Closest national parks to Manchester

Written by:
July 17, 2026
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Closest national parks to Manchester

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 Manchester. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Manchester-Nashua, NH 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. Acadia National Park (Maine)

- Distance: 202 miles
- Driving time: 5.2 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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Jon Bilous // Shutterstock

#2. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)

- Distance: 461 miles
- Driving time: 10.4 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#3. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)

- Distance: 518 miles
- Driving time: 10.7 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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Steve Heap // Shutterstock

#4. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)

- Distance: 595 miles
- Driving time: 12.9 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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Delmas Lehman // Shutterstock

#5. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)

- Distance: 789 miles
- Driving time: 15.3 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#6. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)

- Distance: 798 miles
- Driving time: 16.7 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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ZakZeinert // Shutterstock

#7. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)

- Distance: 805 miles
- Driving time: 16.0 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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Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock

#8. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)

- Distance: 857 miles
- Driving time: 17.5 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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SveKo // Shutterstock

#9. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)

- Distance: 890 miles
- Driving time: 22.7 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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Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock

#10. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)

- Distance: 1,010 miles
- Driving time: 18.8 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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BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock

#11. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)

- Distance: 1,090 miles
- Driving time: 26.1 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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Claudia G Cooper // Shutterstock

#12. Biscayne National Park (Florida)

- Distance: 1,281 miles
- Driving time: 24.4 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#13. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)

- Distance: 1,285 miles
- Driving time: 24.2 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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Simon Dannhauer // Shutterstock

#14. Everglades National Park (Florida)

- Distance: 1,320 miles
- Driving time: 25.4 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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#15. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)

- Distance: 1,411 miles
- Driving time: 27.2 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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#16. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)

- Distance: 1,543 miles
- Driving time: 28.8 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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#17. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)

- Distance: 1,570 miles
- Driving time: 30.6 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#18. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)

- Distance: 1,594 miles
- Driving time: 30.2 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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Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#19. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)

- Distance: 1,742 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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#20. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 1,749 miles
- Driving time: 31.0 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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Kris Wiktor // Shutterstock

#21. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 1,807 miles
- Driving time: 33.7 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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SL-Photography // Shutterstock

#22. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 1,898 miles
- Driving time: 34.9 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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Lane V. Erickson // Shutterstock

#23. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)

- Distance: 1,926 miles
- Driving time: 37.1 hours
- Date founded: March 1, 1872
- 2025 visitors: 4,762,988 (#3 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres
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#24. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)

- Distance: 1,928 miles
- Driving time: 34.3 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#25. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)

- Distance: 1,952 miles
- Driving time: 36.1 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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#26. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)

- Distance: 1,959 miles
- Driving time: 35.4 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. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 1,973 miles
- Driving time: 37.2 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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#28. Big Bend National Park (Texas)

- Distance: 1,984 miles
- Driving time: 37.6 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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#29. Arches National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 1,989 miles
- Driving time: 35.6 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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Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock

#30. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)

- Distance: 1,993 miles
- Driving time: 35.1 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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#31. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 2,019 miles
- Driving time: 41.3 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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#32. Glacier National Park (Montana)

- Distance: 2,053 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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Layne V. Naylor // Shutterstock

#33. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 2,082 miles
- Driving time: 37.1 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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#34. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)

- Distance: 2,100 miles
- Driving time: 36.7 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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#35. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 2,149 miles
- Driving time: 39.2 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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Josemaria Toscano // Shutterstock

#36. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)

- Distance: 2,190 miles
- Driving time: 40.2 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,430,653 (#4 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres
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Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock

#37. Zion National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 2,201 miles
- Driving time: 39.7 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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#38. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)

- Distance: 2,220 miles
- Driving time: 39.7 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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#39. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)

- Distance: 2,229 miles
- Driving time: 40.0 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#40. North Cascades National Park (Washington)

- Distance: 2,380 miles
- Driving time: 48.3 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. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)

- Distance: 2,421 miles
- Driving time: 42.9 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 1,320,134 (#24 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres
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Diane Fetzner // Shutterstock

#42. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)

- Distance: 2,429 miles
- Driving time: 46.4 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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Dennis Silvas // Shutterstock

#43. Joshua Tree National Park (California)

- Distance: 2,451 miles
- Driving time: 43.9 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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#44. Kings Canyon National Park (California)

- Distance: 2,493 miles
- Driving time: 51.1 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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#45. Olympic National Park (Washington)

- Distance: 2,493 miles
- Driving time: 49.0 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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#46. Sequoia National Park (California)

- Distance: 2,510 miles
- Driving time: 49.9 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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Stephen Moehle // Shutterstock

#47. Yosemite National Park (California)

- Distance: 2,511 miles
- Driving time: 48.6 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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Hank Shiffman // Shutterstock

#48. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)

- Distance: 2,516 miles
- Driving time: 46.9 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#49. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)

- Distance: 2,543 miles
- Driving time: 45.6 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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#50. Channel Islands National Park (California)

- Distance: 2,622 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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Yhelfman // Shutterstock

#51. Pinnacles National Park (California)

- Distance: 2,633 miles
- Driving time: 47.9 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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Bob Pool // Shutterstock

#52. Redwood National Park (California)

- Distance: 2,645 miles
- Driving time: 50.3 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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Laurie Gronewold // Shutterstock

#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 2,925 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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Martin Capek // Shutterstock

#54. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,071 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. Denali National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,308 miles
- Date founded: February 26, 1917
- 2025 visitors: 543,300 (#39 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 4,740,911.16 acres
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#56. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,316 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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Tomasz Wozniak // Shutterstock

#57. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,343 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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#58. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,444 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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BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock

#59. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,473 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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#60. Katmai National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,554 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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MH Anderson Photography // Shutterstock

#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)

- Distance: 4,990 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. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)

- Distance: 5,001 miles
- Date founded: August 1, 1916
- 2025 visitors: 1,877,854 (#18 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 325,605.28 acres
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Lloyd Wallin Photography // Shutterstock

#63. National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa)

- Distance: 7,333 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres

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