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 Glens Falls. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Glens Falls, 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. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 278 miles
- Driving time: 7.6 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,079,318 (#7 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 49,076.63 acres
#2. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 419 miles
- Driving time: 8.9 hours
- Date founded: December 26, 1935
- 2025 visitors: 1,682,152 (#19 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 199,223.77 acres
#3. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 433 miles
- Driving time: 8.3 hours
- Date founded: October 11, 2000
- 2025 visitors: 3,025,325 (#11 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 32,571.88 acres
#4. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 538 miles
- Driving time: 11.1 hours
- Date founded: December 27, 2020
- 2025 visitors: 1,958,440 (#17 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,021 acres
#5. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 695 miles
- Driving time: 12.9 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: 751 miles
- Driving time: 14.2 hours
- Date founded: June 15, 1934
- 2025 visitors: 11,527,939 (#1 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 522,426.88 acres
#7. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 770 miles
- Driving time: 15.2 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 2003
- 2025 visitors: 287,833 (#49 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,476.47 acres
#8. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 786 miles
- Driving time: 14.8 hours
- Date founded: July 1, 1941
- 2025 visitors: 660,734 (#34 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 54,011.91 acres
#9. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 788 miles
- Driving time: 20.4 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: 924 miles
- Driving time: 16.4 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: 987 miles
- Driving time: 23.4 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: 1,209 miles
- Driving time: 21.8 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: 1,279 miles
- Driving time: 23.2 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: 1,315 miles
- Driving time: 24.2 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: 1,398 miles
- Driving time: 26.1 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: 1,441 miles
- Driving time: 26.2 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: 1,467 miles
- Driving time: 28.1 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: 1,492 miles
- Driving time: 27.6 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: 1,650 miles
- Driving time: 28.4 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: 1,711 miles
- Driving time: 31.1 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: 1,800 miles
- Driving time: 32.3 hours
- Date founded: October 21, 1999
- 2025 visitors: 250,086 (#50 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 30,779.83 acres
#22. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 1,806 miles
- Date founded: August 2, 1956
- 2025 visitors: 471,074 (#42 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,052.53 acres
#23. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 1,823 miles
- Driving time: 34.2 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. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,842 miles
- Driving time: 31.9 hours
- Date founded: May 14, 1930
- 2025 visitors: 410,778 (#46 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 46,766.45 acres
#25. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 1,849 miles
- Driving time: 33.5 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1929
- 2025 visitors: 3,800,648 (#8 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 310,044.36 acres
#26. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,873 miles
- Driving time: 32.9 hours
- Date founded: October 15, 1966
- 2025 visitors: 206,423 (#52 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 86,367.10 acres
#27. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 1,876 miles
- Driving time: 34.6 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1906
- 2025 visitors: 463,130 (#43 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 52,485.17 acres
#28. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,890 miles
- Driving time: 33.0 hours
- Date founded: November 12, 1971
- 2025 visitors: 1,511,740 (#21 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 76,678.98 acres
#29. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 1,904 miles
- Driving time: 32.7 hours
- Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]
- 2025 visitors: 659,742 (#35 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 146,344.31 acres
#30. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 1,905 miles
- Driving time: 35.1 hours
- Date founded: June 12, 1944
- 2025 visitors: 568,104 (#38 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 801,163.21 acres
#31. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,921 miles
- Driving time: 40.0 hours
- Date founded: September 12, 1964
- 2025 visitors: 796,057 (#29 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 337,597.83 acres
#32. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 1,950 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2025 visitors: 3,136,557 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres
#33. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 1,983 miles
- Driving time: 34.5 hours
- Date founded: December 18, 1971
- 2025 visitors: 1,388,476 (#22 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 241,904.50 acres
#34. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 2,005 miles
- Driving time: 34.3 hours
- Date founded: December 9, 1962
- 2025 visitors: 315,951 (#48 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 221,390.21 acres
#35. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 2,051 miles
- Driving time: 36.5 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: 2,093 miles
- Driving time: 37.8 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: 2,102 miles
- Driving time: 37.0 hours
- Date founded: November 19, 1919
- 2025 visitors: 4,984,525 (#2 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 147,242.66 acres
#38. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 2,120 miles
- Driving time: 37.1 hours
- Date founded: October 27, 1986
- 2025 visitors: 161,210 (#54 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 77,180.00 acres
#39. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 2,138 miles
- Driving time: 37.5 hours
- Date founded: October 14, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 847,749 (#28 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 92,867.42 acres
#40. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,277 miles
- Driving time: 45.6 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2025 visitors: 46,925 (#57 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 504,780.94 acres
#41. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 2,323 miles
- Driving time: 40.2 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 1,320,134 (#24 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres
#42. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,326 miles
- Driving time: 43.7 hours
- Date founded: March 2, 1899
- 2025 visitors: 1,635,342 (#20 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 236,381.64 acres
#43. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,354 miles
- Driving time: 41.1 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2025 visitors: 2,932,644 (#12 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 795,155.85 acres
#44. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 2,390 miles
- Driving time: 46.3 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1938
- 2025 visitors: 3,584,187 (#9 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 922,649.41 acres
#45. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,393 miles
- Driving time: 48.3 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1940
- 2025 visitors: 779,791 (#30 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 461,901.20 acres
#46. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,410 miles
- Driving time: 47.0 hours
- Date founded: September 25, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 1,378,337 (#23 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 404,062.63 acres
#47. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,411 miles
- Driving time: 46.1 hours
- Date founded: October 1, 1890
- 2025 visitors: 4,278,413 (#5 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 761,747.50 acres
#48. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 2,413 miles
- Driving time: 44.4 hours
- Date founded: May 22, 1902
- 2025 visitors: 632,242 (#36 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 183,224.05 acres
#49. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 2,440 miles
- Driving time: 43.0 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: 2,524 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: 2,533 miles
- Driving time: 45.4 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: 2,542 miles
- Driving time: 47.8 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: 2,831 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: 2,980 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: 3,221 miles
- Date founded: February 26, 1917
- 2025 visitors: 543,300 (#39 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 4,740,911.16 acres
#56. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,236 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 14,923 (#62 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres
#57. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,251 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2025 visitors: 425,369 (#45 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 669,650.05 acres
#58. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 3,355 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: 3,392 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: 3,462 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: 4,888 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: 4,900 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: 7,240 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
