Closest national parks to Racine

Written by:
July 17, 2026
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Closest national parks to Racine

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 Racine. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Racine, 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. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)

- Distance: 86 miles
- Driving time: 2.5 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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Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock

#2. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)

- Distance: 313 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#3. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)

- Distance: 337 miles
- Driving time: 7.0 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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SveKo // Shutterstock

#4. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)

- Distance: 369 miles
- Driving time: 7.2 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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Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock

#5. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)

- Distance: 396 miles
- Driving time: 7.6 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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BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock

#6. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)

- Distance: 466 miles
- Driving time: 9.1 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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Steve Heap // Shutterstock

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

- Distance: 479 miles
- Driving time: 10.7 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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ZakZeinert // Shutterstock

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

- Distance: 540 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. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)

- Distance: 575 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#10. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)

- Distance: 638 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#11. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)

- Distance: 727 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. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)

- Distance: 745 miles
- Driving time: 11.9 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#13. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)

- Distance: 794 miles
- Driving time: 13.3 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. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)

- Distance: 821 miles
- Driving time: 13.7 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. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 935 miles
- Driving time: 16.3 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. Acadia National Park (Maine)

- Distance: 986 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. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 998 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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SL-Photography // Shutterstock

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

- Distance: 1,085 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. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)

- Distance: 1,142 miles
- Driving time: 20.4 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#20. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)

- Distance: 1,160 miles
- Driving time: 20.7 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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#21. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)

- Distance: 1,162 miles
- Driving time: 22.7 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. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)

- Distance: 1,169 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. Arches National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 1,175 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. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)

- Distance: 1,199 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. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 1,205 miles
- Driving time: 26.7 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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#26. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)

- Distance: 1,216 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. Biscayne National Park (Florida)

- Distance: 1,259 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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#28. Everglades National Park (Florida)

- Distance: 1,265 miles
- Driving time: 23.8 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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#29. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 1,268 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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#30. Big Bend National Park (Texas)

- Distance: 1,269 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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#31. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)

- Distance: 1,282 miles
- Driving time: 25.7 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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Felix Lipov // Shutterstock

#32. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)

- Distance: 1,295 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. Glacier National Park (Montana)

- Distance: 1,326 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. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 1,336 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. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)

- Distance: 1,378 miles
- Driving time: 26.4 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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Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock

#36. Zion National Park (Utah)

- Distance: 1,387 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. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)

- Distance: 1,408 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. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)

- Distance: 1,438 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. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)

- Distance: 1,608 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. Joshua Tree National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,640 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#41. North Cascades National Park (Washington)

- Distance: 1,653 miles
- Driving time: 31.1 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. Kings Canyon National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,679 miles
- Driving time: 36.1 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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#43. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)

- Distance: 1,680 miles
- Driving time: 29.6 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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#44. Sequoia National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,696 miles
- Driving time: 34.9 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. Yosemite National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,700 miles
- Driving time: 34.0 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. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)

- Distance: 1,731 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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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#47. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,742 miles
- Driving time: 32.0 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. Olympic National Park (Washington)

- Distance: 1,759 miles
- Driving time: 31.8 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. Channel Islands National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,809 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. Pinnacles National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,821 miles
- Driving time: 33.4 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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#51. Redwood National Park (California)

- Distance: 1,852 miles
- Driving time: 35.6 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. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)

- Distance: 2,158 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. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 2,351 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. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 2,540 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. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 2,801 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. Denali National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 2,821 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. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 2,906 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. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 2,924 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. Katmai National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,001 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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BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock

#60. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)

- Distance: 3,064 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. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)

- Distance: 4,183 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. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)

- Distance: 4,191 miles
- Date founded: August 1, 1916
- 2025 visitors: 1,877,854 (#18 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 325,605.28 acres
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Lloyd Wallin Photography // Shutterstock

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

- Distance: 6,529 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres

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