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 Niles. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Niles, 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.
You may also like: The most expensive neighborhoods in Niles
Delmas Lehman // Shutterstock
1 / 63#1. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 19 miles
- Driving time: 0.5 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: 272 miles
- Driving time: 4.6 hours
- Date founded: October 11, 2000
- 2025 visitors: 3,025,325 (#11 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 32,571.88 acres
Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock
3 / 63#3. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 284 miles
- Driving time: 5.1 hours
- Date founded: February 22, 2018[47]
- 2025 visitors: 2,209,028 (#15 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 192.83 acres
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
4 / 63#4. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 320 miles
- Driving time: 6.0 hours
- Date founded: July 1, 1941
- 2025 visitors: 660,734 (#34 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 54,011.91 acres
Steve Heap // Shutterstock
5 / 63#5. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
SveKo // Shutterstock
6 / 63#6. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 445 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
ZakZeinert // Shutterstock
7 / 63#7. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 456 miles
- Driving time: 9.1 hours
- Date founded: June 15, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 11,527,939 (#1 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 522,426.88 acres
Jon Bilous // Shutterstock
8 / 63#8. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 498 miles
- Driving time: 12.0 hours
- Date founded: December 26, 1935
- 2025 visitors: 1,682,152 (#19 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 199,223.77 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
9 / 63#9. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 551 miles
- Driving time: 10.9 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. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 608 miles
- Driving time: 10.8 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1921
- 2025 visitors: 2,494,611 (#14 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 5,554.15 acres
You may also like: Biggest sources of immigrants to Niles
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
11 / 63#11. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 641 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
Matt Ragen // Shutterstock
12 / 63#12. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 811 miles
- Driving time: 13.7 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
13 / 63#13. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 860 miles
- Driving time: 15.1 hours
- Date founded: January 9, 1903
- 2025 visitors: 606,258 (#37 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,970.84 acres
Laurens Hoddenbagh // Shutterstock
14 / 63#14. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 899 miles
- Driving time: 15.5 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 729,893 (#33 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 70,446.89 acres
Romiana Lee // Shutterstock
15 / 63#15. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 952 miles
- Driving time: 19.4 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,079,318 (#7 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 49,076.63 acres
You may also like: How much house does $500,000 buy you in Niles?
Anna Krivitskaya // Shutterstock
16 / 63#16. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 986 miles
- Driving time: 16.1 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
17 / 63#17. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,035 miles
- Driving time: 18.8 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
18 / 63#18. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,129 miles
- Driving time: 20.2 hours
- Date founded: October 21, 1999
- 2025 visitors: 250,086 (#50 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 30,779.83 acres
Claudia G Cooper // Shutterstock
19 / 63#19. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,176 miles
- Driving time: 21.0 hours
- Date founded: June 28, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 486,567 (#41 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 172,971.11 acres
Doug Meek // Shutterstock
20 / 63#20. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,179 miles
- Driving time: 20.8 hours
- Date founded: May 14, 1930
- 2025 visitors: 410,778 (#46 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 46,766.45 acres
You may also like: Is it cheaper to buy or rent in Niles in 2026?
Simon Dannhauer // Shutterstock
21 / 63#21. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,183 miles
- Driving time: 22.0 hours
- Date founded: May 30, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 778,198 (#31 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,508,938.57 acres
Sopotnicki // Shutterstock
22 / 63#22. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,202 miles
- Driving time: 22.4 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1906
- 2025 visitors: 463,130 (#43 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 52,485.17 acres
Varina C // Shutterstock
23 / 63#23. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,203 miles
- Driving time: 23.9 hours
- Date founded: October 26, 1992
- 2025 visitors: 89,355 (#56 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 64,701.22 acres
ShuPhoto // Shutterstock
24 / 63#24. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,209 miles
- Driving time: 21.9 hours
- Date founded: October 15, 1966
- 2025 visitors: 206,423 (#52 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 86,367.10 acres
Lane V. Erickson // Shutterstock
25 / 63#25. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 1,211 miles
- Driving time: 22.1 hours
- Date founded: March 1, 1872
- 2025 visitors: 4,762,988 (#3 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres
You may also like: Car insurance rates in Niles October 2025
Manamana // Shutterstock
26 / 63#26. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,222 miles
- Driving time: 20.7 hours
- Date founded: November 12, 1971
- 2025 visitors: 1,511,740 (#21 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 76,678.98 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
27 / 63#27. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 1,227 miles
- Driving time: 21.3 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1929
- 2025 visitors: 3,800,648 (#8 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 310,044.36 acres
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
28 / 63#28. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,234 miles
- Driving time: 21.6 hours
- Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]
- 2025 visitors: 659,742 (#35 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 146,344.31 acres
Manamana // Shutterstock
29 / 63#29. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,251 miles
- Driving time: 27.8 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
30 / 63#30. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,266 miles
- Driving time: 24.1 hours
- Date founded: June 12, 1944
- 2025 visitors: 568,104 (#38 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 801,163.21 acres
You may also like: Where people in Niles are looking to buy homes
Layne V. Naylor // Shutterstock
31 / 63#31. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,315 miles
- Driving time: 22.2 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
32 / 63#32. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,328 miles
- Driving time: 22.8 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
33 / 63#33. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,382 miles
- Driving time: 24.3 hours
- Date founded: February 25, 1928
- 2025 visitors: 1,967,367 (#16 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 35,835.08 acres
Pung // Shutterstock
34 / 63#34. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 1,405 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2025 visitors: 3,136,557 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres
Josemaria Toscano // Shutterstock
35 / 63#35. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,419 miles
- Driving time: 26.2 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,430,653 (#4 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres
You may also like: Are home prices going down in Niles in 2026?
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
36 / 63#36. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,433 miles
- Driving time: 24.8 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
37 / 63#37. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 1,460 miles
- Driving time: 24.8 hours
- Date founded: October 27, 1986
- 2025 visitors: 161,210 (#54 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 77,180.00 acres
kojihirano // Shutterstock
38 / 63#38. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,462 miles
- Driving time: 26.4 hours
- Date founded: October 14, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 847,749 (#28 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 92,867.42 acres
Bryan Brazil // Shutterstock
39 / 63#39. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 1,654 miles
- Driving time: 28.1 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
40 / 63#40. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
Patrick Poendl // Shutterstock
41 / 63#41. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,729 miles
- Driving time: 35.8 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1940
- 2025 visitors: 779,791 (#30 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 461,901.20 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
42 / 63#42. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,731 miles
- Driving time: 32.9 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 46,925 (#57 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 504,780.94 acres
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
43 / 63#43. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,745 miles
- Driving time: 34.6 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
44 / 63#44. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,753 miles
- Driving time: 33.7 hours
- Date founded: October 1, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 4,278,413 (#5 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 761,747.50 acres
Diane Fetzner // Shutterstock
45 / 63#45. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,755 miles
- Driving time: 31.4 hours
- Date founded: March 2, 1899
- 2025 visitors: 1,635,342 (#20 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 236,381.64 acres
You may also like: Are home prices going up in Niles in 2026?
Hank Shiffman // Shutterstock
46 / 63#46. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 1,798 miles
- Driving time: 31.9 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
47 / 63#47. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,804 miles
- Driving time: 30.8 hours
- Date founded: August 9, 1916
- 2025 visitors: 504,777 (#40 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 106,589.02 acres
f11photo // Shutterstock
48 / 63#48. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,836 miles
- Driving time: 33.5 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1938
- 2025 visitors: 3,584,187 (#9 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 922,649.41 acres
Ethan Daniels // Shutterstock
49 / 63#49. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,852 miles
- Date founded: March 5, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 227,186 (#51 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 249,561.00 acres
Yhelfman // Shutterstock
50 / 63#50. Pinnacles National Park (California)
Bob Pool // Shutterstock
51 / 63#51. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,917 miles
- Driving time: 35.3 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 1,202,480 (#25 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 138,999.37 acres
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
52 / 63#52. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 2,073 miles
- Date founded: August 2, 1956
- 2025 visitors: 471,074 (#42 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,052.53 acres
Laurie Gronewold // Shutterstock
53 / 63#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,437 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: 2,627 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)
Marc Cappelletti // Shutterstock
56 / 63#56. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,907 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: 2,991 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: 3,010 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: 3,087 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: 3,149 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 7,786 (#63 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres
You may also like: Coat drives near Niles
MH Anderson Photography // Shutterstock
61 / 63#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 4,239 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: 4,245 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: 6,563 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
