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 Tulsa. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Tulsa, OK 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. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 214 miles
- Driving time: 4.8 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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2 / 63#2. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 368 miles
- Driving time: 6.2 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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3 / 63#3. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 526 miles
- Driving time: 10.5 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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4 / 63#4. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 550 miles
- Driving time: 10.3 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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5 / 63#5. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
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6 / 63#6. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 581 miles
- Driving time: 11.4 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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7 / 63#7. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 585 miles
- Driving time: 11.4 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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8 / 63#8. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 616 miles
- Driving time: 13.0 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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9 / 63#9. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 616 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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10 / 63#10. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 618 miles
- Driving time: 11.1 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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11 / 63#11. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 634 miles
- Driving time: 13.5 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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12 / 63#12. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 636 miles
- Driving time: 13.2 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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13 / 63#13. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 654 miles
- Driving time: 14.3 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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14 / 63#14. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 686 miles
- Driving time: 14.4 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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15 / 63#15. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
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16 / 63#16. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 754 miles
- Driving time: 15.6 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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17 / 63#17. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 769 miles
- Driving time: 12.2 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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18 / 63#18. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 769 miles
- Driving time: 21.6 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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19 / 63#19. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 829 miles
- Driving time: 18.1 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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20 / 63#20. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
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21 / 63#21. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 842 miles
- Driving time: 14.8 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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22 / 63#22. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 860 miles
- Driving time: 14.5 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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23 / 63#23. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 862 miles
- Driving time: 15.6 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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24 / 63#24. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 864 miles
- Driving time: 16.7 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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25 / 63#25. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 889 miles
- Driving time: 15.7 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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26 / 63#26. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 890 miles
- Driving time: 19.1 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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27 / 63#27. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 892 miles
- Driving time: 15.9 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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28 / 63#28. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 905 miles
- Driving time: 18.4 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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29 / 63#29. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 930 miles
- Driving time: 17.9 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. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 937 miles
- Driving time: 19.5 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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31 / 63#31. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 947 miles
- Driving time: 19.0 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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32 / 63#32. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 992 miles
- Driving time: 18.4 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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33 / 63#33. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 1,010 miles
- Driving time: 19.8 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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34 / 63#34. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,126 miles
- Driving time: 24.8 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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35 / 63#35. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
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36 / 63#36. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 1,151 miles
- Driving time: 20.1 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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37 / 63#37. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,176 miles
- Driving time: 23.0 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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38 / 63#38. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,200 miles
- Driving time: 21.9 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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39 / 63#39. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,243 miles
- Driving time: 27.5 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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40 / 63#40. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 1,250 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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41 / 63#41. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,252 miles
- Driving time: 26.5 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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42 / 63#42. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,290 miles
- Driving time: 26.6 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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43 / 63#43. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,322 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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44 / 63#44. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,389 miles
- Driving time: 25.1 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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45 / 63#45. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,401 miles
- Driving time: 27.4 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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46 / 63#46. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 1,452 miles
- Driving time: 28.5 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. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,504 miles
- Driving time: 28.6 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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48 / 63#48. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,529 miles
- Driving time: 31.3 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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49 / 63#49. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,535 miles
- Driving time: 31.9 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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50 / 63#50. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 1,570 miles
- Driving time: 29.1 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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51 / 63#51. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,608 miles
- Driving time: 31.9 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. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 2,278 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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53 / 63#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,395 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: 2,619 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: 2,929 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. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,992 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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58 / 63#58. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,029 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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59 / 63#59. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,082 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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60 / 63#60. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
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61 / 63#61. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 3,736 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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62 / 63#62. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 3,743 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: 5,964 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
