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 Bridgeport. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 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. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 324 miles
- Driving time: 6.8 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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2 / 63#2. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 339 miles
- Driving time: 7.4 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,079,318 (#7 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 49,076.63 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
3 / 63#3. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 426 miles
- Driving time: 7.9 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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4 / 63#4. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 465 miles
- Driving time: 9.3 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
5 / 63#5. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 655 miles
- Driving time: 13.0 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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6 / 63#6. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 670 miles
- Driving time: 12.5 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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7 / 63#7. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 711 miles
- Driving time: 12.6 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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8 / 63#8. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 737 miles
- Driving time: 14.1 hours
- Date founded: July 1, 1941
- 2025 visitors: 660,734 (#34 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 54,011.91 acres
SveKo // Shutterstock
9 / 63#9. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 884 miles
- Driving time: 20.1 hours
- Date founded: April 3, 1940
- 2025 visitors: 29,091 (#60 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 571,790.30 acres
Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock
10 / 63#10. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 910 miles
- Driving time: 15.9 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
11 / 63#11. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 1,078 miles
- Driving time: 23.1 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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12 / 63#12. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,141 miles
- Driving time: 21.0 hours
- Date founded: June 28, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 486,567 (#41 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 172,971.11 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
13 / 63#13. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 1,168 miles
- Driving time: 20.7 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1921
- 2025 visitors: 2,494,611 (#14 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 5,554.15 acres
Simon Dannhauer // Shutterstock
14 / 63#14. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,179 miles
- Driving time: 22.0 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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15 / 63#15. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,268 miles
- Driving time: 23.9 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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16 / 63#16. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 1,491 miles
- Driving time: 25.9 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
17 / 63#17. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 1,538 miles
- Driving time: 27.8 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
18 / 63#18. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 1,540 miles
- Driving time: 27.3 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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19 / 63#19. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 1,658 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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20 / 63#20. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,680 miles
- Driving time: 28.1 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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21 / 63#21. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,725 miles
- Driving time: 30.3 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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22 / 63#22. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,823 miles
- Driving time: 32.0 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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23 / 63#23. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,823 miles
- Driving time: 31.3 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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24 / 63#24. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,854 miles
- Driving time: 32.4 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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25 / 63#25. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,868 miles
- Driving time: 34.5 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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26 / 63#26. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 1,882 miles
- Driving time: 33.9 hours
- Date founded: March 1, 1872
- 2025 visitors: 4,762,988 (#3 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
27 / 63#27. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,892 miles
- Driving time: 32.2 hours
- Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]
- 2025 visitors: 659,742 (#35 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 146,344.31 acres
Sopotnicki // Shutterstock
28 / 63#28. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,893 miles
- Driving time: 34.3 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1906
- 2025 visitors: 463,130 (#43 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 52,485.17 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
29 / 63#29. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 1,904 miles
- Driving time: 33.2 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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30 / 63#30. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,916 miles
- Driving time: 32.7 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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31 / 63#31. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,945 miles
- Driving time: 39.7 hours
- Date founded: September 12, 1964
- 2025 visitors: 796,057 (#29 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 337,597.83 acres
Layne V. Naylor // Shutterstock
32 / 63#32. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 2,009 miles
- Driving time: 34.2 hours
- Date founded: December 18, 1971
- 2025 visitors: 1,388,476 (#22 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 241,904.50 acres
Felix Lipov // Shutterstock
33 / 63#33. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 2,013 miles
- Driving time: 33.8 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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34 / 63#34. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 2,032 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2025 visitors: 3,136,557 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres
ronnybas frimages // Shutterstock
35 / 63#35. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 2,075 miles
- Driving time: 36.2 hours
- Date founded: February 25, 1928
- 2025 visitors: 1,967,367 (#16 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 35,835.08 acres
Josemaria Toscano // Shutterstock
36 / 63#36. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 2,110 miles
- Driving time: 36.9 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,430,653 (#4 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
37 / 63#37. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 2,127 miles
- Driving time: 36.7 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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38 / 63#38. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 2,134 miles
- Driving time: 37.1 hours
- Date founded: October 14, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 847,749 (#28 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 92,867.42 acres
Arlene Waller // Shutterstock
39 / 63#39. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 2,154 miles
- Driving time: 36.7 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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40 / 63#40. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 2,348 miles
- Driving time: 39.9 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 1,320,134 (#24 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
41 / 63#41. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,360 miles
- Driving time: 45.2 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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42 / 63#42. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,368 miles
- Driving time: 40.6 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 2,932,644 (#12 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 795,155.85 acres
Diane Fetzner // Shutterstock
43 / 63#43. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,402 miles
- Driving time: 43.4 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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44 / 63#44. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,423 miles
- Driving time: 47.9 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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45 / 63#45. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,439 miles
- Driving time: 46.7 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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46 / 63#46. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,447 miles
- Driving time: 45.8 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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47 / 63#47. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,472 miles
- Driving time: 46.0 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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48 / 63#48. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 2,473 miles
- Driving time: 44.1 hours
- Date founded: May 22, 1902
- 2025 visitors: 632,242 (#36 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 183,224.05 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
49 / 63#49. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,490 miles
- Driving time: 42.7 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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50 / 63#50. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,544 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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51 / 63#51. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,566 miles
- Driving time: 45.1 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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52 / 63#52. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,598 miles
- Driving time: 47.5 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 1,202,480 (#25 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 138,999.37 acres
Laurie Gronewold // Shutterstock
53 / 63#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,949 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: 3,105 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 108,840 (#55 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,323,146.48 acres
Marc Cappelletti // Shutterstock
55 / 63#55. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,352 miles
- Date founded: February 26, 1917
- 2025 visitors: 543,300 (#39 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 4,740,911.16 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
56 / 63#56. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,374 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 14,923 (#62 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres
Tomasz Wozniak // Shutterstock
57 / 63#57. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,376 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 425,369 (#45 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 669,650.05 acres
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock
58 / 63#58. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,482 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 19,778 (#61 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,619,816.49 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
59 / 63#59. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,532 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 7,786 (#63 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres
Robert Harding Video // Shutterstock
60 / 63#60. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,585 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 34,479 (#59 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,674,529.33 acres
MH Anderson Photography // Shutterstock
61 / 63#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 4,931 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: 4,938 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: 7,238 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
