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 Poughkeepsie. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY 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. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 311 miles
- Driving time: 6.9 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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2 / 63#2. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 352 miles
- Driving time: 8.0 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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3 / 63#3. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 391 miles
- Driving time: 7.1 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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4 / 63#4. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 446 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. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 652 miles
- Driving time: 13.1 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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6 / 63#6. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 655 miles
- Driving time: 12.1 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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7 / 63#7. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 674 miles
- Driving time: 11.7 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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8 / 63#8. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 713 miles
- Driving time: 13.5 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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9 / 63#9. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 841 miles
- Driving time: 19.3 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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10 / 63#10. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
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11 / 63#11. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 1,035 miles
- Driving time: 22.3 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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12 / 63#12. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 1,143 miles
- Driving time: 20.4 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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13 / 63#13. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,151 miles
- Driving time: 21.1 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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14 / 63#14. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,188 miles
- Driving time: 22.1 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 / 63#15. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
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16 / 63#16. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 1,451 miles
- Driving time: 25.0 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 / 63#17. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 1,496 miles
- Driving time: 27.0 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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18 / 63#18. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 1,501 miles
- Driving time: 26.4 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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19 / 63#19. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,642 miles
- Driving time: 27.3 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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20 / 63#20. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
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21 / 63#21. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 1,693 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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22 / 63#22. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,786 miles
- Driving time: 31.2 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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23 / 63#23. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,794 miles
- Driving time: 30.6 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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24 / 63#24. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,824 miles
- Driving time: 31.6 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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25 / 63#25. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
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26 / 63#26. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,842 miles
- Driving time: 33.8 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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27 / 63#27. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,857 miles
- Driving time: 33.5 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 / 63#28. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,861 miles
- Driving time: 31.4 hours
- Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]
- 2025 visitors: 659,742 (#35 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 146,344.31 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
29 / 63#29. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 1,864 miles
- Driving time: 32.4 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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30 / 63#30. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,879 miles
- Driving time: 31.9 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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31 / 63#31. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,908 miles
- Driving time: 38.9 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 / 63#32. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,972 miles
- Driving time: 33.4 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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33 / 63#33. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,978 miles
- Driving time: 33.1 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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34 / 63#34. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 1,990 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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35 / 63#35. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
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36 / 63#36. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 2,074 miles
- Driving time: 36.1 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
37 / 63#37. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 2,090 miles
- Driving time: 35.9 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 / 63#38. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 2,101 miles
- Driving time: 36.4 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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39 / 63#39. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 2,116 miles
- Driving time: 35.9 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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40 / 63#40. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 2,311 miles
- Driving time: 39.1 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 1,320,134 (#24 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres
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41 / 63#41. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,318 miles
- Driving time: 44.4 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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42 / 63#42. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,333 miles
- Driving time: 39.8 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. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,360 miles
- Driving time: 42.5 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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44 / 63#44. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,386 miles
- Driving time: 47.0 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 / 63#45. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,402 miles
- Driving time: 45.8 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. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,409 miles
- Driving time: 45.0 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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47 / 63#47. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,430 miles
- Driving time: 44.9 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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48 / 63#48. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 2,432 miles
- Driving time: 43.3 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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49 / 63#49. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,450 miles
- Driving time: 41.9 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 / 63#50. Channel Islands National Park (California)
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51 / 63#51. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,528 miles
- Driving time: 44.3 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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52 / 63#52. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,557 miles
- Driving time: 46.7 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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53 / 63#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,908 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: 3,064 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. Denali National Park (Alaska)
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56 / 63#56. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,335 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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57 / 63#57. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,336 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: 3,442 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
59 / 63#59. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,494 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 / 63#60. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
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61 / 63#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 4,893 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: 4,900 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: 7,206 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
