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 Burlington, North Carolina. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Burlington, NC 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. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 168 miles
- Driving time: 3.7 hours
- Date founded: December 27, 2020
- 2025 visitors: 1,958,440 (#17 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,021 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
2 / 63#2. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 175 miles
- Driving time: 4.1 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 2003
- 2025 visitors: 287,833 (#49 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,476.47 acres
Jon Bilous // Shutterstock
3 / 63#3. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 181 miles
- Driving time: 4.3 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. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 233 miles
- Driving time: 5.0 hours
- Date founded: June 15, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 11,527,939 (#1 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 522,426.88 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
5 / 63#5. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 377 miles
- Driving time: 7.6 hours
- Date founded: October 11, 2000
- 2025 visitors: 3,025,325 (#11 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 32,571.88 acres
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
6 / 63#6. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 380 miles
- Driving time: 8.5 hours
- Date founded: July 1, 1941
- 2025 visitors: 660,734 (#34 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 54,011.91 acres
Delmas Lehman // Shutterstock
7 / 63#7. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 565 miles
- Driving time: 11.8 hours
- Date founded: February 15, 2019
- 2025 visitors: 2,629,497 (#13 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,349.08 acres
Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock
8 / 63#8. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 620 miles
- Driving time: 11.6 hours
- Date founded: February 22, 2018[47]
- 2025 visitors: 2,209,028 (#15 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 192.83 acres
Claudia G Cooper // Shutterstock
9 / 63#9. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 717 miles
- Driving time: 12.8 hours
- Date founded: June 28, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 486,567 (#41 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 172,971.11 acres
Simon Dannhauer // Shutterstock
10 / 63#10. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 744 miles
- Driving time: 13.7 hours
- Date founded: May 30, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 778,198 (#31 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,508,938.57 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
11 / 63#11. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 778 miles
- Driving time: 13.4 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. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 813 miles
- Driving time: 15.8 hours
- Date founded: October 26, 1992
- 2025 visitors: 89,355 (#56 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 64,701.22 acres
Romiana Lee // Shutterstock
13 / 63#13. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 823 miles
- Driving time: 16.8 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,079,318 (#7 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 49,076.63 acres
SveKo // Shutterstock
14 / 63#14. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 954 miles
- Driving time: 19.9 hours
- Date founded: April 3, 1940
- 2025 visitors: 29,091 (#60 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 571,790.30 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
15 / 63#15. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 1,100 miles
- Driving time: 22.0 hours
- Date founded: April 8, 1975
- 2025 visitors: 206,326 (#53 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 218,222.35 acres
Matt Ragen // Shutterstock
16 / 63#16. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 1,332 miles
- Driving time: 24.8 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 1,139,361 (#26 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 242,755.94 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
17 / 63#17. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 1,376 miles
- Driving time: 26.1 hours
- Date founded: January 9, 1903
- 2025 visitors: 606,258 (#37 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,970.84 acres
Kris Wiktor // Shutterstock
18 / 63#18. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,446 miles
- Driving time: 26.4 hours
- Date founded: September 24, 2004
- 2025 visitors: 432,498 (#44 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 107,341.87 acres
Laurens Hoddenbagh // Shutterstock
19 / 63#19. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 1,449 miles
- Driving time: 26.8 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 729,893 (#33 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 70,446.89 acres
Anna Krivitskaya // Shutterstock
20 / 63#20. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,450 miles
- Driving time: 25.0 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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21 / 63#21. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,456 miles
- Driving time: 24.6 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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22 / 63#22. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,463 miles
- Driving time: 27.4 hours
- Date founded: June 12, 1944
- 2025 visitors: 568,104 (#38 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 801,163.21 acres
ShuPhoto // Shutterstock
23 / 63#23. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,485 miles
- Driving time: 25.7 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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24 / 63#24. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 1,514 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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25 / 63#25. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,541 miles
- Driving time: 26.5 hours
- Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]
- 2025 visitors: 659,742 (#35 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 146,344.31 acres
SL-Photography // Shutterstock
26 / 63#26. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,563 miles
- Driving time: 28.5 hours
- Date founded: October 21, 1999
- 2025 visitors: 250,086 (#50 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 30,779.83 acres
Sopotnicki // Shutterstock
27 / 63#27. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,613 miles
- Driving time: 29.4 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1906
- 2025 visitors: 463,130 (#43 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 52,485.17 acres
Manamana // Shutterstock
28 / 63#28. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,663 miles
- Driving time: 29.5 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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29 / 63#29. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,685 miles
- Driving time: 36.0 hours
- Date founded: September 12, 1964
- 2025 visitors: 796,057 (#29 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 337,597.83 acres
Felix Lipov // Shutterstock
30 / 63#30. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,706 miles
- Driving time: 27.7 hours
- Date founded: December 9, 1962
- 2025 visitors: 315,951 (#48 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 221,390.21 acres
Lane V. Erickson // Shutterstock
31 / 63#31. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 1,733 miles
- Driving time: 31.9 hours
- Date founded: March 1, 1872
- 2025 visitors: 4,762,988 (#3 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
32 / 63#32. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 1,739 miles
- Driving time: 30.9 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1929
- 2025 visitors: 3,800,648 (#8 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 310,044.36 acres
Layne V. Naylor // Shutterstock
33 / 63#33. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,752 miles
- Driving time: 30.7 hours
- Date founded: December 18, 1971
- 2025 visitors: 1,388,476 (#22 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 241,904.50 acres
kojihirano // Shutterstock
34 / 63#34. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,794 miles
- Driving time: 31.0 hours
- Date founded: October 14, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 847,749 (#28 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 92,867.42 acres
ronnybas frimages // Shutterstock
35 / 63#35. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,811 miles
- Driving time: 33.0 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: 1,824 miles
- Driving time: 31.2 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,430,653 (#4 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
37 / 63#37. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,861 miles
- Driving time: 33.5 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
38 / 63#38. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 1,916 miles
- Driving time: 33.2 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. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 1,954 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2025 visitors: 3,136,557 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres
Dennis Silvas // Shutterstock
40 / 63#40. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,066 miles
- Driving time: 35.0 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 2,932,644 (#12 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 795,155.85 acres
Bryan Brazil // Shutterstock
41 / 63#41. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 2,079 miles
- Driving time: 35.4 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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42 / 63#42. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,167 miles
- Driving time: 42.2 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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43 / 63#43. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,179 miles
- Driving time: 41.0 hours
- Date founded: September 25, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 1,378,337 (#23 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 404,062.63 acres
Stephen Moehle // Shutterstock
44 / 63#44. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,206 miles
- Driving time: 41.1 hours
- Date founded: October 1, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 4,278,413 (#5 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 761,747.50 acres
Ethan Daniels // Shutterstock
45 / 63#45. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,258 miles
- Date founded: March 5, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 227,186 (#51 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 249,561.00 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
46 / 63#46. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,276 miles
- Driving time: 43.9 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 46,925 (#57 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 504,780.94 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
47 / 63#47. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,288 miles
- Driving time: 40.8 hours
- Date founded: August 9, 1916
- 2025 visitors: 504,777 (#40 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 106,589.02 acres
Diane Fetzner // Shutterstock
48 / 63#48. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,290 miles
- Driving time: 42.3 hours
- Date founded: March 2, 1899
- 2025 visitors: 1,635,342 (#20 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 236,381.64 acres
Hank Shiffman // Shutterstock
49 / 63#49. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 2,306 miles
- Driving time: 42.1 hours
- Date founded: May 22, 1902
- 2025 visitors: 632,242 (#36 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 183,224.05 acres
Yhelfman // Shutterstock
50 / 63#50. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,313 miles
- Driving time: 39.6 hours
- Date founded: January 10, 2013
- 2025 visitors: 343,208 (#47 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,685.73 acres
f11photo // Shutterstock
51 / 63#51. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,377 miles
- Driving time: 44.6 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1938
- 2025 visitors: 3,584,187 (#9 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 922,649.41 acres
Bob Pool // Shutterstock
52 / 63#52. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,412 miles
- Driving time: 45.6 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 1,202,480 (#25 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 138,999.37 acres
Laurie Gronewold // Shutterstock
53 / 63#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,996 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 740,044 (#32 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,223,383.43 acres
Martin Capek // Shutterstock
54 / 63#54. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,183 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
55 / 63#55. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,445 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 425,369 (#45 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 669,650.05 acres
Marc Cappelletti // Shutterstock
56 / 63#56. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,459 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
57 / 63#57. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,530 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 14,923 (#62 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock
58 / 63#58. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,566 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
59 / 63#59. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,646 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
60 / 63#60. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,689 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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61 / 63#61. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 4,672 miles
- Date founded: August 1, 1916
- 2025 visitors: 1,877,854 (#18 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 325,605.28 acres
MH Anderson Photography // Shutterstock
62 / 63#62. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 4,677 miles
- Date founded: July 1, 1961
- 2025 visitors: 853,711 (#27 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,264.62 acres
Lloyd Wallin Photography // Shutterstock
63 / 63#63. National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa)
- Distance: 6,863 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
