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 Elmira. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Elmira, NY 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.
#1. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 256 miles
- Driving time: 5.1 hours
- Date founded: October 11, 2000
- 2025 visitors: 3,025,325 (#11 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 32,571.88 acres
#2. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 264 miles
- Driving time: 6.5 hours
- Date founded: December 26, 1935
- 2025 visitors: 1,682,152 (#19 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 199,223.77 acres
#3. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 363 miles
- Driving time: 7.5 hours
- Date founded: December 27, 2020
- 2025 visitors: 1,958,440 (#17 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,021 acres
#4. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 457 miles
- Driving time: 10.4 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,079,318 (#7 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 49,076.63 acres
#5. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 532 miles
- Driving time: 9.6 hours
- Date founded: February 15, 2019
- 2025 visitors: 2,629,497 (#13 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,349.08 acres
#6. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 576 miles
- Driving time: 11.8 hours
- Date founded: June 15, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 11,527,939 (#1 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 522,426.88 acres
#7. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 604 miles
- Driving time: 12.0 hours
- Date founded: July 1, 1941
- 2025 visitors: 660,734 (#34 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 54,011.91 acres
#8. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 617 miles
- Driving time: 12.8 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 2003
- 2025 visitors: 287,833 (#49 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,476.47 acres
#9. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 707 miles
- Driving time: 17.8 hours
- Date founded: April 3, 1940
- 2025 visitors: 29,091 (#60 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 571,790.30 acres
#10. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 748 miles
- Driving time: 13.1 hours
- Date founded: February 22, 2018[47]
- 2025 visitors: 2,209,028 (#15 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 192.83 acres
#11. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 897 miles
- Driving time: 20.8 hours
- Date founded: April 8, 1975
- 2025 visitors: 206,326 (#53 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 218,222.35 acres
#12. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 1,028 miles
- Driving time: 18.7 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1921
- 2025 visitors: 2,494,611 (#14 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 5,554.15 acres
#13. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,153 miles
- Driving time: 21.4 hours
- Date founded: June 28, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 486,567 (#41 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 172,971.11 acres
#14. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,184 miles
- Driving time: 22.5 hours
- Date founded: May 30, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 778,198 (#31 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,508,938.57 acres
#15. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,257 miles
- Driving time: 24.3 hours
- Date founded: October 26, 1992
- 2025 visitors: 89,355 (#56 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 64,701.22 acres
#16. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 1,305 miles
- Driving time: 23.6 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 1,139,361 (#26 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 242,755.94 acres
#17. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 1,352 miles
- Driving time: 25.5 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2025 visitors: 729,893 (#33 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 70,446.89 acres
#18. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 1,355 miles
- Driving time: 25.0 hours
- Date founded: January 9, 1903
- 2025 visitors: 606,258 (#37 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,970.84 acres
#19. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,499 miles
- Driving time: 25.2 hours
- Date founded: January 26, 1915
- 2025 visitors: 4,171,431 (#6 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 265,807.25 acres
#20. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,550 miles
- Driving time: 27.9 hours
- Date founded: September 24, 2004
- 2025 visitors: 432,498 (#44 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 107,341.87 acres
#21. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,644 miles
- Driving time: 29.1 hours
- Date founded: October 21, 1999
- 2025 visitors: 250,086 (#50 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 30,779.83 acres
#22. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,666 miles
- Driving time: 28.7 hours
- Date founded: May 14, 1930
- 2025 visitors: 410,778 (#46 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 46,766.45 acres
#23. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 1,696 miles
- Driving time: 31.6 hours
- Date founded: March 1, 1872
- 2025 visitors: 4,762,988 (#3 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres
#24. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,697 miles
- Driving time: 29.8 hours
- Date founded: October 15, 1966
- 2025 visitors: 206,423 (#52 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 86,367.10 acres
#25. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,716 miles
- Driving time: 31.3 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1906
- 2025 visitors: 463,130 (#43 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 52,485.17 acres
#26. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 1,718 miles
- Driving time: 30.9 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1929
- 2025 visitors: 3,800,648 (#8 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 310,044.36 acres
#27. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,724 miles
- Driving time: 32.0 hours
- Date founded: June 12, 1944
- 2025 visitors: 568,104 (#38 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 801,163.21 acres
#28. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,731 miles
- Driving time: 29.5 hours
- Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]
- 2025 visitors: 659,742 (#35 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 146,344.31 acres
#29. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,736 miles
- Driving time: 29.8 hours
- Date founded: November 12, 1971
- 2025 visitors: 1,511,740 (#21 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 76,678.98 acres
#30. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,766 miles
- Driving time: 36.8 hours
- Date founded: September 12, 1964
- 2025 visitors: 796,057 (#29 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 337,597.83 acres
#31. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 1,787 miles
- Date founded: August 2, 1956
- 2025 visitors: 471,074 (#42 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,052.53 acres
#32. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,829 miles
- Driving time: 31.3 hours
- Date founded: December 18, 1971
- 2025 visitors: 1,388,476 (#22 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 241,904.50 acres
#33. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,840 miles
- Driving time: 31.1 hours
- Date founded: December 9, 1962
- 2025 visitors: 315,951 (#48 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 221,390.21 acres
#34. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 1,847 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2025 visitors: 3,136,557 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres
#35. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,896 miles
- Driving time: 33.2 hours
- Date founded: February 25, 1928
- 2025 visitors: 1,967,367 (#16 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 35,835.08 acres
#36. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,933 miles
- Driving time: 34.6 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,430,653 (#4 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres
#37. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,947 miles
- Driving time: 33.7 hours
- Date founded: November 19, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,984,525 (#2 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 147,242.66 acres
#38. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 1,967 miles
- Driving time: 34.4 hours
- Date founded: October 14, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 847,749 (#28 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 92,867.42 acres
#39. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 1,972 miles
- Driving time: 33.8 hours
- Date founded: October 27, 1986
- 2025 visitors: 161,210 (#54 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 77,180.00 acres
#40. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 2,169 miles
- Driving time: 37.0 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 1,320,134 (#24 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres
#41. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,176 miles
- Driving time: 42.7 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 46,925 (#57 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 504,780.94 acres
#42. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,193 miles
- Driving time: 38.4 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 2,932,644 (#12 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 795,155.85 acres
#43. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,216 miles
- Driving time: 41.1 hours
- Date founded: March 2, 1899
- 2025 visitors: 1,635,342 (#20 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 236,381.64 acres
#44. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,242 miles
- Driving time: 44.8 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1940
- 2025 visitors: 779,791 (#30 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 461,901.20 acres
#45. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,259 miles
- Driving time: 43.6 hours
- Date founded: September 25, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 1,378,337 (#23 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 404,062.63 acres
#46. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,264 miles
- Driving time: 42.7 hours
- Date founded: October 1, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 4,278,413 (#5 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 761,747.50 acres
#47. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 2,287 miles
- Driving time: 42.0 hours
- Date founded: May 22, 1902
- 2025 visitors: 632,242 (#36 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 183,224.05 acres
#48. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,287 miles
- Driving time: 43.4 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1938
- 2025 visitors: 3,584,187 (#9 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 922,649.41 acres
#49. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,304 miles
- Driving time: 39.7 hours
- Date founded: August 9, 1916
- 2025 visitors: 504,777 (#40 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 106,589.02 acres
#50. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,367 miles
- Date founded: March 5, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 227,186 (#51 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 249,561.00 acres
#51. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,384 miles
- Driving time: 42.1 hours
- Date founded: January 10, 2013
- 2025 visitors: 343,208 (#47 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,685.73 acres
#52. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,412 miles
- Driving time: 44.6 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 1,202,480 (#25 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 138,999.37 acres
#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,781 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 740,044 (#32 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,223,383.43 acres
#54. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,943 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 108,840 (#55 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,323,146.48 acres
#55. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,197 miles
- Date founded: February 26, 1917
- 2025 visitors: 543,300 (#39 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 4,740,911.16 acres
#56. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,213 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 425,369 (#45 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 669,650.05 acres
#57. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,232 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 14,923 (#62 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres
#58. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,322 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 19,778 (#61 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,619,816.49 acres
#59. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,390 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 7,786 (#63 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres
#60. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,421 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 34,479 (#59 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,674,529.33 acres
#61. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 4,748 miles
- Date founded: July 1, 1961
- 2025 visitors: 853,711 (#27 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,264.62 acres
#62. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 4,756 miles
- Date founded: August 1, 1916
- 2025 visitors: 1,877,854 (#18 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 325,605.28 acres
#63. National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa)
- Distance: 7,072 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
