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 Provo. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Provo-Orem, UT 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. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 121 miles
- Driving time: 3.4 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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2 / 63#2. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 132 miles
- Driving time: 4.1 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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3 / 63#3. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 159 miles
- Driving time: 4.5 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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4 / 63#4. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 171 miles
- Driving time: 4.8 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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5 / 63#5. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
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6 / 63#6. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 181 miles
- Driving time: 4.7 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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7 / 63#7. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 263 miles
- Driving time: 8.2 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,430,653 (#4 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres
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8 / 63#8. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 265 miles
- Driving time: 6.6 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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9 / 63#9. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 278 miles
- Driving time: 7.7 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. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 280 miles
- Driving time: 7.1 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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11 / 63#11. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 340 miles
- Driving time: 8.0 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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12 / 63#12. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 349 miles
- Driving time: 7.9 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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13 / 63#13. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 360 miles
- Driving time: 9.5 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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14 / 63#14. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 361 miles
- Driving time: 9.9 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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15 / 63#15. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
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16 / 63#16. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 398 miles
- Driving time: 9.8 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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17 / 63#17. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 410 miles
- Driving time: 10.5 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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18 / 63#18. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 418 miles
- Driving time: 14.5 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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19 / 63#19. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 463 miles
- Driving time: 10.1 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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20 / 63#20. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 486 miles
- Driving time: 11.5 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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21 / 63#21. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 525 miles
- Driving time: 11.2 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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22 / 63#22. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 533 miles
- Driving time: 13.1 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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23 / 63#23. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 536 miles
- Driving time: 13.6 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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24 / 63#24. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 548 miles
- Driving time: 14.9 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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25 / 63#25. Channel Islands National Park (California)
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26 / 63#26. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 575 miles
- Driving time: 12.5 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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27 / 63#27. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 598 miles
- Driving time: 14.0 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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28 / 63#28. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 620 miles
- Driving time: 17.0 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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29 / 63#29. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 622 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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30 / 63#30. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
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31 / 63#31. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 674 miles
- Driving time: 14.2 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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32 / 63#32. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 690 miles
- Driving time: 16.3 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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33 / 63#33. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 691 miles
- Driving time: 15.4 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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34 / 63#34. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 750 miles
- Driving time: 16.6 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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35 / 63#35. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 787 miles
- Driving time: 17.3 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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36 / 63#36. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 897 miles
- Driving time: 20.5 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
37 / 63#37. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 1,125 miles
- Driving time: 22.5 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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38 / 63#38. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 1,131 miles
- Driving time: 23.8 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. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 1,189 miles
- Driving time: 20.5 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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40 / 63#40. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
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41 / 63#41. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 1,329 miles
- Driving time: 22.6 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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42 / 63#42. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 1,430 miles
- Driving time: 25.4 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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43 / 63#43. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 1,597 miles
- Driving time: 28.5 hours
- Date founded: June 15, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 11,527,939 (#1 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 522,426.88 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
44 / 63#44. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 1,616 miles
- Driving time: 27.2 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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45 / 63#45. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 1,680 miles
- Driving time: 29.3 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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46 / 63#46. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,684 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 740,044 (#32 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,223,383.43 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
47 / 63#47. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 1,790 miles
- Driving time: 32.3 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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48 / 63#48. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 1,817 miles
- Driving time: 32.7 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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49 / 63#49. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,928 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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50 / 63#50. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
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51 / 63#51. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,074 miles
- Driving time: 40.3 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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52 / 63#52. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,103 miles
- Driving time: 39.3 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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53 / 63#53. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,118 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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54 / 63#54. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,246 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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55 / 63#55. Acadia National Park (Maine)
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56 / 63#56. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,263 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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57 / 63#57. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,265 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 19,778 (#61 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,619,816.49 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
58 / 63#58. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,467 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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59 / 63#59. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,600 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 7,786 (#63 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres
MH Anderson Photography // Shutterstock
60 / 63#60. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 2,895 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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61 / 63#61. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 2,901 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. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 3,192 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: 5,280 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
