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 Watertown. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Watertown-Fort Drum, 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. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 339 miles
- Driving time: 6.6 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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2 / 63#2. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 390 miles
- Driving time: 10.6 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. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 396 miles
- Driving time: 8.4 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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4 / 63#4. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 486 miles
- Driving time: 10.2 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. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 581 miles
- Driving time: 11.1 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. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 663 miles
- Driving time: 18.6 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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7 / 63#7. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 697 miles
- Driving time: 13.8 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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8 / 63#8. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 707 miles
- Driving time: 13.0 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. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 749 miles
- Driving time: 14.8 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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10 / 63#10. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 822 miles
- Driving time: 14.6 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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11 / 63#11. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 862 miles
- Driving time: 21.6 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: 1,119 miles
- Driving time: 20.3 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: 1,285 miles
- Driving time: 23.4 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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14 / 63#14. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 1,315 miles
- Driving time: 24.4 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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15 / 63#15. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,316 miles
- Driving time: 24.4 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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16 / 63#16. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 1,340 miles
- Driving time: 26.4 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 729,893 (#33 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 70,446.89 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
17 / 63#17. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 1,366 miles
- Driving time: 25.8 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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18 / 63#18. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,389 miles
- Driving time: 26.2 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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19 / 63#19. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,527 miles
- Driving time: 26.7 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)
- Distance: 1,593 miles
- Driving time: 29.4 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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21 / 63#21. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,679 miles
- Driving time: 30.6 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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22 / 63#22. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 1,696 miles
- Driving time: 32.7 hours
- Date founded: March 1, 1872
- 2025 visitors: 4,762,988 (#3 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
23 / 63#23. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 1,723 miles
- Driving time: 31.8 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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24 / 63#24. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,737 miles
- Driving time: 30.1 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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25 / 63#25. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,757 miles
- Driving time: 32.8 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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26 / 63#26. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,767 miles
- Driving time: 31.2 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 / 63#27. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,769 miles
- Driving time: 31.2 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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28 / 63#28. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,795 miles
- Driving time: 30.9 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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29 / 63#29. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,800 miles
- Driving time: 38.2 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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30 / 63#30. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,808 miles
- Driving time: 33.4 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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31 / 63#31. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 1,824 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2025 visitors: 3,136,557 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres
Layne V. Naylor // Shutterstock
32 / 63#32. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,861 miles
- Driving time: 32.7 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. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 1,887 miles
- Date founded: August 2, 1956
- 2025 visitors: 471,074 (#42 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,052.53 acres
Felix Lipov // Shutterstock
34 / 63#34. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,889 miles
- Driving time: 32.5 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
35 / 63#35. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,930 miles
- Driving time: 34.7 hours
- Date founded: February 25, 1928
- 2025 visitors: 1,967,367 (#16 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 35,835.08 acres
Josemaria Toscano // Shutterstock
36 / 63#36. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,973 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: 1,981 miles
- Driving time: 35.3 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. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 1,996 miles
- Driving time: 35.3 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 / 63#39. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 2,025 miles
- Driving time: 35.9 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
40 / 63#40. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,151 miles
- Driving time: 43.7 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 46,925 (#57 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 504,780.94 acres
Diane Fetzner // Shutterstock
41 / 63#41. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,199 miles
- Driving time: 41.9 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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42 / 63#42. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 2,201 miles
- Driving time: 38.5 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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43 / 63#43. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,236 miles
- Driving time: 39.4 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 / 63#44. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,264 miles
- Driving time: 44.2 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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45 / 63#45. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,270 miles
- Driving time: 46.3 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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46 / 63#46. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 2,286 miles
- Driving time: 42.6 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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47 / 63#47. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,287 miles
- Driving time: 44.3 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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48 / 63#48. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,288 miles
- Driving time: 45.1 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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49 / 63#49. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,314 miles
- Driving time: 41.3 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)
- Distance: 2,403 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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51 / 63#51. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,410 miles
- Driving time: 43.6 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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52 / 63#52. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,416 miles
- Driving time: 46.1 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: 2,717 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: 2,871 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 108,840 (#55 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,323,146.48 acres
Marc Cappelletti // Shutterstock
55 / 63#55. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,117 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
56 / 63#56. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,140 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 14,923 (#62 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres
Tomasz Wozniak // Shutterstock
57 / 63#57. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,142 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 / 63#58. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,247 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: 3,298 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)
- Distance: 3,352 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 34,479 (#59 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,674,529.33 acres
MH Anderson Photography // Shutterstock
61 / 63#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 4,762 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: 4,775 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: 7,124 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
