STACKER — Approximately 237 million people visited American national parks in 2020, representing a 28% year-over-year decrease attributed to the coronavirus pandemic. Many parks were forced to close to combat the spread of the virus, but that’s not the whole story—when the parks were open, many of them saw record crowds as throngs of people desperate to safely enjoy nature descended onto parks when they reopened.

President Woodrow Wilson in 1916 signed the act creating the National Park Service to leave natural and historic phenomenon “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 Dallas. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, 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.

Be sure to check with individual parks before you visit to find out about ongoing, pandemic-related safety precautions at www.nps.gov/coronavirus.

1. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)

• Distance: 253 miles- Driving time: 4.5 hours- Date founded: March 4, 1921- 2020 visitors: 1,348,215 (#16 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 5,554.15 acres

2. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)

• Distance: 439 miles- Driving time: 7.5 hours- Date founded: May 14, 1930- 2020 visitors: 183,835 (#45 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 46,766.45 acres

3. Big Bend National Park (Texas)

• Distance: 447 miles- Driving time: 10.3 hours- Date founded: June 12, 1944- 2020 visitors: 393,907 (#37 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 801,163.21 acres

4. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)

• Distance: 466 miles- Driving time: 8.5 hours- Date founded: October 15, 1966- 2020 visitors: 151,256 (#49 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 86,367.10 acres

5. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)

• Distance: 535 miles- Driving time: 9.8 hours- Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]- 2020 visitors: 415,383 (#34 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 146,344.31 acres You may also like: Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Dallas by diners

6. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)

• Distance: 551 miles- Driving time: 9.8 hours- Date founded: February 22, 2018[47]- 2020 visitors: 486,021 (#31 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 192.83 acres

7. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)

• Distance: 588 miles- Driving time: 10.7 hours- Date founded: September 24, 2004- 2020 visitors: 461,532 (#32 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 107,341.87 acres

8. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)

• Distance: 684 miles- Driving time: 11.1 hours- Date founded: July 1, 1941- 2020 visitors: 290,392 (#41 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 54,011.91 acres

9. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)

• Distance: 706 miles- Driving time: 13.4 hours- Date founded: January 26, 1915- 2020 visitors: 3,305,199 (#4 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 265,807.25 acres

10. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)

• Distance: 718 miles- Driving time: 13.8 hours- Date founded: June 29, 1906- 2020 visitors: 287,477 (#42 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 52,485.17 acres You may also like: Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in Dallas by diners

11. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)

• Distance: 721 miles- Driving time: 14.5 hours- Date founded: October 21, 1999- 2020 visitors: 341,620 (#39 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 30,779.83 acres

12. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)

• Distance: 751 miles- Driving time: 12.0 hours- Date founded: December 9, 1962- 2020 visitors: 384,483 (#38 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 221,390.21 acres

13. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)

• Distance: 790 miles- Driving time: 13.5 hours- Date founded: October 14, 1994- 2020 visitors: 762,226 (#24 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 92,867.42 acres

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

• Distance: 793 miles- Driving time: 13.4 hours- Date founded: June 15, 1934- 2020 visitors: 12,095,720 (#1 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 522,426.88 acres

15. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)

• Distance: 809 miles- Driving time: 15.3 hours- Date founded: November 10, 1978- 2020 visitors: 916,932 (#21 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 242,755.94 acres You may also like: How hospital employment has changed in Dallas

16. Arches National Park (Utah)

• Distance: 813 miles- Driving time: 15.8 hours- Date founded: November 12, 1971- 2020 visitors: 1,238,083 (#17 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 76,678.98 acres

17. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)

• Distance: 816 miles- Driving time: 14.6 hours- Date founded: February 15, 2019- 2020 visitors: 2,293,106 (#11 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 15,349.08 acres

18. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)

• Distance: 817 miles- Driving time: 20.4 hours- Date founded: September 12, 1964- 2020 visitors: 493,914 (#30 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 337,597.83 acres

19. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)

• Distance: 819 miles- Driving time: 15.6 hours- Date founded: January 9, 1903- 2020 visitors: 448,405 (#33 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 33,970.84 acres

20. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)

• Distance: 880 miles- Driving time: 17.8 hours- Date founded: December 18, 1971- 2020 visitors: 981,038 (#20 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 241,904.50 acres You may also like: Cities with the fastest-growing home prices in the Dallas metro area

21. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)

• Distance: 893 miles- Driving time: 15.6 hours- Date founded: February 26, 1919- 2020 visitors: 2,897,098 (#6 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres

22. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)

• Distance: 919 miles- Driving time: 19.2 hours- Date founded: February 25, 1928- 2020 visitors: 1,464,655 (#15 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 35,835.08 acres

23. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)

• Distance: 938 miles- Driving time: 15.6 hours- Date founded: November 10, 2003- 2020 visitors: 119,306 (#51 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 26,476.47 acres

24. Zion National Park (Utah)

• Distance: 960 miles- Driving time: 19.2 hours- Date founded: November 19, 1919- 2020 visitors: 3,591,254 (#3 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 147,242.66 acres

25. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)

• Distance: 964 miles- Driving time: 16.5 hours- Date founded: December 27, 2020- 2020 visitors: 1,054,374 (#19 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 7,021 acres You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Dallas since the 70s

26. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)

• Distance: 1,025 miles- Driving time: 23.2 hours- Date founded: October 26, 1992- 2020 visitors: 48,543 (#55 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 64,701.22 acres

27. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)

• Distance: 1,028 miles- Driving time: 17.5 hours- Date founded: October 11, 2000- 2020 visitors: 2,755,628 (#7 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 32,571.88 acres

28. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)

• Distance: 1,032 miles- Driving time: 20.1 hours- Date founded: November 10, 1978- 2020 visitors: 551,303 (#28 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 70,446.89 acres

29. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)

• Distance: 1,058 miles- Driving time: 20.8 hours- Date founded: October 27, 1986- 2020 visitors: 120,248 (#50 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 77,180.00 acres

30. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)

• Distance: 1,059 miles- Driving time: 19.9 hours- Date founded: February 26, 1929- 2020 visitors: 3,289,638 (#5 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 310,044.36 acres You may also like: Highest paying jobs in Dallas that require a graduate degree

31. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)

• Distance: 1,089 miles- Driving time: 20.9 hours- Date founded: March 1, 1872- 2020 visitors: 3,806,306 (#2 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres

32. Joshua Tree National Park (California)

• Distance: 1,096 miles- Driving time: 18.7 hours- Date founded: October 31, 1994- 2020 visitors: 2,399,542 (#10 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 795,155.85 acres

33. Everglades National Park (Florida)

• Distance: 1,098 miles- Driving time: 21.3 hours- Date founded: May 30, 1934- 2020 visitors: 702,319 (#25 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 1,508,938.57 acres

34. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)

• Distance: 1,101 miles- Driving time: 18.6 hours- Date founded: April 8, 1975- 2020 visitors: 263,091 (#44 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 218,222.35 acres

35. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)

• Distance: 1,116 miles- Driving time: 18.7 hours- Date founded: December 26, 1935- 2020 visitors: 1,666,265 (#14 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 199,223.77 acres You may also like: Highest-rated ice cream shops in Dallas by diners

36. Biscayne National Park (Florida)

• Distance: 1,132 miles- Driving time: 20.3 hours- Date founded: June 28, 1980- 2020 visitors: 402,770 (#36 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 172,971.11 acres

37. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)

• Distance: 1,140 miles- Driving time: 21.4 hours- Date founded: April 3, 1940- 2020 visitors: 6,493 (#59 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 571,790.30 acres

38. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)

• Distance: 1,154 miles- Driving time: 19.6 hours- Date founded: October 31, 1994- 2020 visitors: 820,023 (#22 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres

39. Kings Canyon National Park (California)

• Distance: 1,254 miles- Driving time: 26.4 hours- Date founded: March 4, 1940- 2020 visitors: 415,077 (#35 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 461,901.20 acres

40. Sequoia National Park (California)

• Distance: 1,258 miles- Driving time: 25.4 hours- Date founded: September 25, 1890- 2020 visitors: 796,086 (#23 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 404,062.63 acres You may also like: Best options in Dallas for 6 popular outdoor activities

41. Channel Islands National Park (California)

• Distance: 1,297 miles- Date founded: March 5, 1980- 2020 visitors: 167,290 (#47 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 249,561.00 acres

42. Yosemite National Park (California)

• Distance: 1,315 miles- Driving time: 25.5 hours- Date founded: October 1, 1890- 2020 visitors: 2,268,313 (#12 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 761,747.50 acres

43. Pinnacles National Park (California)

• Distance: 1,396 miles- Driving time: 24.0 hours- Date founded: January 10, 2013- 2020 visitors: 165,740 (#48 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 26,685.73 acres

44. Glacier National Park (Montana)

• Distance: 1,410 miles- Date founded: May 11, 1910- 2020 visitors: 1,698,864 (#13 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres

45. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)

• Distance: 1,455 miles- Driving time: 27.2 hours- Date founded: August 9, 1916- 2020 visitors: 542,274 (#29 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 106,589.02 acres You may also like: Most common restaurant cuisines in Dallas

46. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)

• Distance: 1,531 miles- Driving time: 30.5 hours- Date founded: May 22, 1902- 2020 visitors: 670,500 (#26 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 183,224.05 acres

47. Redwood National Park (California)

• Distance: 1,595 miles- Driving time: 32.2 hours- Date founded: October 2, 1968- 2020 visitors: 265,177 (#43 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 138,999.37 acres

48. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)

• Distance: 1,622 miles- Driving time: 30.6 hours- Date founded: March 2, 1899- 2020 visitors: 1,160,754 (#18 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 236,381.64 acres

49. North Cascades National Park (Washington)

• Distance: 1,664 miles- Driving time: 33.1 hours- Date founded: October 2, 1968- 2020 visitors: 30,885 (#56 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 504,780.94 acres

50. Olympic National Park (Washington)

• Distance: 1,731 miles- Driving time: 33.7 hours- Date founded: June 29, 1938- 2020 visitors: 2,499,177 (#9 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 922,649.41 acres You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in the Dallas metro area

51. Acadia National Park (Maine)

• Distance: 1,735 miles- Driving time: 31.7 hours- Date founded: February 26, 1919- 2020 visitors: 2,669,034 (#8 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 49,076.63 acres

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

• Distance: 2,234 miles- Date founded: August 2, 1956- 2020 visitors: 167,540 (#46 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 15,052.53 acres

53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)

• Distance: 2,560 miles- Date founded: December 2, 1980- 2020 visitors: 5,748 (#60 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 3,223,383.43 acres

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

• Distance: 2,791 miles- Date founded: December 2, 1980- 2020 visitors: 16,655 (#57 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 8,323,146.48 acres

55. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)

• Distance: 3,014 miles- Date founded: December 2, 1980- 2020 visitors: 115,882 (#52 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 669,650.05 acres You may also like: The 50 top-selling used cars in Dallas metro area so far in 2024

56. Denali National Park (Alaska)

• Distance: 3,104 miles- Date founded: February 26, 1917- 2020 visitors: 54,850 (#53 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 4,740,911.16 acres

57. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)

• Distance: 3,156 miles- Date founded: December 2, 1980- 2020 visitors: 4,948 (#61 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 2,619,816.49 acres

58. Katmai National Park (Alaska)

• Distance: 3,183 miles- Date founded: December 2, 1980- 2020 visitors: 51,511 (#54 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 3,674,529.33 acres

59. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)

• Distance: 3,272 miles- Date founded: December 2, 1980- 2020 visitors: 2,872 (#63 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres

60. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)

• Distance: 3,421 miles- Date founded: December 2, 1980- 2020 visitors: 11,185 (#58 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres You may also like: Coat drives near Dallas

61. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)

• Distance: 3,690 miles- Date founded: August 1, 1916- 2020 visitors: 589,775 (#27 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 325,605.28 acres

62. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)

• Distance: 3,705 miles- Date founded: July 1, 1961- 2020 visitors: 319,147 (#40 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 33,264.62 acres

63. National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa)

• Distance: 5,839 miles- Date founded: October 31, 1988- 2020 visitors: 4,819 (#62 highest among all national parks)- Park area: 8,256.67 acres

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