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 Detroit. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, 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. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 133 miles
- Driving time: 3.4 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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2 / 63#2. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 211 miles
- Driving time: 4.0 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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3 / 63#3. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 340 miles
- Driving time: 7.9 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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4 / 63#4. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 385 miles
- Driving time: 9.3 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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5 / 63#5. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 412 miles
- Driving time: 7.5 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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6 / 63#6. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 453 miles
- Driving time: 9.3 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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7 / 63#7. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 463 miles
- Driving time: 8.5 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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8 / 63#8. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 486 miles
- Driving time: 9.3 hours
- Date founded: June 15, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 11,527,939 (#1 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 522,426.88 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
9 / 63#9. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 615 miles
- Driving time: 14.0 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: 631 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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11 / 63#11. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 760 miles
- Driving time: 17.9 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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12 / 63#12. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 777 miles
- Driving time: 14.2 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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13 / 63#13. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 974 miles
- Driving time: 17.2 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
14 / 63#14. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 1,024 miles
- Driving time: 18.6 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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15 / 63#15. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 1,034 miles
- Driving time: 18.9 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 / 63#16. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,167 miles
- Driving time: 19.6 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 / 63#17. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,190 miles
- Driving time: 21.7 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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18 / 63#18. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,206 miles
- Driving time: 22.9 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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19 / 63#19. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,225 miles
- Driving time: 22.3 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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20 / 63#20. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,247 miles
- Driving time: 24.6 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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21 / 63#21. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,315 miles
- Driving time: 23.7 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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22 / 63#22. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 1,368 miles
- Driving time: 25.5 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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23 / 63#23. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,370 miles
- Driving time: 24.2 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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24 / 63#24. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 1,389 miles
- Driving time: 24.8 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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25 / 63#25. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,390 miles
- Driving time: 26.1 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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26 / 63#26. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,400 miles
- Driving time: 25.3 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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27 / 63#27. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,407 miles
- Driving time: 24.2 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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28 / 63#28. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,426 miles
- Driving time: 25.1 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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29 / 63#29. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,436 miles
- Driving time: 31.3 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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30 / 63#30. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,451 miles
- Driving time: 27.5 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: 1,499 miles
- Driving time: 25.8 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: 1,519 miles
- Driving time: 26.3 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 / 63#33. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 1,535 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2025 visitors: 3,136,557 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres
ronnybas frimages // Shutterstock
34 / 63#34. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,567 miles
- Driving time: 27.8 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
35 / 63#35. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,607 miles
- Driving time: 29.6 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: 1,618 miles
- Driving time: 28.4 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
37 / 63#37. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 1,640 miles
- Driving time: 28.4 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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38 / 63#38. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,655 miles
- Driving time: 30.0 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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39 / 63#39. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 1,839 miles
- Driving time: 31.6 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 1,320,134 (#24 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
40 / 63#40. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,864 miles
- Driving time: 36.2 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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41 / 63#41. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,868 miles
- Driving time: 33.8 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. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,897 miles
- Driving time: 34.9 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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43 / 63#43. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,911 miles
- Driving time: 39.4 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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44 / 63#44. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,928 miles
- Driving time: 38.2 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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45 / 63#45. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,932 miles
- Driving time: 37.2 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. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 1,958 miles
- Driving time: 35.4 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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47 / 63#47. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,972 miles
- Driving time: 36.9 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1938
- 2025 visitors: 3,584,187 (#9 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 922,649.41 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
48 / 63#48. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,973 miles
- Driving time: 34.2 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. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 1,999 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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50 / 63#50. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,039 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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51 / 63#51. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,053 miles
- Driving time: 36.5 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: 2,082 miles
- Driving time: 39.0 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: 2,520 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: 2,697 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. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,962 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 / 63#56. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,966 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: 3,029 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 / 63#58. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,080 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: 3,167 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: 3,188 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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61 / 63#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 4,416 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: 4,424 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: 6,754 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
