. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,735 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: 3,488 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: 4,817 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
