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 Midland, Michigan. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Midland, 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: 194 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
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
2 / 63#2. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 220 miles
- Driving time: 4.5 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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3 / 63#3. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 367 miles
- Driving time: 8.0 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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4 / 63#4. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 422 miles
- Driving time: 8.9 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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5 / 63#5. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 455 miles
- Driving time: 8.3 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. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 460 miles
- Driving time: 8.6 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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7 / 63#7. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 473 miles
- Driving time: 10.5 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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8 / 63#8. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 528 miles
- Driving time: 12.5 hours
- Date founded: April 8, 1975
- 2025 visitors: 206,326 (#53 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 218,222.35 acres
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9 / 63#9. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 552 miles
- Driving time: 10.3 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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10 / 63#10. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
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11 / 63#11. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 783 miles
- Driving time: 14.4 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. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 806 miles
- Driving time: 19.0 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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13 / 63#13. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 906 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
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14 / 63#14. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 955 miles
- Driving time: 19.2 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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15 / 63#15. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
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16 / 63#16. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,111 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. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,179 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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18 / 63#18. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,263 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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19 / 63#19. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,264 miles
- Driving time: 22.8 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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20 / 63#20. Everglades National Park (Florida)
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21 / 63#21. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 1,295 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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22 / 63#22. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,314 miles
- Driving time: 25.6 hours
- Date founded: October 26, 1992
- 2025 visitors: 89,355 (#56 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 64,701.22 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
23 / 63#23. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 1,318 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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24 / 63#24. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,342 miles
- Driving time: 25.9 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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25 / 63#25. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
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26 / 63#26. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,352 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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27 / 63#27. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,377 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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28 / 63#28. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,383 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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29 / 63#29. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,396 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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30 / 63#30. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
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31 / 63#31. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,445 miles
- Driving time: 25.7 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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32 / 63#32. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 1,454 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2025 visitors: 3,136,557 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres
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33 / 63#33. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,476 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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34 / 63#34. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,513 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: 1,557 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
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36 / 63#36. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,564 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: 1,581 miles
- Driving time: 28.3 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: 1,619 miles
- Driving time: 30.1 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
39 / 63#39. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,783 miles
- Driving time: 36.5 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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40 / 63#40. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
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41 / 63#41. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,819 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
Dennis Silvas // Shutterstock
42 / 63#42. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,820 miles
- Driving time: 33.5 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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43 / 63#43. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,854 miles
- Driving time: 39.3 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: 1,871 miles
- Driving time: 38.1 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)
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46 / 63#46. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 1,886 miles
- Driving time: 35.3 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: 1,892 miles
- Driving time: 37.1 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: 1,906 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. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,987 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: 1,994 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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51 / 63#51. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,012 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
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52 / 63#52. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 2,086 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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53 / 63#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,432 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: 2,610 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)
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56 / 63#56. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,879 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: 2,944 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: 2,992 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 19,778 (#61 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,619,816.49 acres
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59 / 63#59. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,079 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)
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61 / 63#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 4,351 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: 4,362 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: 6,710 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
