How many national parks are in Arkansas?

1: Hot Springs National Park. Arkansas also has 8 other National Park Service sites, such as Arkansas Post National Memorial and Buffalo National River.

Do national parks in Arkansas charge an entrance fee?

No: it's free to enter, per the National Park Service. An America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees.

What is the closest national park to Little Rock?

Hot Springs National Park, about 42 miles from Little Rock in a straight line, roughly 1 h by road on our estimate (straight-line miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route). Little Rock is Arkansas' largest city.

Arkansas · 1 national park · 8 other NPS sites

National parks in Arkansas

Last verified October 1, 2026Sources ↓

Arkansas has one national park, Hot Springs National Park. 8 more National Park Service sites round out the map, from Arkansas Post National Memorial to Trail of Tears National Historic Trail.

Numbered by 2025 visits. ★ Little Rock, Arkansas' largest city.

At a glance

Arkansas, by the numbers

National parks in Arkansas at a glance
National parks	1: Hot Springs
Other NPS sites	8 see nps.gov
Most visited park, 2025	Hot Springs 2,494,611 visits (#14 of 63)
Entrance fees	Free
Established	March 4, 1921
Nearest to Little Rock	Hot Springs 42 mi straight-line, ≈ 1 h drive (est.)

1 national park

Arkansas' national park

Busiest first, by 2025 recreation visits.

Photo: NPS photo
Est. 1921
Hot Springs National Park
2025 visits
2,494,611
Entrance
Free entry
Busiest month
June
Quiet month
August
“Hot Springs National Park has a rich cultural past…” (NPS)

From Little Rock

The closest national parks to Little Rock

Measured from Little Rock, Arkansas' largest city (206,427 people, Census 2025 estimate). Straight-line miles; drive times are our rough estimate.

Nearest national parks to Little Rock
Park	Straight line	Drive (estimate)
Hot Springs National ParkAR	42 mi	≈ 1 h
Gateway Arch National ParkMO	295 mi	≈ 7 h
Mammoth Cave National ParkKY	388 mi	≈ 9 h 10 min
Great Smoky Mountains National ParkNC · TN	503 mi	≈ 11 h 50 min

8 other NPS sites

Beyond the national parks

Monuments, historic sites, trails and more: every other place the National Park Service lists for Arkansas, grouped by type. Links go to nps.gov.

3 National Historic Site · 2 National Historic Trail · 1 National Memorial · …Show all 8

National Historic Site · 3

National Historic Trail · 2

Butterfield Overland National Historic TrailMO · AR · OK · TX · NM · AZ · CA
Trail of Tears National Historic TrailAL · AR · GA · IL · KY · MO · NC · OK · TN

From the NPS Data API; the same list as Arkansas' page on nps.gov. Trails and other multi-state sites appear under each state they cross.

FAQ

Arkansas, answered

How many national parks are in Arkansas?: 1: Hot Springs National Park. Arkansas also has 8 other National Park Service sites, such as Arkansas Post National Memorial and Buffalo National River.
Do national parks in Arkansas charge an entrance fee?: No: it's free to enter, per the National Park Service. An America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees.
What is the closest national park to Little Rock?: Hot Springs National Park, about 42 miles from Little Rock in a straight line, roughly 1 h by road on our estimate (straight-line miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route). Little Rock is Arkansas' largest city.

Sources · 5

1.Arkansas: parks and places (nps.gov) · National Park Service
2.NPS Data API — /parks (all park units) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
3.NPS Visitor Use Statistics — monthly recreation visits, 2021–2025 (IRMA stats REST service) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior) — Visitor Use Statistics Program
4.City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2025 · U.S. Census Bureau
5.2025 Gazetteer Files: Places · U.S. Census Bureau

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