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 Killeen. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Killeen-Temple, TX 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. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 353 miles
- Driving time: 9.8 hours
- Date founded: June 12, 1944
- 2025 visitors: 568,104 (#38 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 801,163.21 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
2 / 63#2. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 358 miles
- Driving time: 6.8 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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3 / 63#3. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 397 miles
- Driving time: 7.8 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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4 / 63#4. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 421 miles
- Driving time: 8.9 hours
- Date founded: October 15, 1966
- 2025 visitors: 206,423 (#52 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 86,367.10 acres
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
5 / 63#5. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 504 miles
- Driving time: 10.2 hours
- Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]
- 2025 visitors: 659,742 (#35 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 146,344.31 acres
Kris Wiktor // Shutterstock
6 / 63#6. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 629 miles
- Driving time: 12.4 hours
- Date founded: September 24, 2004
- 2025 visitors: 432,498 (#44 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 107,341.87 acres
Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock
7 / 63#7. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 669 miles
- Driving time: 12.2 hours
- Date founded: February 22, 2018[47]
- 2025 visitors: 2,209,028 (#15 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 192.83 acres
Sopotnicki // Shutterstock
8 / 63#8. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 738 miles
- Driving time: 14.9 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1906
- 2025 visitors: 463,130 (#43 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 52,485.17 acres
Felix Lipov // Shutterstock
9 / 63#9. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 744 miles
- Driving time: 13.1 hours
- Date founded: December 9, 1962
- 2025 visitors: 315,951 (#48 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 221,390.21 acres
kojihirano // Shutterstock
10 / 63#10. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 752 miles
- Driving time: 13.2 hours
- Date founded: October 14, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 847,749 (#28 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 92,867.42 acres
SL-Photography // Shutterstock
11 / 63#11. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 758 miles
- Driving time: 16.2 hours
- Date founded: October 21, 1999
- 2025 visitors: 250,086 (#50 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 30,779.83 acres
Anna Krivitskaya // Shutterstock
12 / 63#12. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 770 miles
- Driving time: 15.1 hours
- Date founded: January 26, 1915
- 2025 visitors: 4,171,431 (#6 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 265,807.25 acres
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
13 / 63#13. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 785 miles
- Driving time: 13.5 hours
- Date founded: July 1, 1941
- 2025 visitors: 660,734 (#34 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 54,011.91 acres
Manamana // Shutterstock
14 / 63#14. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 842 miles
- Driving time: 21.5 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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15 / 63#15. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 843 miles
- Driving time: 16.8 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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16 / 63#16. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 879 miles
- Driving time: 15.8 hours
- Date founded: June 15, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 11,527,939 (#1 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 522,426.88 acres
Josemaria Toscano // Shutterstock
17 / 63#17. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 891 miles
- Driving time: 16.2 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,430,653 (#4 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres
Layne V. Naylor // Shutterstock
18 / 63#18. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 900 miles
- Driving time: 18.9 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. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 903 miles
- Driving time: 18.0 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
20 / 63#20. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 908 miles
- Driving time: 18.0 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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21 / 63#21. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 931 miles
- Driving time: 20.3 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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22 / 63#22. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 935 miles
- Driving time: 16.9 hours
- Date founded: February 15, 2019
- 2025 visitors: 2,629,497 (#13 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,349.08 acres
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
23 / 63#23. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 968 miles
- Driving time: 20.3 hours
- Date founded: November 19, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,984,525 (#2 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 147,242.66 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
24 / 63#24. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 1,008 miles
- Driving time: 17.7 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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25 / 63#25. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,017 miles
- Driving time: 24.3 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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26 / 63#26. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 1,061 miles
- Driving time: 18.8 hours
- Date founded: December 27, 2020
- 2025 visitors: 1,958,440 (#17 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,021 acres
Dennis Silvas // Shutterstock
27 / 63#27. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,071 miles
- Driving time: 18.6 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 2,932,644 (#12 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 795,155.85 acres
Arlene Waller // Shutterstock
28 / 63#28. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 1,076 miles
- Driving time: 21.9 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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29 / 63#29. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,103 miles
- Driving time: 22.4 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
30 / 63#30. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 1,119 miles
- Driving time: 21.7 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1929
- 2025 visitors: 3,800,648 (#8 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 310,044.36 acres
Laurens Hoddenbagh // Shutterstock
31 / 63#31. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 1,129 miles
- Driving time: 22.5 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 729,893 (#33 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 70,446.89 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
32 / 63#32. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 1,138 miles
- Driving time: 20.0 hours
- Date founded: October 11, 2000
- 2025 visitors: 3,025,325 (#11 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 32,571.88 acres
Claudia G Cooper // Shutterstock
33 / 63#33. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,142 miles
- Driving time: 21.4 hours
- Date founded: June 28, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 486,567 (#41 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 172,971.11 acres
Bryan Brazil // Shutterstock
34 / 63#34. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 1,147 miles
- Driving time: 20.9 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 1,320,134 (#24 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres
Lane V. Erickson // Shutterstock
35 / 63#35. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 1,153 miles
- Driving time: 22.7 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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36 / 63#36. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 1,211 miles
- Driving time: 21.1 hours
- Date founded: December 26, 1935
- 2025 visitors: 1,682,152 (#19 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 199,223.77 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
37 / 63#37. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 1,221 miles
- Driving time: 20.9 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. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,250 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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39 / 63#39. 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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40 / 63#40. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 1,263 miles
- Driving time: 23.8 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. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,274 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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42 / 63#42. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,316 miles
- Driving time: 26.5 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. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,389 miles
- Driving time: 25.6 hours
- Date founded: January 10, 2013
- 2025 visitors: 343,208 (#47 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,685.73 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
44 / 63#44. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,471 miles
- Driving time: 28.3 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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45 / 63#45. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 1,481 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2025 visitors: 3,136,557 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres
Hank Shiffman // Shutterstock
46 / 63#46. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 1,560 miles
- Driving time: 31.6 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. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,612 miles
- Driving time: 33.3 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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48 / 63#48. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,669 miles
- Driving time: 32.0 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
49 / 63#49. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,719 miles
- Driving time: 34.7 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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50 / 63#50. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,780 miles
- Driving time: 35.4 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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51 / 63#51. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 1,841 miles
- Driving time: 34.0 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,079,318 (#7 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 49,076.63 acres
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
52 / 63#52. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 2,247 miles
- Date founded: August 2, 1956
- 2025 visitors: 471,074 (#42 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,052.53 acres
Laurie Gronewold // Shutterstock
53 / 63#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,628 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: 2,862 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: 3,080 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: 3,178 miles
- Date founded: February 26, 1917
- 2025 visitors: 543,300 (#39 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 4,740,911.16 acres
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock
57 / 63#57. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,223 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
58 / 63#58. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,243 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
59 / 63#59. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,355 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 14,923 (#62 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
60 / 63#60. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,501 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: 3,644 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: 3,663 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: 5,754 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
