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 St. Cloud. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in St. Cloud, MN 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. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 215 miles
- Driving time: 5.0 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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2 / 63#2. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 330 miles
- Driving time: 7.7 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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3 / 63#3. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 415 miles
- Driving time: 8.1 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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4 / 63#4. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 439 miles
- Driving time: 7.2 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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5 / 63#5. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 461 miles
- Driving time: 8.1 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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6 / 63#6. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 465 miles
- Driving time: 9.5 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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7 / 63#7. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 529 miles
- Driving time: 9.9 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. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 666 miles
- Driving time: 14.5 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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9 / 63#9. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 716 miles
- Driving time: 12.7 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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10 / 63#10. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
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11 / 63#11. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 768 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. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 785 miles
- Driving time: 14.4 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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13 / 63#13. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 786 miles
- Driving time: 17.2 hours
- Date founded: September 24, 2004
- 2025 visitors: 432,498 (#44 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 107,341.87 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
14 / 63#14. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 813 miles
- Driving time: 16.2 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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15 / 63#15. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 834 miles
- Driving time: 18.6 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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16 / 63#16. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 863 miles
- Driving time: 16.5 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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17 / 63#17. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 893 miles
- Driving time: 16.7 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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18 / 63#18. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 908 miles
- Driving time: 19.3 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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19 / 63#19. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 929 miles
- Driving time: 20.8 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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20 / 63#20. Glacier National Park (Montana)
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21 / 63#21. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 943 miles
- Driving time: 25.0 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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22 / 63#22. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 960 miles
- Driving time: 19.4 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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23 / 63#23. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 997 miles
- Driving time: 20.9 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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24 / 63#24. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,067 miles
- Driving time: 23.1 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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25 / 63#25. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
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26 / 63#26. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,081 miles
- Driving time: 21.4 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. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,082 miles
- Driving time: 22.7 hours
- Date founded: December 9, 1962
- 2025 visitors: 315,951 (#48 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 221,390.21 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
28 / 63#28. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 1,091 miles
- Driving time: 20.5 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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29 / 63#29. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,095 miles
- Driving time: 22.1 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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30 / 63#30. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
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31 / 63#31. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,117 miles
- Driving time: 23.0 hours
- Date founded: November 19, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,984,525 (#2 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 147,242.66 acres
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32 / 63#32. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,131 miles
- Driving time: 24.5 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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33 / 63#33. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,224 miles
- Driving time: 23.7 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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34 / 63#34. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,257 miles
- Driving time: 26.3 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
35 / 63#35. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
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36 / 63#36. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 1,285 miles
- Driving time: 27.1 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,079,318 (#7 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 49,076.63 acres
Diane Fetzner // Shutterstock
37 / 63#37. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,303 miles
- Driving time: 23.1 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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38 / 63#38. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 1,329 miles
- Driving time: 26.3 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 1,320,134 (#24 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres
Hank Shiffman // Shutterstock
39 / 63#39. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 1,375 miles
- Driving time: 26.5 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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40 / 63#40. Olympic National Park (Washington)
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41 / 63#41. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,386 miles
- Driving time: 34.1 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1940
- 2025 visitors: 779,791 (#30 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 461,901.20 acres
Stephen Moehle // Shutterstock
42 / 63#42. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,393 miles
- Driving time: 31.2 hours
- Date founded: October 1, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 4,278,413 (#5 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 761,747.50 acres
Dennis Silvas // Shutterstock
43 / 63#43. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,395 miles
- Driving time: 28.3 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 2,932,644 (#12 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 795,155.85 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
44 / 63#44. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,405 miles
- Driving time: 28.7 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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45 / 63#45. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,406 miles
- Driving time: 32.9 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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46 / 63#46. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,505 miles
- Driving time: 29.8 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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47 / 63#47. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,520 miles
- Driving time: 30.6 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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48 / 63#48. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,539 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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49 / 63#49. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,584 miles
- Driving time: 31.4 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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50 / 63#50. Everglades National Park (Florida)
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51 / 63#51. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,591 miles
- Driving time: 28.5 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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52 / 63#52. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,976 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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53 / 63#53. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,172 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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54 / 63#54. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,429 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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55 / 63#55. Denali National Park (Alaska)
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56 / 63#56. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 2,537 miles
- Date founded: August 2, 1956
- 2025 visitors: 471,074 (#42 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,052.53 acres
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock
57 / 63#57. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,556 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
58 / 63#58. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,565 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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59 / 63#59. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,626 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 34,479 (#59 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,674,529.33 acres
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60 / 63#60. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
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61 / 63#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 3,855 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: 3,869 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: 6,268 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
