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 Fond du Lac. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Fond du Lac, WI 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. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 163 miles
- Driving time: 3.5 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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2 / 63#2. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 300 miles
- Driving time: 6.0 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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3 / 63#3. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 365 miles
- Driving time: 6.3 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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4 / 63#4. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 389 miles
- Driving time: 8.3 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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5 / 63#5. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
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6 / 63#6. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 471 miles
- Driving time: 8.6 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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7 / 63#7. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 551 miles
- Driving time: 11.7 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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8 / 63#8. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 616 miles
- Driving time: 11.8 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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9 / 63#9. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 640 miles
- Driving time: 14.6 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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10 / 63#10. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
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11 / 63#11. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 700 miles
- Driving time: 11.3 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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12 / 63#12. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 750 miles
- Driving time: 12.7 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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13 / 63#13. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 760 miles
- Driving time: 13.2 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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14 / 63#14. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 803 miles
- Driving time: 15.7 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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15 / 63#15. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 907 miles
- Driving time: 16.3 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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16 / 63#16. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 983 miles
- Driving time: 19.0 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. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 1,008 miles
- Driving time: 22.6 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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18 / 63#18. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,062 miles
- Driving time: 20.4 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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19 / 63#19. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 1,092 miles
- Driving time: 19.8 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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20 / 63#20. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
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21 / 63#21. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,144 miles
- Driving time: 22.6 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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22 / 63#22. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,149 miles
- Driving time: 20.9 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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23 / 63#23. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,178 miles
- Driving time: 22.1 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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24 / 63#24. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,181 miles
- Driving time: 26.6 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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25 / 63#25. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
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26 / 63#26. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,219 miles
- Driving time: 22.9 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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27 / 63#27. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,242 miles
- Driving time: 22.4 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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28 / 63#28. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 1,264 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2025 visitors: 3,136,557 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres
Felix Lipov // Shutterstock
29 / 63#29. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,282 miles
- Driving time: 24.2 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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30 / 63#30. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
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31 / 63#31. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,310 miles
- Driving time: 24.6 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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32 / 63#32. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,335 miles
- Driving time: 23.8 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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33 / 63#33. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,340 miles
- Driving time: 24.9 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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34 / 63#34. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,356 miles
- Driving time: 26.7 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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35 / 63#35. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
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36 / 63#36. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,361 miles
- Driving time: 25.1 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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37 / 63#37. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 1,375 miles
- Driving time: 25.0 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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38 / 63#38. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,432 miles
- Driving time: 27.6 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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39 / 63#39. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 1,581 miles
- Driving time: 28.3 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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40 / 63#40. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
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41 / 63#41. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,622 miles
- Driving time: 30.5 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 2,932,644 (#12 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 795,155.85 acres
Diane Fetzner // Shutterstock
42 / 63#42. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,622 miles
- Driving time: 29.0 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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43 / 63#43. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,649 miles
- Driving time: 36.0 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1940
- 2025 visitors: 779,791 (#30 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 461,901.20 acres
Stephen Moehle // Shutterstock
44 / 63#44. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,666 miles
- Driving time: 33.9 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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45 / 63#45. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,667 miles
- Driving time: 34.9 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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46 / 63#46. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 1,682 miles
- Driving time: 32.4 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. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,699 miles
- Driving time: 31.2 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1938
- 2025 visitors: 3,584,187 (#9 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 922,649.41 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
48 / 63#48. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,700 miles
- Driving time: 31.5 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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49 / 63#49. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,785 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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50 / 63#50. Pinnacles National Park (California)
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51 / 63#51. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,807 miles
- Driving time: 35.6 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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52 / 63#52. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 2,231 miles
- Date founded: August 2, 1956
- 2025 visitors: 471,074 (#42 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,052.53 acres
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53 / 63#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,278 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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54 / 63#54. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,466 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)
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56 / 63#56. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,746 miles
- Date founded: February 26, 1917
- 2025 visitors: 543,300 (#39 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 4,740,911.16 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
57 / 63#57. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,829 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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58 / 63#58. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,850 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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59 / 63#59. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,928 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
60 / 63#60. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
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61 / 63#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 4,145 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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62 / 63#62. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 4,156 miles
- Date founded: August 1, 1916
- 2025 visitors: 1,877,854 (#18 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 325,605.28 acres
Lloyd Wallin Photography // Shutterstock
63 / 63#63. National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa)
- Distance: 6,512 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
