Closest national parks to Elkhart

Written by:
July 7, 2025
ZakZeinert // Shutterstock

Closest national parks to Elkhart

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 Elkhart. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Elkhart-Goshen, IN 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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Delmas Lehman // Shutterstock

#1. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)

- Distance: 62 miles
- Driving time: 1.3 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#2. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)

- Distance: 225 miles
- Driving time: 4.0 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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Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock

#3. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)

- Distance: 305 miles
- Driving time: 6.0 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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Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock

#4. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)

- Distance: 307 miles
- Driving time: 6.0 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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Steve Heap // Shutterstock

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

- Distance: 352 miles
- Driving time: 8.7 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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ZakZeinert // Shutterstock

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

- Distance: 427 miles
- Driving time: 9.0 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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Jon Bilous // Shutterstock

#7. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)

- Distance: 451 miles
- Driving time: 10.9 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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SveKo // Shutterstock

#8. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)

- Distance: 468 miles
- Driving time: 10.2 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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BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock

#9. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)

- Distance: 587 miles
- Driving time: 11.7 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#10. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)

- Distance: 607 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#11. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)

- Distance: 626 miles
- Driving time: 11.7 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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#12. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)

- Distance: 859 miles
- Driving time: 14.5 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#13. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)

- Distance: 907 miles
- Driving time: 15.9 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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Romiana Lee // Shutterstock

#14. Acadia National Park (Maine)

- Distance: 913 miles
- Driving time: 18.5 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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Laurens Hoddenbagh // Shutterstock

#15. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)

- Distance: 945 miles
- Driving time: 16.3 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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#16. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 1,032 miles
- Driving time: 17.0 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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#17. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 1,078 miles
- Driving time: 19.7 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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Claudia G Cooper // Shutterstock

#18. Biscayne National Park (Florida)

- Distance: 1,148 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
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#19. Everglades National Park (Florida)

- Distance: 1,157 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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#20. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 1,174 miles
- Driving time: 21.1 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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#21. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)

- Distance: 1,182 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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#22. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)

- Distance: 1,213 miles
- Driving time: 21.7 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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#23. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)

- Distance: 1,244 miles
- Driving time: 22.8 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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#24. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 1,245 miles
- Driving time: 23.3 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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#25. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)

- Distance: 1,258 miles
- Driving time: 22.9 hours
- Date founded: March 1, 1872
- 2025 visitors: 4,762,988 (#3 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres
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#26. Arches National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 1,267 miles
- Driving time: 21.6 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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#27. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)

- Distance: 1,270 miles
- Driving time: 22.6 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#28. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)

- Distance: 1,274 miles
- Driving time: 22.2 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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#29. Big Bend National Park (Texas)

- Distance: 1,294 miles
- Driving time: 25.0 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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#30. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 1,296 miles
- Driving time: 28.7 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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#31. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 1,360 miles
- Driving time: 23.1 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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#32. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)

- Distance: 1,370 miles
- Driving time: 23.7 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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#33. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 1,426 miles
- Driving time: 25.2 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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#34. Glacier National Park (Montana)

- Distance: 1,451 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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#35. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)

- Distance: 1,462 miles
- Driving time: 27.0 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

#36. Zion National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 1,478 miles
- Driving time: 25.8 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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#37. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)

- Distance: 1,501 miles
- Driving time: 27.3 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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#38. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)

- Distance: 1,506 miles
- Driving time: 25.7 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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#39. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)

- Distance: 1,699 miles
- Driving time: 29.0 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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#40. Joshua Tree National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,722 miles
- Driving time: 31.1 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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#41. Kings Canyon National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,774 miles
- Driving time: 36.7 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#42. North Cascades National Park (Washington)

- Distance: 1,777 miles
- Driving time: 33.7 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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#43. Sequoia National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,790 miles
- Driving time: 35.5 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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#44. Yosemite National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,799 miles
- Driving time: 34.6 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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#45. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)

- Distance: 1,802 miles
- Driving time: 32.2 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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#46. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)

- Distance: 1,845 miles
- Driving time: 32.8 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

#47. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,851 miles
- Driving time: 31.7 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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f11photo // Shutterstock

#48. Olympic National Park (Washington)

- Distance: 1,882 miles
- Driving time: 34.4 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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#49. Channel Islands National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,896 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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#50. Pinnacles National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,918 miles
- Driving time: 34.1 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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#51. Redwood National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,964 miles
- Driving time: 36.3 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. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)

- Distance: 2,032 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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Laurie Gronewold // Shutterstock

#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 2,478 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: 2,666 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. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 2,928 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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#56. Denali National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 2,945 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. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,026 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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#58. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,050 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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#59. Katmai National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,128 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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BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock

#60. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,184 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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MH Anderson Photography // Shutterstock

#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)

- Distance: 4,285 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: 4,291 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: 6,603 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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