Visitation to U.S. national parks reached approximately 331 million in 2024, marking a 2% increase from the previous year and the fourth consecutive year of growth, according to the National Park Service.
The upward trend underscores the enduring appeal of the country’s natural and cultural heritage. Established by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916, the National Park Service was created to preserve natural and historic resources “unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.” Today, the nation’s 63 designated national parks protect over 75,000 archaeological sites, more than 18,000 miles of trails, and habitat for at least 247 species listed as threatened or endangered.
For residents of Joplin, Missouri, several national parks lie within a day’s drive, offering a wide array of landscapes, ecosystems, and historical sites. The following is a ranked list of the 20 national parks closest to the Joplin metropolitan area, based on straight-line distance and estimated driving time within the contiguous United States:
Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
Distance: 190 miles | Driving Time: 4.7 hours
2024 Visitors: 2,461,812 (#16 overall)
Established: March 4, 1921 | Area: 5,554 acres
Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
Distance: 252 miles | Driving Time: 4.1 hours
2024 Visitors: 2,563,052 (#14)
Established: February 22, 2018 | Area: 193 acres
Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
Distance: 455 miles | Driving Time: 9.0 hours
2024 Visitors: 747,042 (#28)
Established: July 1, 1941 | Area: 72,473 acres
Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
Distance: 503 miles | Driving Time: 8.9 hours
2024 Visitors: 2,705,209 (#13)
Established: February 15, 2019 | Area: 15,349 acres
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
Distance: 610 miles | Driving Time: 11.9 hours
2024 Visitors: 12,191,834 (#1)
Established: June 15, 1934 | Area: 522,427 acres
Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
Distance: 616 miles | Driving Time: 12.0 hours
2024 Visitors: 437,661 (#44)
Established: September 24, 2004 | Area: 107,346 acres
Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
Distance: 631 miles | Driving Time: 12.0 hours
2024 Visitors: 1,094,245 (#25)
Established: November 10, 1978 | Area: 242,756 acres
Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
Distance: 649 miles | Driving Time: 12.0 hours
2024 Visitors: 4,154,349 (#5)
Established: January 26, 1915 | Area: 265,848 acres
Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
Distance: 659 miles | Driving Time: 13.0 hours
2024 Visitors: 489,399 (#40)
Established: January 9, 1903 | Area: 33,971 acres
Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
Distance: 666 miles | Driving Time: 11.7 hours
2024 Visitors: 460,474 (#43)
Established: May 14, 1930 | Area: 46,766 acres
Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
Distance: 697 miles | Driving Time: 12.8 hours
2024 Visitors: 226,134 (#52)
Established: October 15, 1966 | Area: 86,367 acres
New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
Distance: 731 miles | Driving Time: 12.8 hours
2024 Visitors: 1,811,937 (#17)
Established: December 27, 2020 | Area: 7,021 acres
White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
Distance: 733 miles | Driving Time: 12.5 hours
2024 Visitors: 702,236 (#33)
Established: December 20, 2019 | Area: 146,344 acres
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
Distance: 739 miles | Driving Time: 15.8 hours
2024 Visitors: 335,862 (#49)
Established: October 21, 1999 | Area: 30,780 acres
Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
Distance: 744 miles | Driving Time: 12.2 hours
2024 Visitors: 2,912,454 (#12)
Established: October 11, 2000 | Area: 32,572 acres
Big Bend National Park (Texas)
Distance: 745 miles | Driving Time: 15.0 hours
2024 Visitors: 561,458 (#36)
Established: June 12, 1944 | Area: 801,163 acres
Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
Distance: 781 miles | Driving Time: 15.5 hours
2024 Visitors: 480,065 (#41)
Established: June 29, 1906 | Area: 52,485 acres
Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
Distance: 793 miles | Driving Time: 13.1 hours
2024 Visitors: 199,030 (#53)
Established: April 8, 1975 | Area: 218,222 acres
Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
Distance: 797 miles | Driving Time: 15.2 hours
2024 Visitors: 242,049 (#51)
Established: November 10, 2003 | Area: 26,693 acres
Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
Distance: 817 miles | Driving Time: 15.9 hours
2024 Visitors: 28,806 (#58)
Established: April 3, 1940 | Area: 571,790 acres
As visitation continues to grow, national parks remain a vital part of American life, offering scenic, educational, and recreational value. For communities like Joplin, they are also accessible gateways to some of the most treasured landscapes in the United States.
