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 Casper. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Casper, WY 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. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 171 miles
- Driving time: 3.8 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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2 / 63#2. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 188 miles
- Driving time: 4.7 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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3 / 63#3. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 210 miles
- Driving time: 4.3 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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4 / 63#4. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 218 miles
- Driving time: 5.1 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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5 / 63#5. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 221 miles
- Driving time: 5.1 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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6 / 63#6. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 308 miles
- Driving time: 8.2 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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7 / 63#7. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 320 miles
- Driving time: 8.0 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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8 / 63#8. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 331 miles
- Driving time: 8.6 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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9 / 63#9. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 368 miles
- Driving time: 8.2 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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10 / 63#10. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 369 miles
- Driving time: 14.3 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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11 / 63#11. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 403 miles
- Driving time: 10.1 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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12 / 63#12. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 410 miles
- Driving time: 11.0 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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13 / 63#13. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 470 miles
- Driving time: 11.2 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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14 / 63#14. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 481 miles
- Driving time: 10.7 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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15 / 63#15. Zion National Park (Utah)
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16 / 63#16. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 532 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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17 / 63#17. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 557 miles
- Driving time: 14.0 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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18 / 63#18. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 569 miles
- Driving time: 13.4 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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19 / 63#19. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 704 miles
- Driving time: 13.5 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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20 / 63#20. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 709 miles
- Driving time: 14.7 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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21 / 63#21. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 756 miles
- Driving time: 14.0 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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22 / 63#22. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 756 miles
- Driving time: 22.4 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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23 / 63#23. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 759 miles
- Driving time: 19.4 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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24 / 63#24. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 767 miles
- Driving time: 17.4 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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25 / 63#25. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 770 miles
- Driving time: 15.2 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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26 / 63#26. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 771 miles
- Driving time: 16.7 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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27 / 63#27. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 776 miles
- Driving time: 17.6 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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28 / 63#28. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 778 miles
- Driving time: 21.2 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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29 / 63#29. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 780 miles
- Driving time: 16.6 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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30 / 63#30. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 781 miles
- Driving time: 16.9 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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31 / 63#31. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 799 miles
- Driving time: 18.4 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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32 / 63#32. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 804 miles
- Driving time: 16.7 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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33 / 63#33. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 881 miles
- Driving time: 19.2 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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34 / 63#34. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 886 miles
- Driving time: 18.9 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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35 / 63#35. Redwood National Park (California)
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36 / 63#36. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 918 miles
- Driving time: 15.9 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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37 / 63#37. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 922 miles
- Date founded: March 5, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 227,186 (#51 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 249,561.00 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
38 / 63#38. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 941 miles
- Driving time: 18.3 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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39 / 63#39. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 949 miles
- Driving time: 20.0 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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40 / 63#40. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 967 miles
- Driving time: 19.4 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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41 / 63#41. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 1,012 miles
- Driving time: 18.4 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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42 / 63#42. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 1,162 miles
- Driving time: 20.9 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
43 / 63#43. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 1,297 miles
- Driving time: 23.0 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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44 / 63#44. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 1,337 miles
- Driving time: 24.2 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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45 / 63#45. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
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46 / 63#46. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 1,515 miles
- Driving time: 28.0 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
47 / 63#47. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 1,539 miles
- Driving time: 28.0 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 2003
- 2025 visitors: 287,833 (#49 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,476.47 acres
Laurie Gronewold // Shutterstock
48 / 63#48. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,681 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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49 / 63#49. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,856 miles
- Driving time: 37.3 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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50 / 63#50. Everglades National Park (Florida)
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51 / 63#51. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,913 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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52 / 63#52. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 1,917 miles
- Driving time: 36.8 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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53 / 63#53. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,924 miles
- Driving time: 34.3 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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54 / 63#54. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,136 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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55 / 63#55. Denali National Park (Alaska)
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56 / 63#56. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,278 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 19,778 (#61 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,619,816.49 acres
Robert Harding Video // Shutterstock
57 / 63#57. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,306 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
58 / 63#58. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,408 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 14,923 (#62 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
59 / 63#59. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,553 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 7,786 (#63 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
60 / 63#60. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
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61 / 63#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 3,226 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: 3,238 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: 5,639 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
