Closest national parks to San Angelo

Written by:
July 17, 2026
Kris Wiktor // Shutterstock

Closest national parks to San Angelo

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 San Angelo. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in San Angelo, TX 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.

1 / 63
Eric Foltz // Shutterstock

#1. Big Bend National Park (Texas)

- Distance: 213 miles
- Driving time: 6.3 hours
- Date founded: June 12, 1944
- 2025 visitors: 568,104 (#38 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 801,163.21 acres
2 / 63
Doug Meek // Shutterstock

#2. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)

- Distance: 221 miles
- Driving time: 5.5 hours
- Date founded: May 14, 1930
- 2025 visitors: 410,778 (#46 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 46,766.45 acres
3 / 63
ShuPhoto // Shutterstock

#3. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)

- Distance: 243 miles
- Driving time: 6.5 hours
- Date founded: October 15, 1966
- 2025 visitors: 206,423 (#52 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 86,367.10 acres
4 / 63
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock

#4. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)

- Distance: 329 miles
- Driving time: 7.9 hours
- Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]
- 2025 visitors: 659,742 (#35 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 146,344.31 acres
5 / 63
Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#5. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)

- Distance: 495 miles
- Driving time: 8.8 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1921
- 2025 visitors: 2,494,611 (#14 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 5,554.15 acres
6 / 63
Kris Wiktor // Shutterstock

#6. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 508 miles
- Driving time: 10.5 hours
- Date founded: September 24, 2004
- 2025 visitors: 432,498 (#44 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 107,341.87 acres
7 / 63
kojihirano // Shutterstock

#7. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)

- Distance: 574 miles
- Driving time: 11.2 hours
- Date founded: October 14, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 847,749 (#28 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 92,867.42 acres
8 / 63
Felix Lipov // Shutterstock

#8. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)

- Distance: 577 miles
- Driving time: 11.2 hours
- Date founded: December 9, 1962
- 2025 visitors: 315,951 (#48 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 221,390.21 acres
9 / 63
Sopotnicki // Shutterstock

#9. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 590 miles
- Driving time: 13.2 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1906
- 2025 visitors: 463,130 (#43 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 52,485.17 acres
10 / 63
SL-Photography // Shutterstock

#10. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 627 miles
- Driving time: 14.5 hours
- Date founded: October 21, 1999
- 2025 visitors: 250,086 (#50 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 30,779.83 acres
11 / 63
Anna Krivitskaya // Shutterstock

#11. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 671 miles
- Driving time: 13.1 hours
- Date founded: January 26, 1915
- 2025 visitors: 4,171,431 (#6 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 265,807.25 acres
12 / 63
Manamana // Shutterstock

#12. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 696 miles
- Driving time: 19.9 hours
- Date founded: September 12, 1964
- 2025 visitors: 796,057 (#29 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 337,597.83 acres
13 / 63
Manamana // Shutterstock

#13. Arches National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 703 miles
- Driving time: 15.1 hours
- Date founded: November 12, 1971
- 2025 visitors: 1,511,740 (#21 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 76,678.98 acres
14 / 63
Josemaria Toscano // Shutterstock

#14. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)

- Distance: 726 miles
- Driving time: 14.3 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,430,653 (#4 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres
15 / 63
Layne V. Naylor // Shutterstock

#15. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 750 miles
- Driving time: 17.3 hours
- Date founded: December 18, 1971
- 2025 visitors: 1,388,476 (#22 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 241,904.50 acres
16 / 63
ronnybas frimages // Shutterstock

#16. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 773 miles
- Driving time: 18.4 hours
- Date founded: February 25, 1928
- 2025 visitors: 1,967,367 (#16 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 35,835.08 acres
17 / 63
Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock

#17. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)

- Distance: 776 miles
- Driving time: 13.2 hours
- Date founded: February 22, 2018[47]
- 2025 visitors: 2,209,028 (#15 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 192.83 acres
18 / 63
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock

#18. Zion National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 807 miles
- Driving time: 18.5 hours
- Date founded: November 19, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,984,525 (#2 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 147,242.66 acres
19 / 63
Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#19. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)

- Distance: 847 miles
- Driving time: 16.3 hours
- Date founded: January 9, 1903
- 2025 visitors: 606,258 (#37 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,970.84 acres
20 / 63
Matt Ragen // Shutterstock

#20. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)

- Distance: 851 miles
- Driving time: 16.9 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 1,139,361 (#26 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 242,755.94 acres
21 / 63
Dennis Silvas // Shutterstock

#21. Joshua Tree National Park (California)

- Distance: 895 miles
- Driving time: 16.2 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 2,932,644 (#12 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 795,155.85 acres
22 / 63
Arlene Waller // Shutterstock

#22. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)

- Distance: 922 miles
- Driving time: 20.0 hours
- Date founded: October 27, 1986
- 2025 visitors: 161,210 (#54 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 77,180.00 acres
23 / 63
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock

#23. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)

- Distance: 925 miles
- Driving time: 15.6 hours
- Date founded: July 1, 1941
- 2025 visitors: 660,734 (#34 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 54,011.91 acres
24 / 63
Bryan Brazil // Shutterstock

#24. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)

- Distance: 978 miles
- Driving time: 19.1 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 1,320,134 (#24 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres
25 / 63
Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#25. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)

- Distance: 1,006 miles
- Driving time: 19.8 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1929
- 2025 visitors: 3,800,648 (#8 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 310,044.36 acres
26 / 63
Delmas Lehman // Shutterstock

#26. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)

- Distance: 1,034 miles
- Driving time: 18.5 hours
- Date founded: February 15, 2019
- 2025 visitors: 2,629,497 (#13 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,349.08 acres
27 / 63
ZakZeinert // Shutterstock

#27. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)

- Distance: 1,034 miles
- Driving time: 18.1 hours
- Date founded: June 15, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 11,527,939 (#1 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 522,426.88 acres
28 / 63
Lane V. Erickson // Shutterstock

#28. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)

- Distance: 1,047 miles
- Driving time: 20.8 hours
- Date founded: March 1, 1872
- 2025 visitors: 4,762,988 (#3 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres
29 / 63
Laurens Hoddenbagh // Shutterstock

#29. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)

- Distance: 1,078 miles
- Driving time: 21.3 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 729,893 (#33 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 70,446.89 acres
30 / 63
Patrick Poendl // Shutterstock

#30. Kings Canyon National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,081 miles
- Driving time: 25.5 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1940
- 2025 visitors: 779,791 (#30 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 461,901.20 acres
31 / 63
Virrage Images // Shutterstock

#31. Sequoia National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,082 miles
- Driving time: 24.5 hours
- Date founded: September 25, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 1,378,337 (#23 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 404,062.63 acres
32 / 63
Ethan Daniels // Shutterstock

#32. Channel Islands National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,098 miles
- Date founded: March 5, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 227,186 (#51 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 249,561.00 acres
33 / 63
Stephen Moehle // Shutterstock

#33. Yosemite National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,150 miles
- Driving time: 25.2 hours
- Date founded: October 1, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 4,278,413 (#5 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 761,747.50 acres
34 / 63
Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#34. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)

- Distance: 1,175 miles
- Driving time: 19.9 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 2003
- 2025 visitors: 287,833 (#49 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,476.47 acres
35 / 63
Varina C // Shutterstock

#35. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)

- Distance: 1,189 miles
- Driving time: 27.2 hours
- Date founded: October 26, 1992
- 2025 visitors: 89,355 (#56 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 64,701.22 acres
36 / 63
Steve Heap // Shutterstock

#36. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)

- Distance: 1,206 miles
- Driving time: 21.1 hours
- Date founded: December 27, 2020
- 2025 visitors: 1,958,440 (#17 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,021 acres
37 / 63
Yhelfman // Shutterstock

#37. Pinnacles National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,217 miles
- Driving time: 22.7 hours
- Date founded: January 10, 2013
- 2025 visitors: 343,208 (#47 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,685.73 acres
38 / 63
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock

#38. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)

- Distance: 1,245 miles
- Driving time: 21.7 hours
- Date founded: April 8, 1975
- 2025 visitors: 206,326 (#53 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 218,222.35 acres
39 / 63
Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#39. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)

- Distance: 1,261 miles
- Driving time: 22.1 hours
- Date founded: October 11, 2000
- 2025 visitors: 3,025,325 (#11 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 32,571.88 acres
40 / 63
Simon Dannhauer // Shutterstock

#40. Everglades National Park (Florida)

- Distance: 1,278 miles
- Driving time: 25.4 hours
- Date founded: May 30, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 778,198 (#31 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,508,938.57 acres
41 / 63
Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#41. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,313 miles
- Driving time: 26.5 hours
- Date founded: August 9, 1916
- 2025 visitors: 504,777 (#40 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 106,589.02 acres
42 / 63
SveKo // Shutterstock

#42. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)

- Distance: 1,315 miles
- Driving time: 24.4 hours
- Date founded: April 3, 1940
- 2025 visitors: 29,091 (#60 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 571,790.30 acres
43 / 63
Claudia G Cooper // Shutterstock

#43. Biscayne National Park (Florida)

- Distance: 1,318 miles
- Driving time: 24.3 hours
- Date founded: June 28, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 486,567 (#41 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 172,971.11 acres
44 / 63
Jon Bilous // Shutterstock

#44. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)

- Distance: 1,357 miles
- Driving time: 23.3 hours
- Date founded: December 26, 1935
- 2025 visitors: 1,682,152 (#19 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 199,223.77 acres
45 / 63
Pung // Shutterstock

#45. Glacier National Park (Montana)

- Distance: 1,381 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2025 visitors: 3,136,557 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres
46 / 63
Hank Shiffman // Shutterstock

#46. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)

- Distance: 1,411 miles
- Driving time: 30.0 hours
- Date founded: May 22, 1902
- 2025 visitors: 632,242 (#36 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 183,224.05 acres
47 / 63
Bob Pool // Shutterstock

#47. Redwood National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,455 miles
- Driving time: 31.2 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 1,202,480 (#25 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 138,999.37 acres
48 / 63
Diane Fetzner // Shutterstock

#48. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)

- Distance: 1,538 miles
- Driving time: 30.2 hours
- Date founded: March 2, 1899
- 2025 visitors: 1,635,342 (#20 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 236,381.64 acres
49 / 63
Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#49. North Cascades National Park (Washington)

- Distance: 1,597 miles
- Driving time: 33.1 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 46,925 (#57 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 504,780.94 acres
50 / 63
f11photo // Shutterstock

#50. Olympic National Park (Washington)

- Distance: 1,649 miles
- Driving time: 33.8 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1938
- 2025 visitors: 3,584,187 (#9 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 922,649.41 acres
51 / 63
Romiana Lee // Shutterstock

#51. Acadia National Park (Maine)

- Distance: 1,971 miles
- Driving time: 36.0 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,079,318 (#7 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 49,076.63 acres
52 / 63
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#52. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)

- Distance: 2,423 miles
- Date founded: August 2, 1956
- 2025 visitors: 471,074 (#42 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,052.53 acres
53 / 63
Laurie Gronewold // Shutterstock

#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 2,519 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 740,044 (#32 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,223,383.43 acres
54 / 63
Martin Capek // Shutterstock

#54. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 2,756 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 108,840 (#55 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,323,146.48 acres
55 / 63
Tomasz Wozniak // Shutterstock

#55. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 2,965 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 425,369 (#45 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 669,650.05 acres
56 / 63
Marc Cappelletti // Shutterstock

#56. Denali National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,074 miles
- Date founded: February 26, 1917
- 2025 visitors: 543,300 (#39 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 4,740,911.16 acres
57 / 63
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock

#57. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,110 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 19,778 (#61 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,619,816.49 acres
58 / 63
Robert Harding Video // Shutterstock

#58. Katmai National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,122 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 34,479 (#59 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,674,529.33 acres
59 / 63
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock

#59. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,264 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 14,923 (#62 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres
60 / 63
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock

#60. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,408 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 7,786 (#63 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres
61 / 63
jo Crebbin // Shutterstock

#61. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)

- Distance: 3,467 miles
- Date founded: August 1, 1916
- 2025 visitors: 1,877,854 (#18 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 325,605.28 acres
62 / 63
MH Anderson Photography // Shutterstock

#62. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)

- Distance: 3,486 miles
- Date founded: July 1, 1961
- 2025 visitors: 853,711 (#27 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,264.62 acres
63 / 63
Lloyd Wallin Photography // Shutterstock

#63. National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa)

- Distance: 5,597 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres

Trending Now