Closest national parks to Port St. Lucie

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 Port St. Lucie. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Port St. Lucie, FL 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.

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#1. Biscayne National Park (Florida)

– Distance: 111 miles
– Driving time: 2.2 hours
– Date founded: June 28, 1980
– 2025 visitors: 486,567 (#41 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 172,971.11 acres

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#2. Everglades National Park (Florida)

– Distance: 135 miles
– Driving time: 3.3 hours
– Date founded: May 30, 1934
– 2025 visitors: 778,198 (#31 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 1,508,938.57 acres

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#3. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)

– Distance: 235 miles
– Driving time: 5.1 hours
– Date founded: October 26, 1992
– 2025 visitors: 89,355 (#56 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 64,701.22 acres

Zack Frank // Shutterstock

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#4. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)

– Distance: 452 miles
– Driving time: 7.9 hours
– Date founded: November 10, 2003
– 2025 visitors: 287,833 (#49 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 26,476.47 acres

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

– Distance: 610 miles
– Driving time: 12.0 hours
– Date founded: June 15, 1934
– 2025 visitors: 11,527,939 (#1 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 522,426.88 acres

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

– Distance: 748 miles
– Driving time: 12.9 hours
– Date founded: December 27, 2020
– 2025 visitors: 1,958,440 (#17 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 7,021 acres

Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock

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#7. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)

– Distance: 762 miles
– Driving time: 13.6 hours
– Date founded: July 1, 1941
– 2025 visitors: 660,734 (#34 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 54,011.91 acres

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#8. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)

– Distance: 788 miles
– Driving time: 14.5 hours
– Date founded: December 26, 1935
– 2025 visitors: 1,682,152 (#19 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 199,223.77 acres

Zack Frank // Shutterstock

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#9. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)

– Distance: 901 miles
– Driving time: 16.9 hours
– Date founded: March 4, 1921
– 2025 visitors: 2,494,611 (#14 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 5,554.15 acres

Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock

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#10. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)

– Distance: 968 miles
– Driving time: 16.8 hours
– Date founded: February 22, 2018[47]
– 2025 visitors: 2,209,028 (#15 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 192.83 acres

Zack Frank // Shutterstock

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#11. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)

– Distance: 968 miles
– Driving time: 16.9 hours
– Date founded: October 11, 2000
– 2025 visitors: 3,025,325 (#11 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 32,571.88 acres

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#12. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)

– Distance: 1,063 miles
– Driving time: 19.0 hours
– Date founded: February 15, 2019
– 2025 visitors: 2,629,497 (#13 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 15,349.08 acres

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

– Distance: 1,172 miles
– Date founded: August 2, 1956
– 2025 visitors: 471,074 (#42 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 15,052.53 acres

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#14. Acadia National Park (Maine)

– Distance: 1,362 miles
– Driving time: 27.4 hours
– Date founded: February 26, 1919
– 2025 visitors: 4,079,318 (#7 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 49,076.63 acres

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#15. Big Bend National Park (Texas)

– Distance: 1,397 miles
– Driving time: 26.9 hours
– Date founded: June 12, 1944
– 2025 visitors: 568,104 (#38 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 801,163.21 acres

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#16. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)

– Distance: 1,480 miles
– Driving time: 25.9 hours
– Date founded: May 14, 1930
– 2025 visitors: 410,778 (#46 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 46,766.45 acres

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#17. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)

– Distance: 1,503 miles
– Driving time: 27.0 hours
– Date founded: October 15, 1966
– 2025 visitors: 206,423 (#52 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 86,367.10 acres

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#18. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)

– Distance: 1,505 miles
– Driving time: 27.9 hours
– Date founded: April 3, 1940
– 2025 visitors: 29,091 (#60 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 571,790.30 acres

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#19. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)

– Distance: 1,586 miles
– Driving time: 28.3 hours
– Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]
– 2025 visitors: 659,742 (#35 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 146,344.31 acres

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#20. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)

– Distance: 1,613 miles
– Driving time: 28.8 hours
– Date founded: April 8, 1975
– 2025 visitors: 206,326 (#53 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 218,222.35 acres

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#21. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)

– Distance: 1,627 miles
– Driving time: 29.0 hours
– Date founded: September 24, 2004
– 2025 visitors: 432,498 (#44 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 107,341.87 acres

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#22. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)

– Distance: 1,677 miles
– Driving time: 30.1 hours
– Date founded: November 10, 1978
– 2025 visitors: 1,139,361 (#26 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 242,755.94 acres

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#23. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)

– Distance: 1,699 miles
– Driving time: 30.1 hours
– Date founded: January 26, 1915
– 2025 visitors: 4,171,431 (#6 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 265,807.25 acres

Zack Frank // Shutterstock

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#24. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)

– Distance: 1,711 miles
– Driving time: 31.1 hours
– Date founded: January 9, 1903
– 2025 visitors: 606,258 (#37 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 33,970.84 acres

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

– Distance: 1,760 miles
– Driving time: 32.5 hours
– Date founded: October 21, 1999
– 2025 visitors: 250,086 (#50 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 30,779.83 acres

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#26. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)

– Distance: 1,773 miles
– Driving time: 32.1 hours
– Date founded: June 29, 1906
– 2025 visitors: 463,130 (#43 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 52,485.17 acres

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#27. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)

– Distance: 1,814 miles
– Driving time: 30.4 hours
– Date founded: December 9, 1962
– 2025 visitors: 315,951 (#48 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 221,390.21 acres

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#28. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)

– Distance: 1,834 miles
– Driving time: 31.3 hours
– Date founded: October 14, 1994
– 2025 visitors: 847,749 (#28 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 92,867.42 acres

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#29. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)

– Distance: 1,849 miles
– Driving time: 33.8 hours
– Date founded: November 10, 1978
– 2025 visitors: 729,893 (#33 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 70,446.89 acres

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#30. Arches National Park (Utah)

– Distance: 1,857 miles
– Driving time: 34.0 hours
– Date founded: November 12, 1971
– 2025 visitors: 1,511,740 (#21 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 76,678.98 acres

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#31. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)

– Distance: 1,867 miles
– Driving time: 38.7 hours
– Date founded: September 12, 1964
– 2025 visitors: 796,057 (#29 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 337,597.83 acres

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#32. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)

– Distance: 1,933 miles
– Driving time: 36.3 hours
– Date founded: December 18, 1971
– 2025 visitors: 1,388,476 (#22 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 241,904.50 acres

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#33. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)

– Distance: 1,956 miles
– Driving time: 33.9 hours
– Date founded: February 26, 1919
– 2025 visitors: 4,430,653 (#4 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres

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#34. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)

– Distance: 1,977 miles
– Driving time: 37.4 hours
– Date founded: February 25, 1928
– 2025 visitors: 1,967,367 (#16 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 35,835.08 acres

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#35. Zion National Park (Utah)

– Distance: 2,020 miles
– Driving time: 37.5 hours
– Date founded: November 19, 1919
– 2025 visitors: 4,984,525 (#2 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 147,242.66 acres

Zack Frank // Shutterstock

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#36. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)

– Distance: 2,038 miles
– Driving time: 36.1 hours
– Date founded: February 26, 1929
– 2025 visitors: 3,800,648 (#8 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 310,044.36 acres

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

– Distance: 2,049 miles
– Driving time: 37.1 hours
– Date founded: March 1, 1872
– 2025 visitors: 4,762,988 (#3 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres

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#38. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)

– Distance: 2,110 miles
– Driving time: 38.9 hours
– Date founded: October 27, 1986
– 2025 visitors: 161,210 (#54 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 77,180.00 acres

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#39. Joshua Tree National Park (California)

– Distance: 2,153 miles
– Driving time: 36.4 hours
– Date founded: October 31, 1994
– 2025 visitors: 2,932,644 (#12 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 795,155.85 acres

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

– Distance: 2,217 miles
– Driving time: 37.9 hours
– Date founded: October 31, 1994
– 2025 visitors: 1,320,134 (#24 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres

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#41. Kings Canyon National Park (California)

– Distance: 2,316 miles
– Driving time: 44.6 hours
– Date founded: March 4, 1940
– 2025 visitors: 779,791 (#30 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 461,901.20 acres

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#42. Sequoia National Park (California)

– Distance: 2,321 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

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#43. Glacier National Park (Montana)

– Distance: 2,328 miles
– Date founded: May 11, 1910
– 2025 visitors: 3,136,557 (#10 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres

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#44. Channel Islands National Park (California)

– Distance: 2,355 miles
– Date founded: March 5, 1980
– 2025 visitors: 227,186 (#51 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 249,561.00 acres

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#45. Yosemite National Park (California)

– Distance: 2,376 miles
– Driving time: 43.8 hours
– Date founded: October 1, 1890
– 2025 visitors: 4,278,413 (#5 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 761,747.50 acres

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#46. Pinnacles National Park (California)

– Distance: 2,459 miles
– Driving time: 42.3 hours
– Date founded: January 10, 2013
– 2025 visitors: 343,208 (#47 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 26,685.73 acres

Zack Frank // Shutterstock

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#47. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)

– Distance: 2,506 miles
– Driving time: 45.8 hours
– Date founded: August 9, 1916
– 2025 visitors: 504,777 (#40 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 106,589.02 acres

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#48. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)

– Distance: 2,565 miles
– Driving time: 47.3 hours
– Date founded: May 22, 1902
– 2025 visitors: 632,242 (#36 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 183,224.05 acres

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#49. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)

– Distance: 2,613 miles
– Driving time: 47.2 hours
– Date founded: March 2, 1899
– 2025 visitors: 1,635,342 (#20 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 236,381.64 acres

Zack Frank // Shutterstock

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#50. North Cascades National Park (Washington)

– Distance: 2,627 miles
– Driving time: 49.8 hours
– Date founded: October 2, 1968
– 2025 visitors: 46,925 (#57 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 504,780.94 acres

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#51. Redwood National Park (California)

– Distance: 2,643 miles
– Driving time: 50.6 hours
– Date founded: October 2, 1968
– 2025 visitors: 1,202,480 (#25 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 138,999.37 acres

f11photo // Shutterstock

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#52. Olympic National Park (Washington)

– Distance: 2,713 miles
– Driving time: 50.5 hours
– Date founded: June 29, 1938
– 2025 visitors: 3,584,187 (#9 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 922,649.41 acres

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#53. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)

– Distance: 3,442 miles
– Date founded: December 2, 1980
– 2025 visitors: 740,044 (#32 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 3,223,383.43 acres

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

– Distance: 3,649 miles
– Date founded: December 2, 1980
– 2025 visitors: 108,840 (#55 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 8,323,146.48 acres

Tomasz Wozniak // Shutterstock

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#55. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)

– Distance: 3,900 miles
– Date founded: December 2, 1980
– 2025 visitors: 425,369 (#45 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 669,650.05 acres

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#56. Denali National Park (Alaska)

– Distance: 3,943 miles
– Date founded: February 26, 1917
– 2025 visitors: 543,300 (#39 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 4,740,911.16 acres

Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock

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#57. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)

– Distance: 4,031 miles
– Date founded: December 2, 1980
– 2025 visitors: 19,778 (#61 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 2,619,816.49 acres

BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock

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

– Distance: 4,047 miles
– Date founded: December 2, 1980
– 2025 visitors: 14,923 (#62 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres

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#59. Katmai National Park (Alaska)

– Distance: 4,089 miles
– Date founded: December 2, 1980
– 2025 visitors: 34,479 (#59 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 3,674,529.33 acres

BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock

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#60. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)

– Distance: 4,204 miles
– Date founded: December 2, 1980
– 2025 visitors: 7,786 (#63 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres

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#61. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)

– Distance: 4,716 miles
– Date founded: August 1, 1916
– 2025 visitors: 1,877,854 (#18 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 325,605.28 acres

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#62. Haleakalā National Park (Hawaii)

– Distance: 4,740 miles
– Date founded: July 1, 1961
– 2025 visitors: 853,711 (#27 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 33,264.62 acres

Lloyd Wallin Photography // Shutterstock

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

– Distance: 6,681 miles
– Date founded: October 31, 1988
– 2025 visitors: 43,258 (#58 highest among all national parks)
– Park area: 8,256.67 acres