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 South Bend. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI 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. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 49 miles
- Driving time: 1.1 hours
- Date founded: February 15, 2019
- 2025 visitors: 2,629,497 (#13 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,349.08 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
2 / 63#2. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 240 miles
- Driving time: 4.1 hours
- Date founded: October 11, 2000
- 2025 visitors: 3,025,325 (#11 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 32,571.88 acres
Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock
3 / 63#3. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 306 miles
- Driving time: 5.8 hours
- Date founded: February 22, 2018[47]
- 2025 visitors: 2,209,028 (#15 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 192.83 acres
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
4 / 63#4. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 317 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
Steve Heap // Shutterstock
5 / 63#5. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 370 miles
- Driving time: 8.5 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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6 / 63#6. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 443 miles
- Driving time: 9.1 hours
- Date founded: June 15, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 11,527,939 (#1 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 522,426.88 acres
SveKo // Shutterstock
7 / 63#7. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 453 miles
- Driving time: 10.0 hours
- Date founded: April 3, 1940
- 2025 visitors: 29,091 (#60 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 571,790.30 acres
Jon Bilous // Shutterstock
8 / 63#8. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 468 miles
- Driving time: 11.5 hours
- Date founded: December 26, 1935
- 2025 visitors: 1,682,152 (#19 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 199,223.77 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
9 / 63#9. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 569 miles
- Driving time: 11.5 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
10 / 63#10. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 624 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
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
11 / 63#11. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 627 miles
- Driving time: 11.5 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 / 63#12. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 843 miles
- Driving time: 14.3 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 1,139,361 (#26 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 242,755.94 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
13 / 63#13. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 891 miles
- Driving time: 15.7 hours
- Date founded: January 9, 1903
- 2025 visitors: 606,258 (#37 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,970.84 acres
Romiana Lee // Shutterstock
14 / 63#14. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 922 miles
- Driving time: 18.6 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,079,318 (#7 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 49,076.63 acres
Laurens Hoddenbagh // Shutterstock
15 / 63#15. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 928 miles
- Driving time: 16.1 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 729,893 (#33 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 70,446.89 acres
Anna Krivitskaya // Shutterstock
16 / 63#16. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,018 miles
- Driving time: 16.7 hours
- Date founded: January 26, 1915
- 2025 visitors: 4,171,431 (#6 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 265,807.25 acres
Kris Wiktor // Shutterstock
17 / 63#17. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,067 miles
- Driving time: 19.4 hours
- Date founded: September 24, 2004
- 2025 visitors: 432,498 (#44 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 107,341.87 acres
SL-Photography // Shutterstock
18 / 63#18. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,161 miles
- Driving time: 20.9 hours
- Date founded: October 21, 1999
- 2025 visitors: 250,086 (#50 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 30,779.83 acres
Claudia G Cooper // Shutterstock
19 / 63#19. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,164 miles
- Driving time: 21.1 hours
- Date founded: June 28, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 486,567 (#41 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 172,971.11 acres
Simon Dannhauer // Shutterstock
20 / 63#20. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,172 miles
- Driving time: 22.1 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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21 / 63#21. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,196 miles
- Driving time: 24.0 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 / 63#22. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,207 miles
- Driving time: 21.4 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 / 63#23. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,233 miles
- Driving time: 23.1 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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24 / 63#24. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,237 miles
- Driving time: 22.5 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. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 1,242 miles
- Driving time: 23.0 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 / 63#26. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,254 miles
- Driving time: 21.3 hours
- Date founded: November 12, 1971
- 2025 visitors: 1,511,740 (#21 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 76,678.98 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
27 / 63#27. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 1,258 miles
- Driving time: 22.0 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1929
- 2025 visitors: 3,800,648 (#8 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 310,044.36 acres
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
28 / 63#28. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,262 miles
- Driving time: 22.3 hours
- Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]
- 2025 visitors: 659,742 (#35 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 146,344.31 acres
Manamana // Shutterstock
29 / 63#29. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,283 miles
- Driving time: 28.5 hours
- Date founded: September 12, 1964
- 2025 visitors: 796,057 (#29 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 337,597.83 acres
Eric Foltz // Shutterstock
30 / 63#30. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,291 miles
- Driving time: 24.8 hours
- Date founded: June 12, 1944
- 2025 visitors: 568,104 (#38 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 801,163.21 acres
Layne V. Naylor // Shutterstock
31 / 63#31. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,347 miles
- Driving time: 22.9 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
32 / 63#32. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,359 miles
- Driving time: 23.5 hours
- Date founded: December 9, 1962
- 2025 visitors: 315,951 (#48 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 221,390.21 acres
ronnybas frimages // Shutterstock
33 / 63#33. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,413 miles
- Driving time: 25.0 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. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 1,433 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2025 visitors: 3,136,557 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres
Josemaria Toscano // Shutterstock
35 / 63#35. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,450 miles
- Driving time: 26.8 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
36 / 63#36. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,465 miles
- Driving time: 25.5 hours
- Date founded: November 19, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,984,525 (#2 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 147,242.66 acres
kojihirano // Shutterstock
37 / 63#37. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,492 miles
- Driving time: 27.1 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
38 / 63#38. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 1,493 miles
- Driving time: 25.5 hours
- Date founded: October 27, 1986
- 2025 visitors: 161,210 (#54 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 77,180.00 acres
Bryan Brazil // Shutterstock
39 / 63#39. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 1,686 miles
- Driving time: 28.7 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 1,320,134 (#24 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres
Dennis Silvas // Shutterstock
40 / 63#40. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,710 miles
- Driving time: 30.9 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 2,932,644 (#12 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 795,155.85 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
41 / 63#41. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,760 miles
- Driving time: 33.5 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. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,761 miles
- Driving time: 36.5 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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43 / 63#43. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,777 miles
- Driving time: 35.3 hours
- Date founded: September 25, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 1,378,337 (#23 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 404,062.63 acres
Diane Fetzner // Shutterstock
44 / 63#44. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,785 miles
- Driving time: 32.1 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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45 / 63#45. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,785 miles
- Driving time: 34.4 hours
- Date founded: October 1, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 4,278,413 (#5 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 761,747.50 acres
Hank Shiffman // Shutterstock
46 / 63#46. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 1,829 miles
- Driving time: 32.5 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
47 / 63#47. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,835 miles
- Driving time: 31.5 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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48 / 63#48. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,865 miles
- Driving time: 34.2 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 / 63#49. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,884 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 / 63#50. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,904 miles
- Driving time: 33.9 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 / 63#51. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,948 miles
- Driving time: 36.0 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 1,202,480 (#25 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 138,999.37 acres
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
52 / 63#52. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 2,049 miles
- Date founded: August 2, 1956
- 2025 visitors: 471,074 (#42 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,052.53 acres
Laurie Gronewold // Shutterstock
53 / 63#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,460 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: 2,648 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
55 / 63#55. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,910 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 425,369 (#45 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 669,650.05 acres
Marc Cappelletti // Shutterstock
56 / 63#56. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,927 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
57 / 63#57. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,009 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 14,923 (#62 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock
58 / 63#58. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,032 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
59 / 63#59. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,110 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
60 / 63#60. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,167 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 7,786 (#63 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres
MH Anderson Photography // Shutterstock
61 / 63#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 4,271 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: 4,277 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: 6,593 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
