What is the closest national park to Washington?

Shenandoah National Park, about 83 miles from Washington in a straight line, roughly 2 h by road on our estimate (straight-line miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route). Washington is District of Columbia's largest city.

District of Columbia · 0 national parks · 36 other NPS sites

Does Washington, DC have a national park?

Last verified October 1, 2026Sources ↓

No. Washington, DC has no national park, but it has 36 National Park Service sites, including African American Civil War Memorial, Anacostia Park and Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument. The nearest national park to Washington is Shenandoah National Park, 83 miles away as the crow flies.

The 3 nearest national parks. ★ Washington, District of Columbia's largest city.

At a glance

Washington, DC, by the numbers

National parks in Washington, DC at a glance
National parks	None
NPS sites	36 see nps.gov
Nearest to Washington	Shenandoah 83 mi straight-line, ≈ 2 h drive (est.)

From Washington

The closest national parks to Washington, DC

Measured from Washington, District of Columbia's largest city (693,645 people, Census 2025 estimate). Straight-line miles; drive times are our rough estimate.

Nearest national parks to Washington
Park	Straight line	Drive (estimate)
Shenandoah National ParkVA	83 mi	≈ 2 h
New River Gorge National Park & PreserveWV	227 mi	≈ 5 h 20 min
Cuyahoga Valley National ParkOH	291 mi	≈ 6 h 50 min
Congaree National ParkSC	410 mi	≈ 9 h 40 min

National parks near Washington, DC →

36 NPS sites

Washington, DC's National Park Service sites

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

22 Other NPS site · 4 National Historic Site · 3 National Historic Trail · …Show all 36

Other NPS site · 22

National Historic Site · 4

National Historic Trail · 3

Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic TrailVA · MD · DE · DC · PA · NY
Star-Spangled Banner National Historic TrailMD · VA · DC
Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic TrailMA · RI · CT · NY · NJ · PA · DE · MD · VA · DC

Park · 2

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

FAQ

Washington, DC, answered

Does Washington, DC have a national park?: No. Washington, DC has no national park, but it has 36 National Park Service sites, including African American Civil War Memorial, Anacostia Park and Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument. The closest national park to Washington is Shenandoah National Park, about 83 miles away in a straight line.
What is the closest national park to Washington?: Shenandoah National Park, about 83 miles from Washington in a straight line, roughly 2 h by road on our estimate (straight-line miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route). Washington is District of Columbia's largest city.

Sources · 4

1.District of Columbia: 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.City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2025 · U.S. Census Bureau
4.2025 Gazetteer Files: Places · U.S. Census Bureau

Keep exploring

Park'd · free on iPhone & Android

Your parks map, in your pocket.

Park'd for iPhone and Android: check off every national park on a map, log trips with photos, notes and a favorite memory, and watch your stats and badges grow.