Closest national parks to Lexington

Published 12:24 pm Monday, April 18, 2022

Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock

Closest national parks to Lexington

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 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 Lexington. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Lexington-Fayette, KY 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.

Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock

#1. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)

– Distance: 111 miles
– Driving time: 2.3 hours
– Date founded: July 1, 1941
– 2020 visitors: 290,392 (#41 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 54,011.91 acres

Aviator31 // Wikimedia Commons

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

– Distance: 174 miles
– Driving time: 3.8 hours
– Date founded: June 15, 1934
– 2020 visitors: 12,095,720 (#1 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 522,426.88 acres

Steve Heap // Shutterstock

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

– Distance: 183 miles
– Driving time: 3.9 hours
– Date founded: December 27, 2020
– 2020 visitors: 1,054,374 (#19 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 7,021 acres

Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#4. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)

– Distance: 266 miles
– Driving time: 4.9 hours
– Date founded: October 11, 2000
– 2020 visitors: 2,755,628 (#7 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 32,571.88 acres

Delmas Lehman // Shutterstock

#5. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)

– Distance: 282 miles
– Driving time: 5.5 hours
– Date founded: February 15, 2019
– 2020 visitors: 2,293,106 (#11 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 15,349.08 acres

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Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock

#6. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)

– Distance: 314 miles
– Driving time: 5.1 hours
– Date founded: February 22, 2018[47]
– 2020 visitors: 486,021 (#31 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 192.83 acres

Jon Bilous // Shutterstock

#7. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)

– Distance: 332 miles
– Driving time: 7.4 hours
– Date founded: December 26, 1935
– 2020 visitors: 1,666,265 (#14 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 199,223.77 acres

Jtmartin57 // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)

– Distance: 362 miles
– Driving time: 7.6 hours
– Date founded: November 10, 2003
– 2020 visitors: 119,306 (#51 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 26,476.47 acres

Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#9. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)

– Distance: 540 miles
– Driving time: 9.2 hours
– Date founded: March 4, 1921
– 2020 visitors: 1,348,215 (#16 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 5,554.15 acres

MDuchek // Wikimedia Commons

#10. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)

– Distance: 720 miles
– Driving time: 14.1 hours
– Date founded: April 3, 1940
– 2020 visitors: 6,493 (#59 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 571,790.30 acres

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#11. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)

– Distance: 833 miles
– Driving time: 15.6 hours
– Date founded: April 8, 1975
– 2020 visitors: 263,091 (#44 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 218,222.35 acres

NPS // Wikimedia Commons

#12. Biscayne National Park (Florida)

– Distance: 895 miles
– Driving time: 16.1 hours
– Date founded: June 28, 1980
– 2020 visitors: 402,770 (#36 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 172,971.11 acres

Simon Dannhauer // Shutterstock

#13. Everglades National Park (Florida)

– Distance: 904 miles
– Driving time: 17.0 hours
– Date founded: May 30, 1934
– 2020 visitors: 702,319 (#25 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 1,508,938.57 acres

U.S. National Park Service // Wikimedia Commons

#14. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)

– Distance: 933 miles
– Driving time: 19.0 hours
– Date founded: October 26, 1992
– 2020 visitors: 48,543 (#55 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 64,701.22 acres

Romiana Lee // Shutterstock

#15. Acadia National Park (Maine)

– Distance: 947 miles
– Driving time: 19.6 hours
– Date founded: February 26, 1919
– 2020 visitors: 2,669,034 (#8 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 49,076.63 acres

Matt Ragen // Shutterstock

#16. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)

– Distance: 1,020 miles
– Driving time: 18.2 hours
– Date founded: November 10, 1978
– 2020 visitors: 916,932 (#21 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 242,755.94 acres

Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#17. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)

– Distance: 1,064 miles
– Driving time: 19.6 hours
– Date founded: January 9, 1903
– 2020 visitors: 448,405 (#33 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 33,970.84 acres

Anna Krivitskaya // Shutterstock

#18. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)

– Distance: 1,142 miles
– Driving time: 18.6 hours
– Date founded: January 26, 1915
– 2020 visitors: 3,305,199 (#4 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 265,807.25 acres

Laurens Hoddenbagh // Shutterstock

#19. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)

– Distance: 1,143 miles
– Driving time: 20.2 hours
– Date founded: November 10, 1978
– 2020 visitors: 551,303 (#28 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 70,446.89 acres

Kris Wiktor // Shutterstock

#20. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)

– Distance: 1,149 miles
– Driving time: 19.8 hours
– Date founded: September 24, 2004
– 2020 visitors: 461,532 (#32 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 107,341.87 acres

Doug Meek // Shutterstock

#21. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)

– Distance: 1,201 miles
– Driving time: 20.6 hours
– Date founded: May 14, 1930
– 2020 visitors: 183,835 (#45 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 46,766.45 acres

ShuPhoto // Shutterstock

#22. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)

– Distance: 1,231 miles
– Driving time: 21.8 hours
– Date founded: October 15, 1966
– 2020 visitors: 151,256 (#49 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 86,367.10 acres

Eric Foltz // Shutterstock

#23. Big Bend National Park (Texas)

– Distance: 1,240 miles
– Driving time: 23.2 hours
– Date founded: June 12, 1944
– 2020 visitors: 393,907 (#37 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 801,163.21 acres

SL-Photography // Shutterstock

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

– Distance: 1,262 miles
– Driving time: 22.3 hours
– Date founded: October 21, 1999
– 2020 visitors: 341,620 (#39 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 30,779.83 acres

Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock

#25. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)

– Distance: 1,276 miles
– Driving time: 21.7 hours
– Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]
– 2020 visitors: 415,383 (#34 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 146,344.31 acres

Sopotnicki // Shutterstock

#26. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)

– Distance: 1,317 miles
– Driving time: 23.9 hours
– Date founded: June 29, 1906
– 2020 visitors: 287,477 (#42 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 52,485.17 acres

Manamana // Shutterstock

#27. Arches National Park (Utah)

– Distance: 1,361 miles
– Driving time: 22.8 hours
– Date founded: November 12, 1971
– 2020 visitors: 1,238,083 (#17 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 76,678.98 acres

Manamana // Shutterstock

#28. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)

– Distance: 1,384 miles
– Driving time: 29.9 hours
– Date founded: September 12, 1964
– 2020 visitors: 493,914 (#30 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 337,597.83 acres

Felix Lipov // Shutterstock

#29. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)

– Distance: 1,420 miles
– Driving time: 22.9 hours
– Date founded: December 9, 1962
– 2020 visitors: 384,483 (#38 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 221,390.21 acres

Lane V. Erickson // Shutterstock

#30. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)

– Distance: 1,420 miles
– Driving time: 25.6 hours
– Date founded: March 1, 1872
– 2020 visitors: 3,806,306 (#2 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres

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Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#31. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)

– Distance: 1,427 miles
– Driving time: 24.6 hours
– Date founded: February 26, 1929
– 2020 visitors: 3,289,638 (#5 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 310,044.36 acres

Layne V. Naylor // Shutterstock

#32. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)

– Distance: 1,451 miles
– Driving time: 24.3 hours
– Date founded: December 18, 1971
– 2020 visitors: 981,038 (#20 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 241,904.50 acres

ronnybas frimages // Shutterstock

#33. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)

– Distance: 1,512 miles
– Driving time: 26.5 hours
– Date founded: February 25, 1928
– 2020 visitors: 1,464,655 (#15 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 35,835.08 acres

kojihirano // Shutterstock

#34. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)

– Distance: 1,524 miles
– Driving time: 26.6 hours
– Date founded: October 14, 1994
– 2020 visitors: 762,226 (#24 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 92,867.42 acres

Josemaria Toscano // Shutterstock

#35. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)

– Distance: 1,531 miles
– Driving time: 26.4 hours
– Date founded: February 26, 1919
– 2020 visitors: 2,897,098 (#6 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres

Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock

#36. Zion National Park (Utah)

– Distance: 1,563 miles
– Driving time: 27.0 hours
– Date founded: November 19, 1919
– 2020 visitors: 3,591,254 (#3 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 147,242.66 acres

Arlene Waller // Shutterstock

#37. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)

– Distance: 1,612 miles
– Driving time: 27.0 hours
– Date founded: October 27, 1986
– 2020 visitors: 120,248 (#50 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 77,180.00 acres

Pung // Shutterstock

#38. Glacier National Park (Montana)

– Distance: 1,646 miles
– Date founded: May 11, 1910
– 2020 visitors: 1,698,864 (#13 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres

Dennis Silvas // Shutterstock

#39. Joshua Tree National Park (California)

– Distance: 1,780 miles
– Driving time: 30.2 hours
– Date founded: October 31, 1994
– 2020 visitors: 2,399,542 (#10 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 795,155.85 acres

Bryan Brazil // Shutterstock

#40. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)

– Distance: 1,783 miles
– Driving time: 30.2 hours
– Date founded: October 31, 1994
– 2020 visitors: 820,023 (#22 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres

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#41. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)

– Distance: 1,808 miles
– Date founded: August 2, 1956
– 2020 visitors: 167,540 (#46 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 15,052.53 acres

Patrick Poendl // Shutterstock

#42. Kings Canyon National Park (California)

– Distance: 1,867 miles
– Driving time: 38.0 hours
– Date founded: March 4, 1940
– 2020 visitors: 415,077 (#35 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 461,901.20 acres

Virrage Images // Shutterstock

#43. Sequoia National Park (California)

– Distance: 1,880 miles
– Driving time: 36.8 hours
– Date founded: September 25, 1890
– 2020 visitors: 796,086 (#23 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 404,062.63 acres

Stephen Moehle // Shutterstock

#44. Yosemite National Park (California)

– Distance: 1,903 miles
– Driving time: 36.8 hours
– Date founded: October 1, 1890
– 2020 visitors: 2,268,313 (#12 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 761,747.50 acres

National Park Service/Deby Dixon // Wikimedia Commons

#45. North Cascades National Park (Washington)

– Distance: 1,966 miles
– Driving time: 37.3 hours
– Date founded: October 2, 1968
– 2020 visitors: 30,885 (#56 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 504,780.94 acres

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#46. Channel Islands National Park (California)

– Distance: 1,967 miles
– Date founded: March 5, 1980
– 2020 visitors: 167,290 (#47 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 249,561.00 acres

Diane Fetzner // Shutterstock

#47. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)

– Distance: 1,979 miles
– Driving time: 35.2 hours
– Date founded: March 2, 1899
– 2020 visitors: 1,160,754 (#18 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 236,381.64 acres

Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#48. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)

– Distance: 1,979 miles
– Driving time: 34.5 hours
– Date founded: August 9, 1916
– 2020 visitors: 542,274 (#29 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 106,589.02 acres

Hank Shiffman // Shutterstock

#49. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)

– Distance: 1,994 miles
– Driving time: 35.2 hours
– Date founded: May 22, 1902
– 2020 visitors: 670,500 (#26 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 183,224.05 acres

Yhelfman // Shutterstock

#50. Pinnacles National Park (California)

– Distance: 2,013 miles
– Driving time: 35.3 hours
– Date founded: January 10, 2013
– 2020 visitors: 165,740 (#48 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 26,685.73 acres

f11photo // Shutterstock

#51. Olympic National Park (Washington)

– Distance: 2,066 miles
– Driving time: 38.0 hours
– Date founded: June 29, 1938
– 2020 visitors: 2,499,177 (#9 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 922,649.41 acres

Bob Pool // Shutterstock

#52. Redwood National Park (California)

– Distance: 2,102 miles
– Driving time: 38.8 hours
– Date founded: October 2, 1968
– 2020 visitors: 265,177 (#43 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 138,999.37 acres

Alan Wu // Wikimedia Commons

#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)

– Distance: 2,707 miles
– Date founded: December 2, 1980
– 2020 visitors: 5,748 (#60 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 3,223,383.43 acres

Sewtex // Wikimedia Commons

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

– Distance: 2,901 miles
– Date founded: December 2, 1980
– 2020 visitors: 16,655 (#57 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 8,323,146.48 acres

National Park Service, Alaska Region // Wikimedia Commons

#55. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)

– Distance: 3,160 miles
– Date founded: December 2, 1980
– 2020 visitors: 115,882 (#52 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 669,650.05 acres

Denali National Park and Preserve // Wikimedia Commons

#56. Denali National Park (Alaska)

– Distance: 3,185 miles
– Date founded: February 26, 1917
– 2020 visitors: 54,850 (#53 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 4,740,911.16 acres

National Park Service, Alaska Region // Wikimedia Commons

#57. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)

– Distance: 3,273 miles
– Date founded: December 2, 1980
– 2020 visitors: 2,872 (#63 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres

Ryjil Christianson // Wikimedia Commons

#58. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)

– Distance: 3,285 miles
– Date founded: December 2, 1980
– 2020 visitors: 4,948 (#61 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 2,619,816.49 acres

Katmai National Park and Preserve // Wikimedia Commons

#59. Katmai National Park (Alaska)

– Distance: 3,357 miles
– Date founded: December 2, 1980
– 2020 visitors: 51,511 (#54 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 3,674,529.33 acres

LCGS Russ // Wikimedia Commons

#60. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)

– Distance: 3,431 miles
– Date founded: December 2, 1980
– 2020 visitors: 11,185 (#58 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres

jo Crebbin // Shutterstock

#61. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)

– Distance: 4,380 miles
– Date founded: August 1, 1916
– 2020 visitors: 589,775 (#27 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 325,605.28 acres

MH Anderson Photography // Shutterstock

#62. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)

– Distance: 4,382 miles
– Date founded: July 1, 1961
– 2020 visitors: 319,147 (#40 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 33,264.62 acres

Tavita Togia, National Park Service // Wikimedia Commons

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

– Distance: 6,620 miles
– Date founded: October 31, 1988
– 2020 visitors: 4,819 (#62 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 8,256.67 acres