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North Carolina · 1 national park · 11 other NPS sites

National parks in North Carolina

Last verified Sources ↓
North Carolina has one national park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 11 more National Park Service sites round out the map, from Appalachian National Scenic Trail to Wright Brothers National Memorial.
1Charlotte
Numbered by 2025 visits. ★ Charlotte, North Carolina's largest city.

At a glance

North Carolina, by the numbers

National parks in North Carolina at a glance
National parks1: Great Smoky Mountains
Other NPS sites11 see nps.gov
Most visited park, 2025Great Smoky Mountains 11,527,939 visits (#1 of 63)
Entrance feesFree
EstablishedJune 15, 1934
Nearest to CharlotteCongaree 98 mi straight-line, ≈ 2 h 20 min drive (est.)

Great Smoky Mountains (NC, TN) crosses state lines; visits are for the whole park.

1 national park

North Carolina's national park

Busiest first, by 2025 recreation visits.

  1. Photo: NPS / Bob Carr

    Est. 1934 · NC · TN

    Great Smoky Mountains National Park

    2025 visits
    11,527,939
    Entrance
    Free entry
    Busiest month
    October
    Quiet month
    November

    “World renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life…” (NPS)

From Charlotte

The closest national parks to Charlotte

Measured from Charlotte, North Carolina's largest city (964,784 people, Census 2025 estimate). Straight-line miles; drive times are our rough estimate.
Nearest national parks to Charlotte
ParkStraight lineDrive (estimate)
Congaree National ParkSC98 mi≈ 2 h 20 min
Great Smoky Mountains National ParkNC · TN153 mi≈ 3 h 40 min
New River Gorge National Park & PreserveWV184 mi≈ 4 h 20 min
Shenandoah National ParkVA262 mi≈ 6 h 10 min

National parks near Charlotte →National parks near Raleigh →

11 other NPS sites

Beyond the national parks

Monuments, historic sites, trails and more: every other place the National Park Service lists for North Carolina, grouped by type. Links go to nps.gov.
2 National Historic Site · 2 National Historic Trail · 2 National Seashore · …Show all 11

National Historic Trail · 2

National Battlefield · 1

National Memorial · 1

National Scenic Trail · 1

Parkway · 1

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

FAQ

North Carolina, answered

How many national parks are in North Carolina?
1: Great Smoky Mountains National Park. North Carolina also has 11 other National Park Service sites, such as Appalachian National Scenic Trail and Blue Ridge Parkway. Great Smoky Mountains crosses into Tennessee.
Do national parks in North Carolina 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 Charlotte?
Congaree National Park, about 98 miles from Charlotte in a straight line, roughly 2 h 20 min by road on our estimate (straight-line miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route). Charlotte is North Carolina's largest city.

Sources · 5

  1. 1.North Carolina: parks and places (nps.gov) · National Park Service
  2. 2.NPS Data API — /parks (all park units) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
  3. 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. 4.City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2025 · U.S. Census Bureau
  5. 5.2025 Gazetteer Files: Places · U.S. Census Bureau

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