Closest national parks to Chicago: All 63 ranked in order of distance

(STACKER) — 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 Chicago. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-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.

Delmas Lehman // Shutterstock

#1. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)

– Distance: 42 miles
– Driving time: 1.1 hours
– Date founded: February 15, 2019
– 2020 visitors: 2,293,106 (#11 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 15,349.08 acres

Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock

#2. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)

– Distance: 253 miles
– Driving time: 4.3 hours
– Date founded: February 22, 2018[47]
– 2020 visitors: 486,021 (#31 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 192.83 acres

Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#3. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)

– Distance: 328 miles
– Driving time: 5.7 hours
– Date founded: October 11, 2000
– 2020 visitors: 2,755,628 (#7 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 32,571.88 acres

Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock

#4. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)

– Distance: 333 miles
– Driving time: 6.2 hours
– Date founded: July 1, 1941
– 2020 visitors: 290,392 (#41 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 54,011.91 acres

MDuchek // Wikimedia Commons

#5. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)

– Distance: 435 miles
– Driving time: 8.2 hours
– Date founded: April 3, 1940
– 2020 visitors: 6,493 (#59 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 571,790.30 acres

Steve Heap // Shutterstock

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

– Distance: 442 miles
– Driving time: 9.2 hours
– Date founded: December 27, 2020
– 2020 visitors: 1,054,374 (#19 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 7,021 acres

Aviator31 // Wikimedia Commons

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

– Distance: 483 miles
– Driving time: 9.3 hours
– Date founded: June 15, 1934
– 2020 visitors: 12,095,720 (#1 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 522,426.88 acres

BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock

#8. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)

– Distance: 523 miles
– Driving time: 9.8 hours
– Date founded: April 8, 1975
– 2020 visitors: 263,091 (#44 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 218,222.35 acres

Jon Bilous // Shutterstock

#9. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)

– Distance: 550 miles
– Driving time: 12.6 hours
– Date founded: December 26, 1935
– 2020 visitors: 1,666,265 (#14 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 199,223.77 acres

Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#10. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)

– Distance: 579 miles
– Driving time: 10.5 hours
– Date founded: March 4, 1921
– 2020 visitors: 1,348,215 (#16 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 5,554.15 acres

Jtmartin57 // Wikimedia Commons

#11. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)

– Distance: 675 miles
– Driving time: 14.3 hours
– Date founded: November 10, 2003
– 2020 visitors: 119,306 (#51 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 26,476.47 acres

Matt Ragen // Shutterstock

#12. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)

– Distance: 757 miles
– Driving time: 12.6 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

#13. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)

– Distance: 805 miles
– Driving time: 14.0 hours
– Date founded: January 9, 1903
– 2020 visitors: 448,405 (#33 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 33,970.84 acres

Laurens Hoddenbagh // Shutterstock

#14. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)

– Distance: 849 miles
– Driving time: 14.4 hours
– Date founded: November 10, 1978
– 2020 visitors: 551,303 (#28 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 70,446.89 acres

Anna Krivitskaya // Shutterstock

#15. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)

– Distance: 930 miles
– Driving time: 15.1 hours
– Date founded: January 26, 1915
– 2020 visitors: 3,305,199 (#4 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 265,807.25 acres

Kris Wiktor // Shutterstock

#16. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)

– Distance: 981 miles
– Driving time: 17.8 hours
– Date founded: September 24, 2004
– 2020 visitors: 461,532 (#32 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 107,341.87 acres

Romiana Lee // Shutterstock

#17. Acadia National Park (Maine)

– Distance: 1,005 miles
– Driving time: 20.3 hours
– Date founded: February 26, 1919
– 2020 visitors: 2,669,034 (#8 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 49,076.63 acres

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

– Distance: 1,074 miles
– Driving time: 19.3 hours
– Date founded: October 21, 1999
– 2020 visitors: 341,620 (#39 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 30,779.83 acres

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#19. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)

– Distance: 1,131 miles
– Driving time: 19.9 hours
– Date founded: May 14, 1930
– 2020 visitors: 183,835 (#45 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 46,766.45 acres

Sopotnicki // Shutterstock

#20. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)

– Distance: 1,147 miles
– Driving time: 21.5 hours
– Date founded: June 29, 1906
– 2020 visitors: 287,477 (#42 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 52,485.17 acres

Lane V. Erickson // Shutterstock

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

– Distance: 1,157 miles
– Driving time: 21.0 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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#22. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)

– Distance: 1,162 miles
– Driving time: 21.0 hours
– Date founded: October 15, 1966
– 2020 visitors: 151,256 (#49 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 86,367.10 acres

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#23. Arches National Park (Utah)

– Distance: 1,166 miles
– Driving time: 19.7 hours
– Date founded: November 12, 1971
– 2020 visitors: 1,238,083 (#17 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 76,678.98 acres

Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#24. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)

– Distance: 1,172 miles
– Driving time: 20.4 hours
– Date founded: February 26, 1929
– 2020 visitors: 3,289,638 (#5 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 310,044.36 acres

Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock

#25. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)

– Distance: 1,184 miles
– Driving time: 20.7 hours
– Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]
– 2020 visitors: 415,383 (#34 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 146,344.31 acres

Manamana // Shutterstock

#26. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)

– Distance: 1,195 miles
– Driving time: 26.9 hours
– Date founded: September 12, 1964
– 2020 visitors: 493,914 (#30 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 337,597.83 acres

NPS // Wikimedia Commons

#27. Biscayne National Park (Florida)

– Distance: 1,199 miles
– Driving time: 21.2 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

#28. Everglades National Park (Florida)

– Distance: 1,204 miles
– Driving time: 22.2 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

#29. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)

– Distance: 1,219 miles
– Driving time: 24.1 hours
– Date founded: October 26, 1992
– 2020 visitors: 48,543 (#55 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 64,701.22 acres

Eric Foltz // Shutterstock

#30. Big Bend National Park (Texas)

– Distance: 1,224 miles
– Driving time: 23.3 hours
– Date founded: June 12, 1944
– 2020 visitors: 393,907 (#37 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 801,163.21 acres

Layne V. Naylor // Shutterstock

#31. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)

– Distance: 1,259 miles
– Driving time: 21.3 hours
– Date founded: December 18, 1971
– 2020 visitors: 981,038 (#20 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 241,904.50 acres

Felix Lipov // Shutterstock

#32. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)

– Distance: 1,274 miles
– Driving time: 22.0 hours
– Date founded: December 9, 1962
– 2020 visitors: 384,483 (#38 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 221,390.21 acres

ronnybas frimages // Shutterstock

#33. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)

– Distance: 1,326 miles
– Driving time: 23.4 hours
– Date founded: February 25, 1928
– 2020 visitors: 1,464,655 (#15 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 35,835.08 acres

Pung // Shutterstock

#34. Glacier National Park (Montana)

– Distance: 1,355 miles
– Date founded: May 11, 1910
– 2020 visitors: 1,698,864 (#13 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres

Josemaria Toscano // Shutterstock

#35. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)

– Distance: 1,363 miles
– Driving time: 25.2 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: 1,377 miles
– Driving time: 23.9 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: 1,404 miles
– Driving time: 23.9 hours
– Date founded: October 27, 1986
– 2020 visitors: 120,248 (#50 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 77,180.00 acres

kojihirano // Shutterstock

#38. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)

– Distance: 1,410 miles
– Driving time: 25.6 hours
– Date founded: October 14, 1994
– 2020 visitors: 762,226 (#24 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 92,867.42 acres

Bryan Brazil // Shutterstock

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

– Distance: 1,598 miles
– Driving time: 27.1 hours
– Date founded: October 31, 1994
– 2020 visitors: 820,023 (#22 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres

Dennis Silvas // Shutterstock

#40. Joshua Tree National Park (California)

– Distance: 1,624 miles
– Driving time: 29.4 hours
– Date founded: October 31, 1994
– 2020 visitors: 2,399,542 (#10 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 795,155.85 acres

Patrick Poendl // Shutterstock

#41. Kings Canyon National Park (California)

– Distance: 1,673 miles
– Driving time: 34.9 hours
– Date founded: March 4, 1940
– 2020 visitors: 415,077 (#35 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 461,901.20 acres

National Park Service/Deby Dixon // Wikimedia Commons

#42. North Cascades National Park (Washington)

– Distance: 1,680 miles
– Driving time: 31.8 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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#43. Sequoia National Park (California)

– Distance: 1,689 miles
– Driving time: 33.7 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: 1,697 miles
– Driving time: 32.8 hours
– Date founded: October 1, 1890
– 2020 visitors: 2,268,313 (#12 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 761,747.50 acres

Diane Fetzner // Shutterstock

#45. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)

– Distance: 1,702 miles
– Driving time: 30.3 hours
– Date founded: March 2, 1899
– 2020 visitors: 1,160,754 (#18 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 236,381.64 acres

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#46. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)

– Distance: 1,743 miles
– Driving time: 31.0 hours
– Date founded: May 22, 1902
– 2020 visitors: 670,500 (#26 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 183,224.05 acres

Zack Frank // Shutterstock

#47. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)

– Distance: 1,748 miles
– Driving time: 29.9 hours
– Date founded: August 9, 1916
– 2020 visitors: 542,274 (#29 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 106,589.02 acres

f11photo // Shutterstock

#48. Olympic National Park (Washington)

– Distance: 1,784 miles
– Driving time: 32.5 hours
– Date founded: June 29, 1938
– 2020 visitors: 2,499,177 (#9 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 922,649.41 acres

Ethan Daniels // Shutterstock

#49. Channel Islands National Park (California)

– Distance: 1,797 miles
– Date founded: March 5, 1980
– 2020 visitors: 167,290 (#47 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 249,561.00 acres

Yhelfman // Shutterstock

#50. Pinnacles National Park (California)

– Distance: 1,816 miles
– Driving time: 32.3 hours
– Date founded: January 10, 2013
– 2020 visitors: 165,740 (#48 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 26,685.73 acres

Bob Pool // Shutterstock

#51. Redwood National Park (California)

– Distance: 1,861 miles
– Driving time: 34.4 hours
– Date founded: October 2, 1968
– 2020 visitors: 265,177 (#43 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 138,999.37 acres

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

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

– Distance: 2,115 miles
– Date founded: August 2, 1956
– 2020 visitors: 167,540 (#46 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 15,052.53 acres

Alan Wu // Wikimedia Commons

#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)

– Distance: 2,396 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: 2,588 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: 2,848 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: 2,872 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: 2,961 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: 2,972 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: 3,047 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: 3,119 miles
– Date founded: December 2, 1980
– 2020 visitors: 11,185 (#58 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres