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 Madison. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Madison, 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: 3.4 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: 309 miles
- Driving time: 5.6 hours
- Date founded: February 22, 2018[47]
- 2025 visitors: 2,209,028 (#15 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 192.83 acres
SveKo // Shutterstock
3 / 63#3. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 350 miles
- Driving time: 7.6 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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4 / 63#4. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 406 miles
- Driving time: 7.8 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)
- Distance: 432 miles
- Driving time: 7.9 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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6 / 63#6. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 447 miles
- Driving time: 8.5 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: 566 miles
- Driving time: 11.6 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: 605 miles
- Driving time: 11.7 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. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 620 miles
- Driving time: 11.9 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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10 / 63#10. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 650 miles
- Driving time: 10.5 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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11 / 63#11. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 667 miles
- Driving time: 14.5 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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12 / 63#12. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 700 miles
- Driving time: 12.0 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: 728 miles
- Driving time: 12.4 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: 799 miles
- Driving time: 15.6 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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15 / 63#15. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 845 miles
- Driving time: 15.0 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: 915 miles
- Driving time: 17.7 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. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 997 miles
- Driving time: 19.2 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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18 / 63#18. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 1,047 miles
- Driving time: 19.0 hours
- Date founded: March 1, 1872
- 2025 visitors: 4,762,988 (#3 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
19 / 63#19. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 1,065 miles
- Driving time: 19.3 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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20 / 63#20. Acadia National Park (Maine)
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21 / 63#21. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,077 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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22 / 63#22. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,086 miles
- Driving time: 19.6 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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23 / 63#23. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,106 miles
- Driving time: 20.9 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: 1,117 miles
- Driving time: 25.3 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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25 / 63#25. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
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26 / 63#26. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,147 miles
- Driving time: 21.6 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: 1,179 miles
- Driving time: 21.1 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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28 / 63#28. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,214 miles
- Driving time: 22.9 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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29 / 63#29. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,218 miles
- Driving time: 23.7 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. Glacier National Park (Montana)
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31 / 63#31. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,247 miles
- Driving time: 23.3 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. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,292 miles
- Driving time: 25.1 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,430,653 (#4 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
33 / 63#33. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,298 miles
- Driving time: 23.8 hours
- Date founded: November 19, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,984,525 (#2 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 147,242.66 acres
Arlene Waller // Shutterstock
34 / 63#34. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 1,316 miles
- Driving time: 23.8 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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35 / 63#35. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
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36 / 63#36. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,319 miles
- Driving time: 24.5 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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37 / 63#37. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,328 miles
- Driving time: 26.3 hours
- Date founded: October 26, 1992
- 2025 visitors: 89,355 (#56 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 64,701.22 acres
kojihirano // Shutterstock
38 / 63#38. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,362 miles
- Driving time: 26.3 hours
- Date founded: October 14, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 847,749 (#28 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 92,867.42 acres
Bryan Brazil // Shutterstock
39 / 63#39. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 1,519 miles
- Driving time: 27.0 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)
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41 / 63#41. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,560 miles
- Driving time: 29.8 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 46,925 (#57 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 504,780.94 acres
Diane Fetzner // Shutterstock
42 / 63#42. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,586 miles
- Driving time: 28.3 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: 1,589 miles
- Driving time: 34.8 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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44 / 63#44. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,606 miles
- Driving time: 33.6 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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45 / 63#45. Yosemite National Park (California)
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46 / 63#46. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 1,636 miles
- Driving time: 31.1 hours
- Date founded: May 22, 1902
- 2025 visitors: 632,242 (#36 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 183,224.05 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
47 / 63#47. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,648 miles
- Driving time: 30.7 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: 1,666 miles
- Driving time: 30.4 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: 1,721 miles
- Date founded: March 5, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 227,186 (#51 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 249,561.00 acres
Yhelfman // Shutterstock
50 / 63#50. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,729 miles
- Driving time: 32.0 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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51 / 63#51. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,758 miles
- Driving time: 34.5 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: 2,240 miles
- Date founded: August 2, 1956
- 2025 visitors: 471,074 (#42 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,052.53 acres
Laurie Gronewold // Shutterstock
53 / 63#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,271 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: 2,464 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)
- Distance: 2,723 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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56 / 63#56. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,748 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: 2,840 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 14,923 (#62 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock
58 / 63#58. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,847 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
59 / 63#59. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,921 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: 4,090 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: 4,099 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: 6,445 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
