Posted: Jul 4, 2023 / 01:39 PM EDT
Updated: Jul 4, 2023 / 01:39 PM EDT
(STACKER) — According to the Blue Ridge Park Foundation, Shenandoah National Park is the most visited national park in the country. According to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia is home to 41 state parks spanning 75,895 acres.
Shenandoah National Park spans a massive 198,000 acres in Shenandoah County, Virginia. But which are the closest national parks to Richmond, Virginia?
Stacker compiled a list of the closest national parks to Richmond. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Richmond, Va. Metro Area and each national park.
All featured distances and driving times are estimated using representative locations from the center of Richmond and national park.
1. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 92 miles
- Driving time: 2.3 hours
- Date founded: December 26, 1935
- 2020 visitors: 1,666,265 (#14 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 199,223.77 acres
2. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 204 miles
- Driving time: 4.4 hours
- Date founded: December 27, 2020
- 2020 visitors: 1,054,374 (#19 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,021 acres
3. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 313 miles
- Driving time: 6.3 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 2003
- 2020 visitors: 119,306 (#51 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,476.47 acres
4. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 344 miles
- Driving time: 7.3 hours
- Date founded: October 11, 2000
- 2020 visitors: 2,755,628 (#7 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 32,571.88 acres
5. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 359 miles
- Driving time: 7.1 hours
- Date founded: June 15, 1934
- 2020 visitors: 12,095,720 (#1 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 522,426.88 acres
6. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 477 miles
- Driving time: 9.7 hours
- Date founded: July 1, 1941
- 2020 visitors: 290,392 (#41 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 54,011.91 acres
7. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 590 miles
- Driving time: 12.0 hours
- Date founded: February 15, 2019
- 2020 visitors: 2,293,106 (#11 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,349.08 acres
8. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 680 miles
- Driving time: 14.2 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2020 visitors: 2,669,034 (#8 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 49,076.63 acres
9. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 700 miles
- Driving time: 12.4 hours
- Date founded: February 22, 2018
- 2020 visitors: 486,021 (#31 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 192.83 acres
10. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 825 miles
- Driving time: 14.3 hours
- Date founded: June 28, 1980
- 2020 visitors: 402,770 (#36 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 172,971.11 acres
