Closest national parks to Hartford

Written by:
July 17, 2026
ZakZeinert // Shutterstock

Closest national parks to Hartford

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 Hartford. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, 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. Acadia National Park (Maine)

- Distance: 286 miles
- Driving time: 6.3 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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#2. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)

- Distance: 377 miles
- Driving time: 7.7 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#3. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)

- Distance: 467 miles
- Driving time: 8.6 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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Steve Heap // Shutterstock

#4. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)

- Distance: 517 miles
- Driving time: 10.3 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#5. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)

- Distance: 708 miles
- Driving time: 13.9 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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ZakZeinert // Shutterstock

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

- Distance: 723 miles
- Driving time: 13.4 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

#7. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)

- Distance: 748 miles
- Driving time: 13.2 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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Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock

#8. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)

- Distance: 787 miles
- Driving time: 14.9 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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SveKo // Shutterstock

#9. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)

- Distance: 897 miles
- Driving time: 20.8 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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Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock

#10. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)

- Distance: 955 miles
- Driving time: 16.5 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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#11. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)

- Distance: 1,093 miles
- Driving time: 23.8 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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Claudia G Cooper // Shutterstock

#12. Biscayne National Park (Florida)

- Distance: 1,188 miles
- Driving time: 21.9 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#13. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)

- Distance: 1,218 miles
- Driving time: 21.6 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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#14. Everglades National Park (Florida)

- Distance: 1,227 miles
- Driving time: 22.9 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. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)

- Distance: 1,318 miles
- Driving time: 24.8 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. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)

- Distance: 1,521 miles
- Driving time: 26.6 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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#17. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)

- Distance: 1,561 miles
- Driving time: 28.4 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#18. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)

- Distance: 1,571 miles
- Driving time: 28.0 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. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)

- Distance: 1,676 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. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 1,716 miles
- Driving time: 28.8 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. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 1,765 miles
- Driving time: 31.0 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. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 1,861 miles
- Driving time: 32.7 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. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)

- Distance: 1,870 miles
- Driving time: 32.0 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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#24. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)

- Distance: 1,900 miles
- Driving time: 33.1 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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#25. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)

- Distance: 1,910 miles
- Driving time: 34.6 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. Big Bend National Park (Texas)

- Distance: 1,917 miles
- Driving time: 34.9 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. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 1,932 miles
- Driving time: 35.0 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#28. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)

- Distance: 1,933 miles
- Driving time: 33.9 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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#29. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)

- Distance: 1,938 miles
- Driving time: 32.8 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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#30. Arches National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 1,953 miles
- Driving time: 33.4 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. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 1,982 miles
- Driving time: 40.4 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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#32. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 2,046 miles
- Driving time: 34.9 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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#33. Glacier National Park (Montana)

- Distance: 2,052 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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#34. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)

- Distance: 2,054 miles
- Driving time: 34.0 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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#35. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 2,113 miles
- Driving time: 36.9 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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#36. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)

- Distance: 2,149 miles
- Driving time: 37.6 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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Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock

#37. Zion National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 2,164 miles
- Driving time: 37.4 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. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)

- Distance: 2,178 miles
- Driving time: 37.8 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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#39. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)

- Distance: 2,189 miles
- Driving time: 37.4 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#40. North Cascades National Park (Washington)

- Distance: 2,380 miles
- Driving time: 46.0 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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#41. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)

- Distance: 2,386 miles
- Driving time: 40.6 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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#42. Joshua Tree National Park (California)

- Distance: 2,408 miles
- Driving time: 41.3 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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Diane Fetzner // Shutterstock

#43. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)

- Distance: 2,424 miles
- Driving time: 44.1 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. Kings Canyon National Park (California)

- Distance: 2,459 miles
- Driving time: 48.7 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. Sequoia National Park (California)

- Distance: 2,476 miles
- Driving time: 47.5 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. Yosemite National Park (California)

- Distance: 2,482 miles
- Driving time: 46.5 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. Olympic National Park (Washington)

- Distance: 2,492 miles
- Driving time: 46.7 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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#48. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)

- Distance: 2,501 miles
- Driving time: 44.7 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#49. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)

- Distance: 2,521 miles
- Driving time: 43.4 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. Channel Islands National Park (California)

- Distance: 2,583 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. Pinnacles National Park (California)

- Distance: 2,602 miles
- Driving time: 45.8 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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#52. Redwood National Park (California)

- Distance: 2,627 miles
- Driving time: 48.2 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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#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 2,953 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: 3,106 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. Denali National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,349 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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#56. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,366 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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Tomasz Wozniak // Shutterstock

#57. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,377 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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#58. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,481 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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BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock

#59. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,522 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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#60. Katmai National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,587 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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#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)

- Distance: 4,965 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. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)

- Distance: 4,973 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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Lloyd Wallin Photography // Shutterstock

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

- Distance: 7,282 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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