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 Boulder. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Boulder, CO 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. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 23 miles
- Driving time: 1.4 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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2 / 63#2. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 163 miles
- Driving time: 6.3 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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3 / 63#3. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 163 miles
- Driving time: 5.5 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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4 / 63#4. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 244 miles
- Driving time: 6.7 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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5 / 63#5. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 259 miles
- Driving time: 6.4 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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6 / 63#6. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 262 miles
- Driving time: 8.7 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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7 / 63#7. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 276 miles
- Driving time: 12.4 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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8 / 63#8. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 293 miles
- Driving time: 7.2 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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9 / 63#9. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 336 miles
- Driving time: 8.2 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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10 / 63#10. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
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11 / 63#11. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 405 miles
- Driving time: 10.2 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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12 / 63#12. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 406 miles
- Driving time: 10.2 hours
- Date founded: March 1, 1872
- 2025 visitors: 4,762,988 (#3 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres
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13 / 63#13. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 422 miles
- Driving time: 10.9 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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14 / 63#14. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 456 miles
- Driving time: 10.8 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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15 / 63#15. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 461 miles
- Driving time: 12.1 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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16 / 63#16. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 482 miles
- Driving time: 11.4 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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17 / 63#17. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 485 miles
- Driving time: 11.1 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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18 / 63#18. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 506 miles
- Driving time: 10.6 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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19 / 63#19. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 549 miles
- Driving time: 11.3 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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20 / 63#20. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 564 miles
- Driving time: 12.4 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. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 611 miles
- Driving time: 14.7 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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22 / 63#22. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 676 miles
- Driving time: 14.0 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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23 / 63#23. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 725 miles
- Driving time: 16.3 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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24 / 63#24. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 735 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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25 / 63#25. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
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26 / 63#26. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 757 miles
- Driving time: 16.7 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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27 / 63#27. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 764 miles
- Driving time: 20.7 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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28 / 63#28. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 775 miles
- Driving time: 21.4 hours
- Date founded: October 1, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 4,278,413 (#5 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 761,747.50 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
29 / 63#29. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 781 miles
- Driving time: 15.6 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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30 / 63#30. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
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31 / 63#31. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 848 miles
- Driving time: 19.2 hours
- Date founded: April 8, 1975
- 2025 visitors: 206,326 (#53 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 218,222.35 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
32 / 63#32. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 851 miles
- Driving time: 19.0 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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33 / 63#33. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 880 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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34 / 63#34. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 887 miles
- Driving time: 20.3 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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35 / 63#35. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 891 miles
- Driving time: 19.3 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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36 / 63#36. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 943 miles
- Driving time: 20.5 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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37 / 63#37. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 965 miles
- Driving time: 16.4 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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38 / 63#38. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 979 miles
- Driving time: 23.8 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 1,202,480 (#25 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 138,999.37 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
39 / 63#39. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 979 miles
- Driving time: 23.4 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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40 / 63#40. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
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41 / 63#41. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,049 miles
- Driving time: 24.0 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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42 / 63#42. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 1,061 miles
- Driving time: 18.3 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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43 / 63#43. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 1,230 miles
- Driving time: 21.8 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: 1,252 miles
- Driving time: 21.3 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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45 / 63#45. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
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46 / 63#46. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 1,425 miles
- Driving time: 26.0 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. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 1,448 miles
- Driving time: 25.6 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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48 / 63#48. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,686 miles
- Driving time: 35.9 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
49 / 63#49. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,742 miles
- Driving time: 33.3 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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50 / 63#50. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
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51 / 63#51. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,881 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 740,044 (#32 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,223,383.43 acres
Romiana Lee // Shutterstock
52 / 63#52. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 1,913 miles
- Driving time: 35.7 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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53 / 63#53. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,116 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
54 / 63#54. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,333 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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55 / 63#55. Denali National Park (Alaska)
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56 / 63#56. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,476 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
57 / 63#57. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,499 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
58 / 63#58. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,617 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
59 / 63#59. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,761 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
60 / 63#60. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
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61 / 63#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 3,260 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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62 / 63#62. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 3,264 miles
- Date founded: August 1, 1916
- 2025 visitors: 1,877,854 (#18 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 325,605.28 acres
Lloyd Wallin Photography // Shutterstock
63 / 63#63. National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa)
- Distance: 5,610 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
