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 Salisbury. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Salisbury, MD-DE 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. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 156 miles
- Driving time: 4.4 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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2 / 63#2. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 306 miles
- Driving time: 7.4 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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3 / 63#3. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 378 miles
- Driving time: 7.6 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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4 / 63#4. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 435 miles
- Driving time: 9.4 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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5 / 63#5. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 483 miles
- Driving time: 10.1 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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6 / 63#6. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 558 miles
- Driving time: 12.3 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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7 / 63#7. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 587 miles
- Driving time: 12.1 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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8 / 63#8. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 653 miles
- Driving time: 12.2 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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9 / 63#9. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 797 miles
- Driving time: 14.7 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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10 / 63#10. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 919 miles
- Driving time: 17.5 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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11 / 63#11. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 937 miles
- Driving time: 19.8 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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12 / 63#12. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 956 miles
- Driving time: 18.6 hours
- Date founded: May 30, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 778,198 (#31 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,508,938.57 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
13 / 63#13. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 1,013 miles
- Driving time: 18.5 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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14 / 63#14. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,043 miles
- Driving time: 20.5 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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15 / 63#15. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
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16 / 63#16. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 1,451 miles
- Driving time: 25.6 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
17 / 63#17. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 1,499 miles
- Driving time: 26.9 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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18 / 63#18. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 1,527 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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19 / 63#19. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 1,532 miles
- Driving time: 27.5 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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20 / 63#20. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
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21 / 63#21. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,631 miles
- Driving time: 29.2 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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22 / 63#22. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,685 miles
- Driving time: 29.6 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. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,709 miles
- Driving time: 32.5 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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24 / 63#24. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,715 miles
- Driving time: 30.7 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. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
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26 / 63#26. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,763 miles
- Driving time: 31.3 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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27 / 63#27. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,799 miles
- Driving time: 33.1 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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28 / 63#28. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,836 miles
- Driving time: 32.1 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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29 / 63#29. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 1,851 miles
- Driving time: 33.5 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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30 / 63#30. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,862 miles
- Driving time: 39.1 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 / 63#31. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 1,866 miles
- Driving time: 32.9 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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32 / 63#32. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,907 miles
- Driving time: 32.2 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
33 / 63#33. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,928 miles
- Driving time: 33.6 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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34 / 63#34. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,991 miles
- Driving time: 35.6 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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35 / 63#35. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 2,011 miles
- Driving time: 35.6 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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36 / 63#36. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 2,015 miles
- Driving time: 35.8 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,430,653 (#4 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres
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37 / 63#37. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 2,036 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2025 visitors: 3,136,557 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
38 / 63#38. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 2,042 miles
- Driving time: 36.1 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
39 / 63#39. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 2,083 miles
- Driving time: 36.1 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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40 / 63#40. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 2,263 miles
- Driving time: 39.3 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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41 / 63#41. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,266 miles
- Driving time: 39.5 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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42 / 63#42. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,344 miles
- Driving time: 46.7 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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43 / 63#43. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,359 miles
- Driving time: 45.5 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 / 63#44. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,364 miles
- Driving time: 44.9 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. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,376 miles
- Driving time: 45.6 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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46 / 63#46. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,393 miles
- Driving time: 43.2 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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47 / 63#47. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 2,438 miles
- Driving time: 43.7 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
48 / 63#48. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,438 miles
- Driving time: 42.4 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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49 / 63#49. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,451 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. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,471 miles
- Driving time: 45.6 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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51 / 63#51. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,490 miles
- Driving time: 44.6 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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52 / 63#52. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,554 miles
- Driving time: 47.2 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 1,202,480 (#25 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 138,999.37 acres
Laurie Gronewold // Shutterstock
53 / 63#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,016 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: 3,186 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. Denali National Park (Alaska)
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56 / 63#56. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,454 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 425,369 (#45 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 669,650.05 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
57 / 63#57. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,490 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: 3,567 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: 3,648 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)
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61 / 63#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 4,860 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: 4,861 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: 7,103 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
