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 Springfield, Illinois. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Springfield, IL 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. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 87 miles
- Driving time: 1.6 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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2 / 63#2. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 187 miles
- Driving time: 3.5 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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3 / 63#3. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 267 miles
- Driving time: 6.3 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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4 / 63#4. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 411 miles
- Driving time: 7.8 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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5 / 63#5. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
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6 / 63#6. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 442 miles
- Driving time: 9.5 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. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 479 miles
- Driving time: 9.6 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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8 / 63#8. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 574 miles
- Driving time: 11.1 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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9 / 63#9. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 615 miles
- Driving time: 13.2 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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10 / 63#10. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
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11 / 63#11. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 646 miles
- Driving time: 13.3 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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12 / 63#12. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 714 miles
- Driving time: 13.4 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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13 / 63#13. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 757 miles
- Driving time: 14.4 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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14 / 63#14. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 841 miles
- Driving time: 14.2 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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15 / 63#15. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
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16 / 63#16. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 865 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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17 / 63#17. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 970 miles
- Driving time: 18.9 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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18 / 63#18. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 978 miles
- Driving time: 17.3 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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19 / 63#19. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,009 miles
- Driving time: 18.4 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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20 / 63#20. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
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21 / 63#21. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,038 miles
- Driving time: 18.0 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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22 / 63#22. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,060 miles
- Driving time: 20.5 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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23 / 63#23. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,067 miles
- Driving time: 18.8 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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24 / 63#24. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,092 miles
- Driving time: 26.0 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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25 / 63#25. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
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26 / 63#26. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 1,120 miles
- Driving time: 19.5 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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27 / 63#27. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,120 miles
- Driving time: 22.9 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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28 / 63#28. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,122 miles
- Driving time: 21.0 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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29 / 63#29. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,124 miles
- Driving time: 20.0 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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30 / 63#30. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 1,144 miles
- Driving time: 22.7 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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31 / 63#31. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,149 miles
- Driving time: 19.8 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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32 / 63#32. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,158 miles
- Driving time: 20.4 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 / 63#33. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,222 miles
- Driving time: 22.5 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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34 / 63#34. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,250 miles
- Driving time: 23.4 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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35 / 63#35. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
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36 / 63#36. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,273 miles
- Driving time: 23.0 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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37 / 63#37. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 1,314 miles
- Driving time: 23.0 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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38 / 63#38. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 1,347 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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39 / 63#39. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 1,494 miles
- Driving time: 26.2 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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40 / 63#40. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
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41 / 63#41. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,575 miles
- Driving time: 34.5 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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42 / 63#42. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,589 miles
- Driving time: 32.8 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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43 / 63#43. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,607 miles
- Driving time: 31.9 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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44 / 63#44. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,664 miles
- Driving time: 32.8 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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45 / 63#45. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
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46 / 63#46. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,676 miles
- Driving time: 29.0 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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47 / 63#47. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,686 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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48 / 63#48. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 1,687 miles
- Driving time: 30.1 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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49 / 63#49. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,720 miles
- Driving time: 31.3 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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50 / 63#50. Olympic National Park (Washington)
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51 / 63#51. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,796 miles
- Driving time: 33.5 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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52 / 63#52. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 2,101 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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53 / 63#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,430 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 / 63#54. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,632 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 / 63#55. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
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56 / 63#56. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,924 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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57 / 63#57. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,015 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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58 / 63#58. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,032 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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59 / 63#59. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,079 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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60 / 63#60. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
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61 / 63#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 4,090 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: 4,092 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: 6,377 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
