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 Portland, Oregon. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 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. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 93 miles
- Driving time: 3.0 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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2 / 63#2. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 171 miles
- Driving time: 4.9 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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3 / 63#3. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 185 miles
- Driving time: 4.9 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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4 / 63#4. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 222 miles
- Driving time: 5.2 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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5 / 63#5. Redwood National Park (California)
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6 / 63#6. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 356 miles
- Driving time: 8.8 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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7 / 63#7. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 456 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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8 / 63#8. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 558 miles
- Driving time: 13.0 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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9 / 63#9. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 590 miles
- Driving time: 12.8 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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10 / 63#10. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
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11 / 63#11. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 620 miles
- Driving time: 14.8 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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12 / 63#12. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 633 miles
- Driving time: 12.4 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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13 / 63#13. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 641 miles
- Driving time: 16.7 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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14 / 63#14. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 663 miles
- Driving time: 16.5 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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15 / 63#15. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 710 miles
- Driving time: 15.9 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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16 / 63#16. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 753 miles
- Driving time: 15.9 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: 768 miles
- Driving time: 15.7 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: 774 miles
- Driving time: 15.1 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. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 816 miles
- Driving time: 15.0 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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20 / 63#20. Channel Islands National Park (California)
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21 / 63#21. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 823 miles
- Driving time: 20.1 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: 851 miles
- Driving time: 19.7 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: 886 miles
- Driving time: 18.0 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: 899 miles
- Driving time: 16.9 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. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
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26 / 63#26. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 926 miles
- Driving time: 18.3 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. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 929 miles
- Driving time: 17.5 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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28 / 63#28. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 946 miles
- Driving time: 18.2 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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29 / 63#29. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 986 miles
- Driving time: 19.9 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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30 / 63#30. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 990 miles
- Driving time: 18.7 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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31 / 63#31. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,030 miles
- Driving time: 20.4 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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32 / 63#32. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,080 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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33 / 63#33. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,122 miles
- Driving time: 23.7 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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34 / 63#34. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,240 miles
- Driving time: 24.2 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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35 / 63#35. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
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36 / 63#36. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,334 miles
- Driving time: 26.7 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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37 / 63#37. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,337 miles
- Driving time: 25.7 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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38 / 63#38. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 1,403 miles
- Driving time: 26.3 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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39 / 63#39. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,490 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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40 / 63#40. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
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41 / 63#41. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 1,604 miles
- Driving time: 31.2 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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42 / 63#42. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,624 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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43 / 63#43. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,638 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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44 / 63#44. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,640 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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45 / 63#45. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
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46 / 63#46. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 1,725 miles
- Driving time: 31.6 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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47 / 63#47. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 1,783 miles
- Driving time: 31.1 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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48 / 63#48. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,890 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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49 / 63#49. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 1,959 miles
- Driving time: 34.2 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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50 / 63#50. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
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51 / 63#51. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 2,059 miles
- Driving time: 35.9 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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52 / 63#52. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 2,135 miles
- Driving time: 37.5 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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53 / 63#53. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 2,174 miles
- Driving time: 37.9 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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54 / 63#54. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 2,291 miles
- Driving time: 41.9 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. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 2,565 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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57 / 63#57. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 2,597 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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58 / 63#58. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 2,610 miles
- Driving time: 50.3 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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59 / 63#59. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,630 miles
- Driving time: 50.9 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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60 / 63#60. Everglades National Park (Florida)
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61 / 63#61. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,711 miles
- Driving time: 48.0 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: 3,777 miles
- Date founded: August 2, 1956
- 2025 visitors: 471,074 (#42 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,052.53 acres
Lloyd Wallin Photography // Shutterstock
63 / 63#63. National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa)
- Distance: 5,100 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
