Approximately 331 million people visited American national parks in 2024, representing a 2% year-over-year growth and the fourth straight year of growth.
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 Longview. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Longview, 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: 63 miles
- Driving time: 3.4 hours
- Date founded: March 2, 1899
- 2024 visitors: 1,620,006 (#19 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 236,381.64 acres
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2 / 63#2. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 128 miles
- Driving time: 5.3 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1938
- 2024 visitors: 3,717,267 (#8 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 922,649.41 acres
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3 / 63#3. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 186 miles
- Driving time: 5.6 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2024 visitors: 16,485 (#62 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 504,780.94 acres
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4 / 63#4. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 227 miles
- Driving time: 6.4 hours
- Date founded: May 22, 1902
- 2024 visitors: 504,942 (#39 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 183,224.05 acres
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5 / 63#5. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 344 miles
- Driving time: 8.3 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2024 visitors: 622,883 (#35 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 138,999.37 acres
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6 / 63#6. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 398 miles
- Driving time: 10.3 hours
- Date founded: August 9, 1916
- 2024 visitors: 357,651 (#47 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 106,589.02 acres
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7 / 63#7. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 444 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2024 visitors: 3,208,755 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,126.39 acres
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8 / 63#8. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 600 miles
- Driving time: 14.9 hours
- Date founded: October 1, 1890
- 2024 visitors: 4,121,807 (#6 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 761,747.50 acres
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9 / 63#9. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 602 miles
- Driving time: 14.8 hours
- Date founded: March 1, 1872
- 2024 visitors: 4,744,353 (#4 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres
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10 / 63#10. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
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11 / 63#11. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 656 miles
- Driving time: 16.4 hours
- Date founded: October 27, 1986
- 2024 visitors: 152,068 (#54 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 77,180.00 acres
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12 / 63#12. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 675 miles
- Driving time: 13.6 hours
- Date founded: January 10, 2013
- 2024 visitors: 354,076 (#48 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,685.73 acres
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13 / 63#13. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 683 miles
- Driving time: 18.2 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1940
- 2024 visitors: 699,389 (#34 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 461,901.20 acres
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14 / 63#14. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 705 miles
- Driving time: 17.7 hours
- Date founded: September 25, 1890
- 2024 visitors: 1,309,573 (#24 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: 751 miles
- Driving time: 17.5 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2024 visitors: 1,440,484 (#21 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,408,395.63 acres
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16 / 63#16. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 789 miles
- Driving time: 17.5 hours
- Date founded: November 19, 1919
- 2024 visitors: 4,946,592 (#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: 803 miles
- Driving time: 17.3 hours
- Date founded: February 25, 1928
- 2024 visitors: 2,498,075 (#15 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 35,835.08 acres
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18 / 63#18. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 807 miles
- Driving time: 16.7 hours
- Date founded: December 18, 1971
- 2024 visitors: 1,422,490 (#23 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 241,904.50 acres
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19 / 63#19. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 846 miles
- Driving time: 16.6 hours
- Date founded: November 12, 1971
- 2024 visitors: 1,466,528 (#20 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 76,678.98 acres
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20 / 63#20. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
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21 / 63#21. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 858 miles
- Date founded: March 5, 1980
- 2024 visitors: 262,581 (#50 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 249,561.00 acres
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22 / 63#22. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 888 miles
- Driving time: 21.3 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2024 visitors: 4,919,163 (#3 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres
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23 / 63#23. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 915 miles
- Driving time: 18.8 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2024 visitors: 732,951 (#31 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 70,446.89 acres
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24 / 63#24. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 927 miles
- Driving time: 18.5 hours
- Date founded: October 21, 1999
- 2024 visitors: 335,862 (#49 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 30,779.83 acres
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25 / 63#25. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
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26 / 63#26. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 948 miles
- Driving time: 20.0 hours
- Date founded: January 26, 1915
- 2024 visitors: 4,154,349 (#5 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 265,847.74 acres
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27 / 63#27. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 957 miles
- Driving time: 19.9 hours
- Date founded: January 9, 1903
- 2024 visitors: 489,399 (#40 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,970.84 acres
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28 / 63#28. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 960 miles
- Driving time: 19.1 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1906
- 2024 visitors: 480,065 (#41 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 52,485.17 acres
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29 / 63#29. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 1,001 miles
- Driving time: 20.3 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2024 visitors: 1,094,245 (#25 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 242,755.94 acres
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30 / 63#30. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
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31 / 63#31. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,040 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2024 visitors: 736,282 (#30 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,223,383.43 acres
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32 / 63#32. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,056 miles
- Driving time: 22.0 hours
- Date founded: September 24, 2004
- 2024 visitors: 437,661 (#44 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 107,345.73 acres
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33 / 63#33. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,160 miles
- Driving time: 25.3 hours
- Date founded: October 14, 1994
- 2024 visitors: 946,369 (#26 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 92,876.75 acres
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34 / 63#34. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,274 miles
- Driving time: 25.9 hours
- Date founded: December 20, 2019
- 2024 visitors: 702,236 (#33 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: 1,368 miles
- Driving time: 28.3 hours
- Date founded: October 15, 1966
- 2024 visitors: 226,134 (#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: 1,370 miles
- Driving time: 27.2 hours
- Date founded: May 14, 1930
- 2024 visitors: 460,474 (#43 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 46,766.45 acres
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38 / 63#38. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 1,399 miles
- Driving time: 27.9 hours
- Date founded: April 8, 1975
- 2024 visitors: 199,030 (#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: 1,453 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2024 visitors: 419,468 (#46 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 669,650.05 acres
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40 / 63#40. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,572 miles
- Driving time: 32.3 hours
- Date founded: June 12, 1944
- 2024 visitors: 561,458 (#36 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 801,163.21 acres
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41 / 63#41. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,588 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2024 visitors: 36,230 (#57 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,674,529.33 acres
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42 / 63#42. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,601 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2024 visitors: 18,505 (#60 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,619,816.49 acres
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43 / 63#43. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 1,601 miles
- Driving time: 32.8 hours
- Date founded: April 3, 1940
- 2024 visitors: 28,806 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 571,790.30 acres
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44 / 63#44. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,601 miles
- Date founded: February 26, 1917
- 2024 visitors: 466,227 (#42 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 4,740,911.16 acres
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45 / 63#45. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 1,728 miles
- Driving time: 30.9 hours
- Date founded: February 22, 2018
- 2024 visitors: 2,563,052 (#14 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 192.83 acres
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46 / 63#46. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 1,745 miles
- Driving time: 33.4 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1921
- 2024 visitors: 2,461,812 (#16 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 5,554.15 acres
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47 / 63#47. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 1,790 miles
- Driving time: 32.7 hours
- Date founded: February 15, 2019
- 2024 visitors: 2,705,209 (#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: 1,849 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2024 visitors: 11,907 (#63 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres
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49 / 63#49. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,970 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2024 visitors: 17,233 (#61 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres
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50 / 63#50. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
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51 / 63#51. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 2,064 miles
- Driving time: 37.6 hours
- Date founded: October 11, 2000
- 2024 visitors: 2,912,454 (#12 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 32,571.89 acres
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52 / 63#52. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 2,148 miles
- Driving time: 39.2 hours
- Date founded: June 15, 1934
- 2024 visitors: 12,191,834 (#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: 2,182 miles
- Driving time: 39.5 hours
- Date founded: December 27, 2020
- 2024 visitors: 1,811,937 (#17 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,021 acres
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54 / 63#54. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 2,298 miles
- Driving time: 43.1 hours
- Date founded: December 26, 1935
- 2024 visitors: 1,720,211 (#18 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 200,445.92 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
55 / 63#55. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
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56 / 63#56. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 2,578 miles
- Date founded: July 1, 1961
- 2024 visitors: 732,477 (#32 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,488.98 acres
Romiana Lee // Shutterstock
57 / 63#57. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 2,606 miles
- Driving time: 51.9 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2024 visitors: 3,961,661 (#7 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 49,071.40 acres
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58 / 63#58. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 2,612 miles
- Date founded: August 1, 1916
- 2024 visitors: 1,433,593 (#22 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 344,812.18 acres
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59 / 63#59. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,653 miles
- Driving time: 52.3 hours
- Date founded: October 26, 1992
- 2024 visitors: 84,873 (#55 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 64,701.22 acres
Simon Dannhauer // Shutterstock
60 / 63#60. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,708 miles
- Driving time: 50.5 hours
- Date founded: May 30, 1934
- 2024 visitors: 741,983 (#29 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,508,938.57 acres
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61 / 63#61. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,731 miles
- Driving time: 49.4 hours
- Date founded: June 28, 1980
- 2024 visitors: 512,213 (#38 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: 3,793 miles
- Date founded: August 2, 1956
- 2024 visitors: 423,029 (#45 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,052.33 acres
Lloyd Wallin Photography // Shutterstock
63 / 63#63. National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa)
- Distance: 5,120 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2024 visitors: 22,567 (#59 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
