Discover the closest national parks to Amarillo

AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — Amarillo is known for its wide-open spaces and iconic landscapes, including the Cadillac Ranch and Palo Duro Canyon State Park. However, if you are looking for an outdoor, get-out-of-town trip, Stacker compiled a list of the closest national parks to Amarillo.

#10. Arches National Park in Utah

• Location: Moab, UT
• Distance: 485 miles
• Driving time: 10.6 hours
• Park area: 76,678.98 acres
• Activities: Hiking, camping, rock climbing and stargazing

#9. Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona

• Location: Petrified Forest National Park, AZ
• Distance: 446 miles
• Driving time: 6.9 hours
• Park area: 221,390.21 acres
• Activities: Museum Demonstration Lab, hiking, bicycling and horseback riding

#8. Big Bend National Park in Texas

• Location: The Big Bend of the Rio Grande, TX
• Distance: 421 miles
• Driving time: 8.9 hours
• Park area: 801,163.21
• Activities: Hiking, river trips, bicycling, scenic drives and stargazing

#7. Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado

• Location: Estes Park and Grand Lake, CO
• Distance: 408 miles
• Driving time: 8 hours
• Park area: 265,807.25 acres
• Activities: Camping, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, wildlife watching and photography

#6. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado

• Location: Montrose, CO
• Distance: 395 miles
• Driving time: 9 hours
• Park area: 30,779.83 acres
• Activities: Wildlife watching, rock climbing, camping, hiking and stargazing

#5. Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado

• Location: Cortez and Mancos, CO
• Distance: 391 miles
• Driving time: 8.7 hours
• Park area: 52,485.17 acres
• Activities: Museum, dances, hiking and bird watching

#4. White Sands National Park in New Mexico

• Location: Alamogordo, NM
• Distance: 298 miles
• Driving time 5.8 hours
• Park area: 146,344.31 acres
• Activities: Sledding, hiking, bicycling, driving Dunes Drive and picnicking

#3. Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas

• Location: Salt Flat, TX
• Distance: 286 miles
• Driving time: 6.3 hours
• Park area: 86,367.10 acres
• Activities: hiking, camping, horseback riding and scenic drives

#2. Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado

• Location: Mosa, CO
• Distance: 264 miles
• Driving time: 5.4 hours
• Park area: 107,341.87 acres
• Activities: Sandboarding, sand sledding, hiking, horseback riding, fishing and hunting

#1. Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico

• Location: Carlsbad, NM
• Distance: 257 miles
• Driving time: 5.2 hours
• Park area: 46,766.45 acres
• Activities: hiking, bat watching and night sky programs

While open plains may surround Amarillo, the nearby national parks provide a good opportunity to explore different landscapes. Whether you are looking to hike, explore a canyon, or horseback riding, these parks offer something for everyone.

For the latest Amarillo news and regional updates, check with MyHighPlains.com and tune in to KAMR Local 4 News at 5:00, 6:00, and 10:00 p.m. and Fox 14 News at 9:00 p.m. CST.