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 Bellingham. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Bellingham, 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. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 31 miles
- Driving time: 2.9 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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2 / 63#2. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 97 miles
- Driving time: 5.3 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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3 / 63#3. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 138 miles
- Driving time: 5.4 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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4 / 63#4. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 357 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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5 / 63#5. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
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6 / 63#6. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 531 miles
- Driving time: 12.2 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: 577 miles
- Driving time: 14.2 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: 612 miles
- Driving time: 15.6 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: 635 miles
- Driving time: 16.7 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: 777 miles
- Driving time: 19.2 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: 848 miles
- Driving time: 21.8 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: 854 miles
- Driving time: 17.4 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. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 862 miles
- Driving time: 18.8 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. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 872 miles
- Driving time: 21.6 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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16 / 63#16. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 906 miles
- Driving time: 21.3 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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17 / 63#17. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 907 miles
- Driving time: 19.0 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. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 909 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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19 / 63#19. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 911 miles
- Driving time: 19.7 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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20 / 63#20. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 917 miles
- Driving time: 19.5 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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21 / 63#21. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 930 miles
- Driving time: 18.8 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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22 / 63#22. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 945 miles
- Driving time: 23.9 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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23 / 63#23. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 950 miles
- Driving time: 19.8 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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24 / 63#24. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 987 miles
- Driving time: 20.4 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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25 / 63#25. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 988 miles
- Driving time: 22.2 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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26 / 63#26. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 998 miles
- Driving time: 20.7 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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27 / 63#27. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,010 miles
- Driving time: 23.5 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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28 / 63#28. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,031 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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29 / 63#29. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,048 miles
- Driving time: 21.3 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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30 / 63#30. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
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31 / 63#31. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,121 miles
- Driving time: 24.2 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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32 / 63#32. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,132 miles
- Driving time: 23.8 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. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,154 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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34 / 63#34. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,288 miles
- Driving time: 28.5 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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35 / 63#35. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 1,317 miles
- Driving time: 28.3 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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36 / 63#36. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,343 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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37 / 63#37. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,374 miles
- Driving time: 28.1 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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38 / 63#38. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,463 miles
- Driving time: 29.4 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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39 / 63#39. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,464 miles
- Driving time: 30.5 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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40 / 63#40. Denali National Park (Alaska)
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41 / 63#41. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,490 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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42 / 63#42. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,496 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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43 / 63#43. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 1,518 miles
- Driving time: 32.2 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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44 / 63#44. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,671 miles
- Driving time: 34.8 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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45 / 63#45. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
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46 / 63#46. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 1,718 miles
- Driving time: 32.9 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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47 / 63#47. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 1,751 miles
- Driving time: 33.0 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. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 1,771 miles
- Driving time: 35.6 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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49 / 63#49. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 1,832 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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50 / 63#50. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
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51 / 63#51. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 2,015 miles
- Driving time: 37.5 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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52 / 63#52. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 2,135 miles
- Driving time: 41.2 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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53 / 63#53. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 2,150 miles
- Driving time: 41.4 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: 2,257 miles
- Driving time: 44.9 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)
- Distance: 2,339 miles
- Driving time: 44.9 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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56 / 63#56. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 2,519 miles
- Driving time: 51.9 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: 2,685 miles
- Driving time: 54.3 hours
- Date founded: October 26, 1992
- 2025 visitors: 89,355 (#56 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 64,701.22 acres
MH Anderson Photography // Shutterstock
58 / 63#58. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 2,710 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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59 / 63#59. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,731 miles
- Driving time: 52.5 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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60 / 63#60. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
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61 / 63#61. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 2,751 miles
- Driving time: 51.4 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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62 / 63#62. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 3,791 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: 5,270 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
