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 Cincinnati. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN 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. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 159 miles
- Driving time: 3.1 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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2 / 63#2. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 197 miles
- Driving time: 4.6 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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3 / 63#3. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 214 miles
- Driving time: 3.6 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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4 / 63#4. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 222 miles
- Driving time: 4.4 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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5 / 63#5. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
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6 / 63#6. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 310 miles
- Driving time: 5.3 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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7 / 63#7. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 333 miles
- Driving time: 8.1 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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8 / 63#8. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 421 miles
- Driving time: 8.7 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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9 / 63#9. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 571 miles
- Driving time: 10.0 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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10 / 63#10. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 654 miles
- Driving time: 12.9 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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11 / 63#11. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 772 miles
- Driving time: 14.4 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. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 914 miles
- Driving time: 18.2 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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13 / 63#13. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 962 miles
- Driving time: 17.1 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: 972 miles
- Driving time: 18.2 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. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
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16 / 63#16. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,001 miles
- Driving time: 20.1 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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17 / 63#17. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 1,033 miles
- Driving time: 18.5 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. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 1,099 miles
- Driving time: 19.0 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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19 / 63#19. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,125 miles
- Driving time: 18.7 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)
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21 / 63#21. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,217 miles
- Driving time: 21.0 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. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,248 miles
- Driving time: 22.1 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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23 / 63#23. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,251 miles
- Driving time: 22.4 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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24 / 63#24. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,268 miles
- Driving time: 24.1 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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25 / 63#25. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,288 miles
- Driving time: 21.9 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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26 / 63#26. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,311 miles
- Driving time: 23.9 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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27 / 63#27. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,349 miles
- Driving time: 22.9 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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28 / 63#28. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,374 miles
- Driving time: 30.0 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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29 / 63#29. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 1,389 miles
- Driving time: 25.4 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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30 / 63#30. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 1,398 miles
- Driving time: 24.3 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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31 / 63#31. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,420 miles
- Driving time: 23.1 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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32 / 63#32. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,440 miles
- Driving time: 24.4 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. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,503 miles
- Driving time: 26.5 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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34 / 63#34. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,527 miles
- Driving time: 26.6 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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35 / 63#35. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
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36 / 63#36. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,554 miles
- Driving time: 27.1 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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37 / 63#37. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 1,597 miles
- Driving time: 27.1 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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38 / 63#38. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 1,604 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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39 / 63#39. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 1,774 miles
- Driving time: 30.3 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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40 / 63#40. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,779 miles
- Driving time: 30.4 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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41 / 63#41. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,857 miles
- Driving time: 38.0 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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42 / 63#42. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 1,858 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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43 / 63#43. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,870 miles
- Driving time: 36.8 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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44 / 63#44. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,889 miles
- Driving time: 36.8 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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45 / 63#45. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,927 miles
- Driving time: 36.2 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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46 / 63#46. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,943 miles
- Driving time: 34.7 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
47 / 63#47. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,959 miles
- Driving time: 34.6 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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48 / 63#48. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,963 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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49 / 63#49. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 1,967 miles
- Driving time: 34.9 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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50 / 63#50. Pinnacles National Park (California)
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51 / 63#51. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,029 miles
- Driving time: 36.9 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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52 / 63#52. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,078 miles
- Driving time: 38.6 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: 2,654 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: 2,846 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. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
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56 / 63#56. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,127 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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57 / 63#57. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,212 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: 3,229 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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59 / 63#59. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,304 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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60 / 63#60. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
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61 / 63#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 4,372 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: 4,372 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: 6,634 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
