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 Bend. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Bend, OR 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. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 80 miles
- Driving time: 2.4 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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2 / 63#2. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 204 miles
- Driving time: 6.3 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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3 / 63#3. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 229 miles
- Driving time: 6.9 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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4 / 63#4. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 237 miles
- Driving time: 6.3 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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5 / 63#5. Olympic National Park (Washington)
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6 / 63#6. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 330 miles
- Driving time: 8.5 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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7 / 63#7. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 429 miles
- Driving time: 10.8 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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8 / 63#8. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 483 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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9 / 63#9. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 495 miles
- Driving time: 11.7 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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10 / 63#10. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
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11 / 63#11. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 513 miles
- Driving time: 9.8 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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12 / 63#12. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 521 miles
- Driving time: 11.6 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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13 / 63#13. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 534 miles
- Driving time: 13.9 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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14 / 63#14. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 534 miles
- Driving time: 12.1 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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15 / 63#15. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
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16 / 63#16. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 626 miles
- Driving time: 14.8 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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17 / 63#17. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 645 miles
- Driving time: 14.6 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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18 / 63#18. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 656 miles
- Driving time: 14.0 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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19 / 63#19. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 690 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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20 / 63#20. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 705 miles
- Driving time: 13.9 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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21 / 63#21. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 709 miles
- Driving time: 19.0 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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22 / 63#22. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 724 miles
- Driving time: 18.1 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,430,653 (#4 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres
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23 / 63#23. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 755 miles
- Driving time: 15.8 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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24 / 63#24. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 793 miles
- Driving time: 15.8 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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25 / 63#25. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
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26 / 63#26. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 838 miles
- Driving time: 17.1 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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27 / 63#27. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 862 miles
- Driving time: 18.8 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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28 / 63#28. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 887 miles
- Driving time: 18.3 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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29 / 63#29. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 887 miles
- Driving time: 18.6 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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30 / 63#30. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
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31 / 63#31. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 934 miles
- Driving time: 19.7 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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32 / 63#32. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 993 miles
- Driving time: 21.5 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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33 / 63#33. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,119 miles
- Driving time: 23.2 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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34 / 63#34. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,212 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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35 / 63#35. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,214 miles
- Driving time: 25.6 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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36 / 63#36. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,218 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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37 / 63#37. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 1,387 miles
- Driving time: 27.7 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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38 / 63#38. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,416 miles
- Driving time: 29.7 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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39 / 63#39. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,458 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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40 / 63#40. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 1,586 miles
- Driving time: 32.0 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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41 / 63#41. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,620 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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42 / 63#42. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 1,635 miles
- Driving time: 30.4 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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43 / 63#43. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 1,646 miles
- Driving time: 28.1 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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44 / 63#44. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 1,732 miles
- Driving time: 29.6 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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45 / 63#45. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
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46 / 63#46. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,768 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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47 / 63#47. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,772 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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48 / 63#48. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 1,891 miles
- Driving time: 33.0 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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49 / 63#49. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 2,013 miles
- Driving time: 34.2 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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50 / 63#50. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
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51 / 63#51. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 2,065 miles
- Driving time: 36.2 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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52 / 63#52. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 2,116 miles
- Driving time: 36.8 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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53 / 63#53. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,143 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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54 / 63#54. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 2,239 miles
- Driving time: 40.3 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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55 / 63#55. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
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56 / 63#56. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,533 miles
- Driving time: 50.7 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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57 / 63#57. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 2,563 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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58 / 63#58. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 2,589 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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59 / 63#59. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 2,589 miles
- Driving time: 49.1 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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60 / 63#60. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,594 miles
- Driving time: 47.7 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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61 / 63#61. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,621 miles
- Driving time: 46.7 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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62 / 63#62. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 3,696 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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63 / 63#63. National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa)
- Distance: 5,071 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
