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 Mount Vernon. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Mount Vernon-Anacortes, 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. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 32 miles
- Driving time: 1.0 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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2 / 63#2. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 86 miles
- Driving time: 4.3 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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3 / 63#3. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 114 miles
- Driving time: 4.6 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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4 / 63#4. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 358 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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5 / 63#5. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 384 miles
- Driving time: 9.2 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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6 / 63#6. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 508 miles
- Driving time: 11.1 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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7 / 63#7. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 553 miles
- Driving time: 13.2 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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8 / 63#8. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 602 miles
- Driving time: 14.5 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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9 / 63#9. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 622 miles
- Driving time: 15.7 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. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 745 miles
- Driving time: 17.8 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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11 / 63#11. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 756 miles
- Driving time: 18.2 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. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 824 miles
- Driving time: 21.1 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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13 / 63#13. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 830 miles
- Driving time: 16.4 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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14 / 63#14. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 848 miles
- Driving time: 20.6 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. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 860 miles
- Driving time: 17.8 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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16 / 63#16. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 883 miles
- Driving time: 19.9 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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17 / 63#17. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 888 miles
- Driving time: 18.0 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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18 / 63#18. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 890 miles
- Driving time: 18.7 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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19 / 63#19. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 897 miles
- Driving time: 18.5 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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20 / 63#20. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 912 miles
- Driving time: 17.8 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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21 / 63#21. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 927 miles
- Driving time: 22.9 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. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 929 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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23 / 63#23. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 942 miles
- Driving time: 18.8 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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24 / 63#24. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 975 miles
- Driving time: 21.2 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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25 / 63#25. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 981 miles
- Driving time: 19.3 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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26 / 63#26. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 982 miles
- Driving time: 19.7 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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27 / 63#27. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 989 miles
- Driving time: 22.5 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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28 / 63#28. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,007 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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29 / 63#29. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,030 miles
- Driving time: 20.3 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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30 / 63#30. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,060 miles
- Driving time: 23.3 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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31 / 63#31. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,106 miles
- Driving time: 23.2 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. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,113 miles
- Driving time: 22.8 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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33 / 63#33. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,174 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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34 / 63#34. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,267 miles
- Driving time: 27.5 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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35 / 63#35. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 1,321 miles
- Driving time: 26.9 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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36 / 63#36. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,355 miles
- Driving time: 27.1 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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37 / 63#37. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,361 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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38 / 63#38. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,446 miles
- Driving time: 28.4 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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39 / 63#39. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,446 miles
- Driving time: 29.5 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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40 / 63#40. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,492 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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41 / 63#41. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,508 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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42 / 63#42. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,512 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. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 1,522 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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44 / 63#44. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,653 miles
- Driving time: 33.9 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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45 / 63#45. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 1,712 miles
- Driving time: 31.8 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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46 / 63#46. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,725 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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47 / 63#47. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 1,749 miles
- Driving time: 32.0 hours
- Date founded: February 15, 2019
- 2025 visitors: 2,629,497 (#13 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,349.08 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
48 / 63#48. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 1,761 miles
- Driving time: 34.6 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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49 / 63#49. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,853 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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50 / 63#50. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 1,953 miles
- Driving time: 36.7 hours
- Date founded: July 1, 1941
- 2025 visitors: 660,734 (#34 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 54,011.91 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
51 / 63#51. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 2,015 miles
- Driving time: 36.5 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: 2,129 miles
- Driving time: 40.1 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: 2,147 miles
- Driving time: 40.3 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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54 / 63#54. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 2,256 miles
- Driving time: 43.1 hours
- Date founded: December 26, 1935
- 2025 visitors: 1,682,152 (#19 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 199,223.77 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
55 / 63#55. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 2,333 miles
- Driving time: 43.8 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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56 / 63#56. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 2,524 miles
- Driving time: 50.9 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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57 / 63#57. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,674 miles
- Driving time: 53.3 hours
- Date founded: October 26, 1992
- 2025 visitors: 89,355 (#56 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 64,701.22 acres
MH Anderson Photography // Shutterstock
58 / 63#58. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 2,697 miles
- Date founded: July 1, 1961
- 2025 visitors: 853,711 (#27 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,264.62 acres
Simon Dannhauer // Shutterstock
59 / 63#59. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,722 miles
- Driving time: 51.5 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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60 / 63#60. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 2,735 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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61 / 63#61. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,742 miles
- Driving time: 50.4 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: 3,785 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: 5,255 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
