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 Yakima. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Yakima, 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: 55 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. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 156 miles
- Driving time: 5.5 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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3 / 63#3. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 167 miles
- Driving time: 6.2 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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4 / 63#4. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 252 miles
- Driving time: 6.6 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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5 / 63#5. Glacier National Park (Montana)
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6 / 63#6. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 391 miles
- Driving time: 10.0 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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7 / 63#7. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 414 miles
- Driving time: 10.6 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: 513 miles
- Driving time: 12.3 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: 521 miles
- Driving time: 12.3 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)
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11 / 63#11. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 611 miles
- Driving time: 15.2 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: 676 miles
- Driving time: 18.4 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: 689 miles
- Driving time: 14.2 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: 700 miles
- Driving time: 18.2 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)
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16 / 63#16. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 745 miles
- Driving time: 15.4 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. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 751 miles
- Driving time: 14.7 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. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 754 miles
- Driving time: 15.3 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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19 / 63#19. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 781 miles
- Driving time: 14.6 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. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 793 miles
- Driving time: 19.7 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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21 / 63#21. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 821 miles
- Driving time: 15.7 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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22 / 63#22. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 845 miles
- Driving time: 19.2 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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23 / 63#23. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 857 miles
- Driving time: 16.5 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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24 / 63#24. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 862 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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25 / 63#25. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 867 miles
- Driving time: 16.7 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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26 / 63#26. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 868 miles
- Driving time: 17.9 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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27 / 63#27. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 898 miles
- Driving time: 17.1 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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28 / 63#28. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 909 miles
- Driving time: 17.3 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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29 / 63#29. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 910 miles
- Driving time: 20.2 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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30 / 63#30. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
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31 / 63#31. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 985 miles
- Driving time: 19.9 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: 1,073 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: 1,121 miles
- Driving time: 24.2 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: 1,218 miles
- Driving time: 23.8 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. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
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36 / 63#36. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,311 miles
- Driving time: 26.3 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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37 / 63#37. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,312 miles
- Driving time: 25.3 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. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,319 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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39 / 63#39. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,499 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. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
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41 / 63#41. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,517 miles
- Driving time: 30.4 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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42 / 63#42. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,636 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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43 / 63#43. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 1,638 miles
- Driving time: 28.9 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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44 / 63#44. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,643 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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45 / 63#45. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
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46 / 63#46. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 1,663 miles
- Driving time: 31.2 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: 1,696 miles
- Driving time: 29.9 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: 1,873 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: 1,882 miles
- Driving time: 33.7 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. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
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51 / 63#51. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,000 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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52 / 63#52. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 2,058 miles
- Driving time: 37.0 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: 2,090 miles
- Driving time: 38.2 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: 2,205 miles
- Driving time: 41.4 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. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 2,512 miles
- Driving time: 49.0 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: 2,573 miles
- Driving time: 50.5 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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58 / 63#58. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,626 miles
- Driving time: 48.7 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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59 / 63#59. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,648 miles
- Driving time: 47.6 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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60 / 63#60. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
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61 / 63#61. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 2,699 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: 3,706 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: 5,202 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
