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 Lawrence. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Lawrence, KS 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: 276 miles
- Driving time: 4.4 hours
- Date founded: February 22, 2018[47]
- 2025 visitors: 2,209,028 (#15 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 192.83 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
2 / 63#2. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 327 miles
- Driving time: 7.6 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1921
- 2025 visitors: 2,494,611 (#14 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 5,554.15 acres
Delmas Lehman // Shutterstock
3 / 63#3. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 475 miles
- Driving time: 8.9 hours
- Date founded: February 15, 2019
- 2025 visitors: 2,629,497 (#13 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,349.08 acres
Matt Ragen // Shutterstock
4 / 63#4. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 502 miles
- Driving time: 10.0 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 1,139,361 (#26 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 242,755.94 acres
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
5 / 63#5. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 515 miles
- Driving time: 9.4 hours
- Date founded: July 1, 1941
- 2025 visitors: 660,734 (#34 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 54,011.91 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
6 / 63#6. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 534 miles
- Driving time: 11.0 hours
- Date founded: January 9, 1903
- 2025 visitors: 606,258 (#37 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,970.84 acres
Anna Krivitskaya // Shutterstock
7 / 63#7. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 558 miles
- Driving time: 9.3 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
8 / 63#8. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 561 miles
- Driving time: 10.5 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
9 / 63#9. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 671 miles
- Driving time: 13.0 hours
- Date founded: October 21, 1999
- 2025 visitors: 250,086 (#50 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 30,779.83 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
10 / 63#10. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 674 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
ZakZeinert // Shutterstock
11 / 63#11. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 684 miles
- Driving time: 12.6 hours
- Date founded: June 15, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 11,527,939 (#1 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 522,426.88 acres
Doug Meek // Shutterstock
12 / 63#12. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 693 miles
- Driving time: 13.1 hours
- Date founded: May 14, 1930
- 2025 visitors: 410,778 (#46 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 46,766.45 acres
Laurens Hoddenbagh // Shutterstock
13 / 63#13. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 693 miles
- Driving time: 14.0 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 729,893 (#33 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 70,446.89 acres
SveKo // Shutterstock
14 / 63#14. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 719 miles
- Driving time: 14.6 hours
- Date founded: April 3, 1940
- 2025 visitors: 29,091 (#60 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 571,790.30 acres
ShuPhoto // Shutterstock
15 / 63#15. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 723 miles
- Driving time: 14.2 hours
- Date founded: October 15, 1966
- 2025 visitors: 206,423 (#52 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 86,367.10 acres
Sopotnicki // Shutterstock
16 / 63#16. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 729 miles
- Driving time: 14.6 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1906
- 2025 visitors: 463,130 (#43 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 52,485.17 acres
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
17 / 63#17. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 741 miles
- Driving time: 13.3 hours
- Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]
- 2025 visitors: 659,742 (#35 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 146,344.31 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
18 / 63#18. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 745 miles
- Driving time: 12.5 hours
- Date founded: October 11, 2000
- 2025 visitors: 3,025,325 (#11 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 32,571.88 acres
Manamana // Shutterstock
19 / 63#19. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 770 miles
- Driving time: 13.5 hours
- Date founded: November 12, 1971
- 2025 visitors: 1,511,740 (#21 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 76,678.98 acres
Steve Heap // Shutterstock
20 / 63#20. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 772 miles
- Driving time: 13.1 hours
- Date founded: December 27, 2020
- 2025 visitors: 1,958,440 (#17 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,021 acres
Manamana // Shutterstock
21 / 63#21. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 794 miles
- Driving time: 20.6 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
22 / 63#22. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 806 miles
- Driving time: 15.6 hours
- Date founded: June 12, 1944
- 2025 visitors: 568,104 (#38 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 801,163.21 acres
Felix Lipov // Shutterstock
23 / 63#23. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 843 miles
- Driving time: 14.5 hours
- Date founded: December 9, 1962
- 2025 visitors: 315,951 (#48 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 221,390.21 acres
Layne V. Naylor // Shutterstock
24 / 63#24. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 860 miles
- Driving time: 15.0 hours
- Date founded: December 18, 1971
- 2025 visitors: 1,388,476 (#22 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 241,904.50 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
25 / 63#25. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 871 miles
- Driving time: 15.8 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1929
- 2025 visitors: 3,800,648 (#8 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 310,044.36 acres
Lane V. Erickson // Shutterstock
26 / 63#26. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 877 miles
- Driving time: 16.9 hours
- Date founded: March 1, 1872
- 2025 visitors: 4,762,988 (#3 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
27 / 63#27. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 882 miles
- Driving time: 16.7 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 2003
- 2025 visitors: 287,833 (#49 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,476.47 acres
Jon Bilous // Shutterstock
28 / 63#28. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 915 miles
- Driving time: 16.7 hours
- Date founded: December 26, 1935
- 2025 visitors: 1,682,152 (#19 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 199,223.77 acres
ronnybas frimages // Shutterstock
29 / 63#29. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 922 miles
- Driving time: 17.2 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
30 / 63#30. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 945 miles
- Driving time: 18.0 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,430,653 (#4 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres
kojihirano // Shutterstock
31 / 63#31. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 970 miles
- Driving time: 18.2 hours
- Date founded: October 14, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 847,749 (#28 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 92,867.42 acres
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
32 / 63#32. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 973 miles
- Driving time: 17.6 hours
- Date founded: November 19, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,984,525 (#2 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 147,242.66 acres
Arlene Waller // Shutterstock
33 / 63#33. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 1,022 miles
- Driving time: 17.6 hours
- Date founded: October 27, 1986
- 2025 visitors: 161,210 (#54 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 77,180.00 acres
Pung // Shutterstock
34 / 63#34. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 1,153 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2025 visitors: 3,136,557 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres
Bryan Brazil // Shutterstock
35 / 63#35. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 1,193 miles
- Driving time: 20.9 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 1,320,134 (#24 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres
Dennis Silvas // Shutterstock
36 / 63#36. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,199 miles
- Driving time: 21.8 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 2,932,644 (#12 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 795,155.85 acres
Varina C // Shutterstock
37 / 63#37. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,222 miles
- Driving time: 26.0 hours
- Date founded: October 26, 1992
- 2025 visitors: 89,355 (#56 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 64,701.22 acres
Simon Dannhauer // Shutterstock
38 / 63#38. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,255 miles
- Driving time: 24.1 hours
- Date founded: May 30, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 778,198 (#31 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,508,938.57 acres
Claudia G Cooper // Shutterstock
39 / 63#39. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,272 miles
- Driving time: 23.0 hours
- Date founded: June 28, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 486,567 (#41 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 172,971.11 acres
Patrick Poendl // Shutterstock
40 / 63#40. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,277 miles
- Driving time: 28.8 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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41 / 63#41. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,290 miles
- Driving time: 27.5 hours
- Date founded: September 25, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 1,378,337 (#23 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 404,062.63 acres
Stephen Moehle // Shutterstock
42 / 63#42. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,313 miles
- Driving time: 27.6 hours
- Date founded: October 1, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 4,278,413 (#5 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 761,747.50 acres
Ethan Daniels // Shutterstock
43 / 63#43. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,381 miles
- Date founded: March 5, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 227,186 (#51 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 249,561.00 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
44 / 63#44. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,397 miles
- Driving time: 25.4 hours
- Date founded: August 9, 1916
- 2025 visitors: 504,777 (#40 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 106,589.02 acres
Yhelfman // Shutterstock
45 / 63#45. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,423 miles
- Driving time: 26.2 hours
- Date founded: January 10, 2013
- 2025 visitors: 343,208 (#47 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,685.73 acres
Hank Shiffman // Shutterstock
46 / 63#46. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 1,424 miles
- Driving time: 26.6 hours
- Date founded: May 22, 1902
- 2025 visitors: 632,242 (#36 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 183,224.05 acres
Diane Fetzner // Shutterstock
47 / 63#47. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,442 miles
- Driving time: 26.5 hours
- Date founded: March 2, 1899
- 2025 visitors: 1,635,342 (#20 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 236,381.64 acres
Romiana Lee // Shutterstock
48 / 63#48. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 1,445 miles
- Driving time: 27.1 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
49 / 63#49. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,452 miles
- Driving time: 29.2 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 46,925 (#57 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 504,780.94 acres
Bob Pool // Shutterstock
50 / 63#50. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,523 miles
- Driving time: 29.9 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 1,202,480 (#25 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 138,999.37 acres
f11photo // Shutterstock
51 / 63#51. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,540 miles
- Driving time: 29.6 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1938
- 2025 visitors: 3,584,187 (#9 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 922,649.41 acres
Laurie Gronewold // Shutterstock
52 / 63#52. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,282 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 740,044 (#32 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,223,383.43 acres
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
53 / 63#53. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 2,316 miles
- Date founded: August 2, 1956
- 2025 visitors: 471,074 (#42 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,052.53 acres
Martin Capek // Shutterstock
54 / 63#54. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,500 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: 2,741 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: 2,804 miles
- Date founded: February 26, 1917
- 2025 visitors: 543,300 (#39 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 4,740,911.16 acres
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock
57 / 63#57. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,877 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
58 / 63#58. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,924 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
59 / 63#59. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,943 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 14,923 (#62 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
60 / 63#60. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,096 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 7,786 (#63 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres
jo Crebbin // Shutterstock
61 / 63#61. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 3,791 miles
- Date founded: August 1, 1916
- 2025 visitors: 1,877,854 (#18 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 325,605.28 acres
MH Anderson Photography // Shutterstock
62 / 63#62. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 3,792 miles
- Date founded: July 1, 1961
- 2025 visitors: 853,711 (#27 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,264.62 acres
Lloyd Wallin Photography // Shutterstock
63 / 63#63. National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa)
- Distance: 6,073 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
