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 Grand Island. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Grand Island, NE 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. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 280 miles
- Driving time: 6.5 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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2 / 63#2. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 313 miles
- Driving time: 6.5 hours
- Date founded: January 9, 1903
- 2025 visitors: 606,258 (#37 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,970.84 acres
Anna Krivitskaya // Shutterstock
3 / 63#3. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 381 miles
- Driving time: 6.7 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
4 / 63#4. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 446 miles
- Driving time: 9.4 hours
- Date founded: September 24, 2004
- 2025 visitors: 432,498 (#44 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 107,341.87 acres
Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock
5 / 63#5. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 467 miles
- Driving time: 8.2 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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6 / 63#6. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 478 miles
- Driving time: 10.9 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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7 / 63#7. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 526 miles
- Driving time: 10.6 hours
- Date founded: October 21, 1999
- 2025 visitors: 250,086 (#50 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 30,779.83 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
8 / 63#8. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 539 miles
- Driving time: 11.1 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1921
- 2025 visitors: 2,494,611 (#14 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 5,554.15 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
9 / 63#9. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 579 miles
- Driving time: 12.4 hours
- Date founded: April 8, 1975
- 2025 visitors: 206,326 (#53 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 218,222.35 acres
Delmas Lehman // Shutterstock
10 / 63#10. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 589 miles
- Driving time: 9.8 hours
- Date founded: February 15, 2019
- 2025 visitors: 2,629,497 (#13 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,349.08 acres
Sopotnicki // Shutterstock
11 / 63#11. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 606 miles
- Driving time: 12.9 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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12 / 63#12. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 617 miles
- Driving time: 11.3 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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13 / 63#13. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 647 miles
- Driving time: 18.4 hours
- Date founded: September 12, 1964
- 2025 visitors: 796,057 (#29 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 337,597.83 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
14 / 63#14. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 661 miles
- Driving time: 11.8 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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15 / 63#15. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 661 miles
- Driving time: 12.9 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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16 / 63#16. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 684 miles
- Driving time: 15.0 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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17 / 63#17. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 701 miles
- Driving time: 14.2 hours
- Date founded: May 14, 1930
- 2025 visitors: 410,778 (#46 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 46,766.45 acres
Layne V. Naylor // Shutterstock
18 / 63#18. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 710 miles
- Driving time: 12.8 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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19 / 63#19. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 712 miles
- Driving time: 13.2 hours
- Date founded: July 1, 1941
- 2025 visitors: 660,734 (#34 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 54,011.91 acres
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
20 / 63#20. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 716 miles
- Driving time: 14.1 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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21 / 63#21. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 727 miles
- Driving time: 15.3 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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22 / 63#22. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 746 miles
- Driving time: 15.1 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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23 / 63#23. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 777 miles
- Driving time: 14.9 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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24 / 63#24. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 821 miles
- Driving time: 16.7 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
25 / 63#25. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 829 miles
- Driving time: 15.4 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
26 / 63#26. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 856 miles
- Driving time: 15.4 hours
- Date founded: October 27, 1986
- 2025 visitors: 161,210 (#54 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 77,180.00 acres
Eric Foltz // Shutterstock
27 / 63#27. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 861 miles
- Driving time: 17.6 hours
- Date founded: June 12, 1944
- 2025 visitors: 568,104 (#38 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 801,163.21 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
28 / 63#28. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 876 miles
- Driving time: 14.5 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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29 / 63#29. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 886 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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30 / 63#30. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 907 miles
- Driving time: 18.9 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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31 / 63#31. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 930 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2025 visitors: 3,136,557 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres
Steve Heap // Shutterstock
32 / 63#32. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 945 miles
- Driving time: 17.0 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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33 / 63#33. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 1,050 miles
- Driving time: 18.7 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 1,320,134 (#24 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres
Jon Bilous // Shutterstock
34 / 63#34. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 1,077 miles
- Driving time: 20.5 hours
- Date founded: December 26, 1935
- 2025 visitors: 1,682,152 (#19 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 199,223.77 acres
Dennis Silvas // Shutterstock
35 / 63#35. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,084 miles
- Driving time: 20.9 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
36 / 63#36. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 1,088 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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37 / 63#37. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,123 miles
- Driving time: 26.6 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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38 / 63#38. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,140 miles
- Driving time: 25.3 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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39 / 63#39. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,149 miles
- Driving time: 24.6 hours
- Date founded: October 1, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 4,278,413 (#5 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 761,747.50 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
40 / 63#40. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,211 miles
- Driving time: 21.4 hours
- Date founded: August 9, 1916
- 2025 visitors: 504,777 (#40 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 106,589.02 acres
Hank Shiffman // Shutterstock
41 / 63#41. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 1,224 miles
- Driving time: 22.7 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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42 / 63#42. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,226 miles
- Driving time: 22.6 hours
- Date founded: March 2, 1899
- 2025 visitors: 1,635,342 (#20 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 236,381.64 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
43 / 63#43. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,231 miles
- Driving time: 25.1 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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44 / 63#44. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,250 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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45 / 63#45. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,267 miles
- Driving time: 23.9 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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46 / 63#46. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,322 miles
- Driving time: 25.8 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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47 / 63#47. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,331 miles
- Driving time: 26.2 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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48 / 63#48. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,444 miles
- Driving time: 30.0 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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49 / 63#49. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,478 miles
- Driving time: 28.2 hours
- Date founded: May 30, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 778,198 (#31 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,508,938.57 acres
Claudia G Cooper // Shutterstock
50 / 63#50. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,494 miles
- Driving time: 27.1 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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51 / 63#51. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 1,543 miles
- Driving time: 28.9 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,079,318 (#7 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 49,076.63 acres
Laurie Gronewold // Shutterstock
52 / 63#52. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,061 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: 2,280 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
54 / 63#54. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,520 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 425,369 (#45 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 669,650.05 acres
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
55 / 63#55. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 2,532 miles
- Date founded: August 2, 1956
- 2025 visitors: 471,074 (#42 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,052.53 acres
Marc Cappelletti // Shutterstock
56 / 63#56. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,586 miles
- Date founded: February 26, 1917
- 2025 visitors: 543,300 (#39 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 4,740,911.16 acres
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock
57 / 63#57. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,657 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
58 / 63#58. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,702 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
59 / 63#59. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,732 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 14,923 (#62 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
60 / 63#60. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,884 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 7,786 (#63 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres
MH Anderson Photography // Shutterstock
61 / 63#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 3,635 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: 3,640 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: 5,974 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
