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 Lewiston, Maine. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Lewiston-Auburn, ME 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.
Romiana Lee // Shutterstock
1 / 63#1. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 100 miles
- Driving time: 3.0 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,079,318 (#7 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 49,076.63 acres
Jon Bilous // Shutterstock
2 / 63#2. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 574 miles
- Driving time: 11.7 hours
- Date founded: December 26, 1935
- 2025 visitors: 1,682,152 (#19 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 199,223.77 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
3 / 63#3. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 611 miles
- Driving time: 12.4 hours
- Date founded: October 11, 2000
- 2025 visitors: 3,025,325 (#11 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 32,571.88 acres
Steve Heap // Shutterstock
4 / 63#4. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 705 miles
- Driving time: 14.1 hours
- Date founded: December 27, 2020
- 2025 visitors: 1,958,440 (#17 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,021 acres
Delmas Lehman // Shutterstock
5 / 63#5. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 871 miles
- Driving time: 17.3 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
6 / 63#6. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 914 miles
- Driving time: 18.1 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 2003
- 2025 visitors: 287,833 (#49 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,476.47 acres
ZakZeinert // Shutterstock
7 / 63#7. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 916 miles
- Driving time: 17.4 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
8 / 63#8. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 919 miles
- Driving time: 24.5 hours
- Date founded: April 3, 1940
- 2025 visitors: 29,091 (#60 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 571,790.30 acres
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
9 / 63#9. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 962 miles
- Driving time: 19.0 hours
- Date founded: July 1, 1941
- 2025 visitors: 660,734 (#34 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 54,011.91 acres
Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock
10 / 63#10. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 1,103 miles
- Driving time: 20.6 hours
- Date founded: February 22, 2018[47]
- 2025 visitors: 2,209,028 (#15 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 192.83 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
11 / 63#11. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 1,121 miles
- Driving time: 28.3 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
12 / 63#12. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 1,387 miles
- Driving time: 26.0 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1921
- 2025 visitors: 2,494,611 (#14 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 5,554.15 acres
Claudia G Cooper // Shutterstock
13 / 63#13. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,392 miles
- Driving time: 25.9 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
14 / 63#14. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,432 miles
- Driving time: 27.0 hours
- Date founded: May 30, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 778,198 (#31 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,508,938.57 acres
Varina C // Shutterstock
15 / 63#15. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,525 miles
- Driving time: 28.8 hours
- Date founded: October 26, 1992
- 2025 visitors: 89,355 (#56 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 64,701.22 acres
Matt Ragen // Shutterstock
16 / 63#16. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 1,600 miles
- Driving time: 31.0 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 1,139,361 (#26 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 242,755.94 acres
Laurens Hoddenbagh // Shutterstock
17 / 63#17. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 1,612 miles
- Driving time: 32.8 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 729,893 (#33 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 70,446.89 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
18 / 63#18. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 1,651 miles
- Driving time: 32.4 hours
- Date founded: January 9, 1903
- 2025 visitors: 606,258 (#37 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,970.84 acres
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
19 / 63#19. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 1,808 miles
- Date founded: August 2, 1956
- 2025 visitors: 471,074 (#42 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,052.53 acres
Anna Krivitskaya // Shutterstock
20 / 63#20. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,817 miles
- Driving time: 33.1 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
21 / 63#21. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,884 miles
- Driving time: 35.1 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
22 / 63#22. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,970 miles
- Driving time: 37.1 hours
- Date founded: October 21, 1999
- 2025 visitors: 250,086 (#50 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 30,779.83 acres
Lane V. Erickson // Shutterstock
23 / 63#23. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 1,975 miles
- Driving time: 39.3 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
24 / 63#24. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 2,004 miles
- Driving time: 38.3 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1929
- 2025 visitors: 3,800,648 (#8 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 310,044.36 acres
Doug Meek // Shutterstock
25 / 63#25. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 2,021 miles
- Driving time: 36.0 hours
- Date founded: May 14, 1930
- 2025 visitors: 410,778 (#46 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 46,766.45 acres
Sopotnicki // Shutterstock
26 / 63#26. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 2,048 miles
- Driving time: 39.4 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1906
- 2025 visitors: 463,130 (#43 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 52,485.17 acres
ShuPhoto // Shutterstock
27 / 63#27. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 2,051 miles
- Driving time: 37.1 hours
- Date founded: October 15, 1966
- 2025 visitors: 206,423 (#52 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 86,367.10 acres
Manamana // Shutterstock
28 / 63#28. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 2,059 miles
- Driving time: 37.7 hours
- Date founded: November 12, 1971
- 2025 visitors: 1,511,740 (#21 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 76,678.98 acres
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
29 / 63#29. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 2,082 miles
- Driving time: 36.9 hours
- Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]
- 2025 visitors: 659,742 (#35 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 146,344.31 acres
Eric Foltz // Shutterstock
30 / 63#30. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 2,083 miles
- Driving time: 39.4 hours
- Date founded: June 12, 1944
- 2025 visitors: 568,104 (#38 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 801,163.21 acres
Pung // Shutterstock
31 / 63#31. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 2,084 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2025 visitors: 3,136,557 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres
Manamana // Shutterstock
32 / 63#32. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 2,090 miles
- Driving time: 44.8 hours
- Date founded: September 12, 1964
- 2025 visitors: 796,057 (#29 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 337,597.83 acres
Layne V. Naylor // Shutterstock
33 / 63#33. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 2,152 miles
- Driving time: 39.2 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
34 / 63#34. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 2,179 miles
- Driving time: 38.5 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
35 / 63#35. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 2,220 miles
- Driving time: 41.3 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
36 / 63#36. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 2,264 miles
- Driving time: 42.1 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
37 / 63#37. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 2,271 miles
- Driving time: 41.8 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
38 / 63#38. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 2,285 miles
- Driving time: 41.8 hours
- Date founded: October 27, 1986
- 2025 visitors: 161,210 (#54 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 77,180.00 acres
kojihirano // Shutterstock
39 / 63#39. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 2,314 miles
- Driving time: 41.9 hours
- Date founded: October 14, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 847,749 (#28 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 92,867.42 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
40 / 63#40. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,409 miles
- Driving time: 50.2 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 46,925 (#57 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 504,780.94 acres
Diane Fetzner // Shutterstock
41 / 63#41. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,464 miles
- Driving time: 48.4 hours
- Date founded: March 2, 1899
- 2025 visitors: 1,635,342 (#20 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 236,381.64 acres
Bryan Brazil // Shutterstock
42 / 63#42. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 2,491 miles
- Driving time: 45.0 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 1,320,134 (#24 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres
f11photo // Shutterstock
43 / 63#43. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,524 miles
- Driving time: 50.9 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1938
- 2025 visitors: 3,584,187 (#9 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 922,649.41 acres
Dennis Silvas // Shutterstock
44 / 63#44. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,527 miles
- Driving time: 45.5 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 2,932,644 (#12 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 795,155.85 acres
Patrick Poendl // Shutterstock
45 / 63#45. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,559 miles
- Driving time: 53.4 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1940
- 2025 visitors: 779,791 (#30 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 461,901.20 acres
Hank Shiffman // Shutterstock
46 / 63#46. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 2,563 miles
- Driving time: 48.9 hours
- Date founded: May 22, 1902
- 2025 visitors: 632,242 (#36 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 183,224.05 acres
Stephen Moehle // Shutterstock
47 / 63#47. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,575 miles
- Driving time: 50.6 hours
- Date founded: October 1, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 4,278,413 (#5 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 761,747.50 acres
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
48 / 63#48. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,577 miles
- Driving time: 52.1 hours
- Date founded: September 25, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 1,378,337 (#23 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 404,062.63 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
49 / 63#49. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,597 miles
- Driving time: 48.2 hours
- Date founded: August 9, 1916
- 2025 visitors: 504,777 (#40 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 106,589.02 acres
Ethan Daniels // Shutterstock
50 / 63#50. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,694 miles
- Date founded: March 5, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 227,186 (#51 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 249,561.00 acres
Bob Pool // Shutterstock
51 / 63#51. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,695 miles
- Driving time: 52.3 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 1,202,480 (#25 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 138,999.37 acres
Yhelfman // Shutterstock
52 / 63#52. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,698 miles
- Driving time: 50.0 hours
- Date founded: January 10, 2013
- 2025 visitors: 343,208 (#47 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,685.73 acres
Laurie Gronewold // Shutterstock
53 / 63#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,918 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: 3,056 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 108,840 (#55 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,323,146.48 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
55 / 63#55. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,280 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 14,923 (#62 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres
Marc Cappelletti // Shutterstock
56 / 63#56. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,284 miles
- Date founded: February 26, 1917
- 2025 visitors: 543,300 (#39 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 4,740,911.16 acres
Tomasz Wozniak // Shutterstock
57 / 63#57. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,328 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 425,369 (#45 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 669,650.05 acres
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock
58 / 63#58. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,425 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 19,778 (#61 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,619,816.49 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
59 / 63#59. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,435 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 7,786 (#63 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres
Robert Harding Video // Shutterstock
60 / 63#60. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,540 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 34,479 (#59 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,674,529.33 acres
MH Anderson Photography // Shutterstock
61 / 63#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 5,046 miles
- Date founded: July 1, 1961
- 2025 visitors: 853,711 (#27 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,264.62 acres
jo Crebbin // Shutterstock
62 / 63#62. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 5,060 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: 7,414 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
