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 Santa Cruz. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, 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. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 60 miles
- Driving time: 1.7 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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2 / 63#2. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 149 miles
- Driving time: 4.6 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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3 / 63#3. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 189 miles
- Driving time: 7.1 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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4 / 63#4. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 192 miles
- Driving time: 7.2 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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5 / 63#5. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 241 miles
- Driving time: 5.0 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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6 / 63#6. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 253 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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7 / 63#7. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 293 miles
- Driving time: 8.5 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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8 / 63#8. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 315 miles
- Driving time: 9.7 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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9 / 63#9. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 409 miles
- Driving time: 7.9 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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10 / 63#10. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 410 miles
- Driving time: 8.5 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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11 / 63#11. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 442 miles
- Driving time: 10.9 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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12 / 63#12. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 495 miles
- Driving time: 11.5 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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13 / 63#13. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 543 miles
- Driving time: 13.6 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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14 / 63#14. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 553 miles
- Driving time: 11.8 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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15 / 63#15. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 600 miles
- Driving time: 14.3 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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16 / 63#16. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 667 miles
- Driving time: 19.9 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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17 / 63#17. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 679 miles
- Driving time: 14.2 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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18 / 63#18. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 689 miles
- Driving time: 15.1 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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19 / 63#19. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 697 miles
- Driving time: 12.7 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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20 / 63#20. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 733 miles
- Driving time: 14.4 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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21 / 63#21. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 746 miles
- Driving time: 16.4 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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22 / 63#22. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 750 miles
- Driving time: 15.9 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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23 / 63#23. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 760 miles
- Driving time: 15.7 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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24 / 63#24. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 789 miles
- Driving time: 17.0 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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25 / 63#25. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 797 miles
- Driving time: 16.3 hours
- Date founded: March 1, 1872
- 2025 visitors: 4,762,988 (#3 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres
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26 / 63#26. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 808 miles
- Driving time: 16.2 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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27 / 63#27. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 908 miles
- Driving time: 19.8 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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28 / 63#28. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 908 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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29 / 63#29. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 917 miles
- Driving time: 19.5 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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30 / 63#30. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 944 miles
- Driving time: 17.2 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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31 / 63#31. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,038 miles
- Driving time: 19.2 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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32 / 63#32. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,054 miles
- Driving time: 19.3 hours
- Date founded: May 14, 1930
- 2025 visitors: 410,778 (#46 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 46,766.45 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
33 / 63#33. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 1,075 miles
- Driving time: 20.7 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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34 / 63#34. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 1,126 miles
- Driving time: 22.0 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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35 / 63#35. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 1,172 miles
- Driving time: 22.8 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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36 / 63#36. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,209 miles
- Driving time: 23.4 hours
- Date founded: June 12, 1944
- 2025 visitors: 568,104 (#38 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 801,163.21 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
37 / 63#37. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 1,630 miles
- Driving time: 28.5 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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38 / 63#38. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,632 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 740,044 (#32 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,223,383.43 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
39 / 63#39. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 1,666 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
Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock
40 / 63#40. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 1,736 miles
- Driving time: 30.5 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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41 / 63#41. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 1,852 miles
- Driving time: 36.8 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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42 / 63#42. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,873 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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43 / 63#43. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 1,887 miles
- Driving time: 32.0 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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44 / 63#44. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 1,971 miles
- Driving time: 34.2 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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45 / 63#45. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,999 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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46 / 63#46. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,098 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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47 / 63#47. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 2,134 miles
- Driving time: 36.5 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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48 / 63#48. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,145 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 19,778 (#61 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,619,816.49 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
49 / 63#49. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 2,174 miles
- Driving time: 36.6 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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50 / 63#50. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,177 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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51 / 63#51. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 2,230 miles
- Driving time: 39.1 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
52 / 63#52. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 2,320 miles
- Driving time: 39.3 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 2003
- 2025 visitors: 287,833 (#49 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,476.47 acres
MH Anderson Photography // Shutterstock
53 / 63#53. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 2,337 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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54 / 63#54. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 2,343 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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55 / 63#55. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 2,370 miles
- Driving time: 42.6 hours
- Date founded: December 26, 1935
- 2025 visitors: 1,682,152 (#19 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 199,223.77 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
56 / 63#56. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,448 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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57 / 63#57. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,458 miles
- Driving time: 47.7 hours
- Date founded: October 26, 1992
- 2025 visitors: 89,355 (#56 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 64,701.22 acres
Simon Dannhauer // Shutterstock
58 / 63#58. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,541 miles
- Driving time: 45.8 hours
- Date founded: May 30, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 778,198 (#31 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,508,938.57 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
59 / 63#59. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,558 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 7,786 (#63 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres
Claudia G Cooper // Shutterstock
60 / 63#60. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,577 miles
- Driving time: 44.8 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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61 / 63#61. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 2,819 miles
- Driving time: 50.9 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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62 / 63#62. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 3,680 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: 4,739 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
