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 Milwaukee. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Milwaukee-Waukesha, 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: 96 miles
- Driving time: 2.4 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. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 320 miles
- Driving time: 5.7 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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3 / 63#3. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 344 miles
- Driving time: 6.9 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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4 / 63#4. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 360 miles
- Driving time: 7.0 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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5 / 63#5. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
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6 / 63#6. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 456 miles
- Driving time: 8.9 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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7 / 63#7. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 489 miles
- Driving time: 10.6 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: 550 miles
- Driving time: 10.8 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: 583 miles
- Driving time: 13.5 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. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 737 miles
- Driving time: 14.6 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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12 / 63#12. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 739 miles
- Driving time: 11.8 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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13 / 63#13. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 788 miles
- Driving time: 13.2 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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14 / 63#14. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 812 miles
- Driving time: 13.6 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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15 / 63#15. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 931 miles
- Driving time: 16.5 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. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 988 miles
- Driving time: 21.6 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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17 / 63#17. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 996 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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18 / 63#18. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,081 miles
- Driving time: 20.5 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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19 / 63#19. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 1,135 miles
- Driving time: 20.2 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: 1,159 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. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,170 miles
- Driving time: 21.3 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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23 / 63#23. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,172 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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24 / 63#24. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,200 miles
- Driving time: 22.4 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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25 / 63#25. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
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26 / 63#26. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,217 miles
- Driving time: 22.2 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: 1,264 miles
- Driving time: 22.5 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. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,269 miles
- Driving time: 22.8 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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29 / 63#29. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,272 miles
- Driving time: 24.1 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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30 / 63#30. Everglades National Park (Florida)
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31 / 63#31. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,292 miles
- Driving time: 25.6 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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32 / 63#32. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,293 miles
- Driving time: 24.0 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. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 1,318 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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34 / 63#34. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,332 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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35 / 63#35. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
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36 / 63#36. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,384 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: 1,404 miles
- Driving time: 25.1 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: 1,437 miles
- Driving time: 27.2 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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39 / 63#39. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 1,604 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. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,638 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
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41 / 63#41. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,645 miles
- Driving time: 30.9 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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42 / 63#42. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,672 miles
- Driving time: 29.4 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: 1,675 miles
- Driving time: 36.2 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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44 / 63#44. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,692 miles
- Driving time: 35.0 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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45 / 63#45. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,695 miles
- Driving time: 34.8 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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46 / 63#46. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 1,725 miles
- Driving time: 32.1 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. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,737 miles
- Driving time: 31.9 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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48 / 63#48. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,751 miles
- Driving time: 31.6 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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49 / 63#49. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,806 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: 1,846 miles
- Driving time: 35.3 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: 2,168 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: 2,342 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: 2,531 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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55 / 63#55. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
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56 / 63#56. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,811 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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57 / 63#57. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,896 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: 2,914 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: 2,992 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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60 / 63#60. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,053 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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61 / 63#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 4,178 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: 4,187 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: 6,527 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
