How many national parks are in Virginia?

1: Shenandoah National Park. Virginia also has 32 other National Park Service sites, such as Appalachian National Scenic Trail and Appomattox Court House National Historical Park.

Do national parks in Virginia charge an entrance fee?

Headline entrance fees run $30 per vehicle. An America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees.

What is the closest national park to Virginia Beach?

Shenandoah National Park, about 178 miles from Virginia Beach in a straight line, roughly 4 h 10 min by road on our estimate (straight-line miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route). Virginia Beach is Virginia's largest city.

Virginia · 1 national park · 32 other NPS sites

National parks in Virginia

Last verified October 1, 2026Sources ↓

Virginia has one national park, Shenandoah National Park. 32 more National Park Service sites round out the map, from Appalachian National Scenic Trail to Yorktown Battlefield Part of Colonial National Historical Park.

Numbered by 2025 visits. ★ Virginia Beach, Virginia's largest city.

At a glance

Virginia, by the numbers

National parks in Virginia at a glance
National parks	1: Shenandoah
Other NPS sites	32 see nps.gov
Most visited park, 2025	Shenandoah 1,682,152 visits (#19 of 63)
Entrance fees	$30 per vehicle
Established	December 26, 1935
Nearest to Virginia Beach	Shenandoah 178 mi straight-line, ≈ 4 h 10 min drive (est.)

1 national park

Virginia's national park

Busiest first, by 2025 recreation visits.

Photo: NPS Photo / Neal Lewis
Est. 1935
Shenandoah National Park
2025 visits
1,682,152
Entrance
$30 / vehicle
Busiest month
October
Quiet month
November
“Just 75 miles from the bustle of Washington, D.C.……” (NPS)

From Virginia Beach

The closest national parks to Virginia Beach

Measured from Virginia Beach, Virginia's largest city (453,737 people, Census 2025 estimate). Straight-line miles; drive times are our rough estimate.

Nearest national parks to Virginia Beach
Park	Straight line	Drive (estimate)
Shenandoah National ParkVA	178 mi	≈ 4 h 10 min
New River Gorge National Park & PreserveWV	283 mi	≈ 6 h 40 min
Congaree National ParkSC	337 mi	≈ 8 h
Great Smoky Mountains National ParkNC · TN	425 mi	≈ 10 h

National parks near Virginia Beach →National parks near Richmond →

32 other NPS sites

Beyond the national parks

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

5 National Historical Park · 5 Other NPS site · 4 National Historic Trail · …Show all 32

National Historical Park · 5

Other NPS site · 5

Arlington House, the Robert E. Lee Memorial
Chesapeake BayDC · DE · MD · NY · PA · VA · WV
Civil War Defenses of WashingtonDC · MD · VA
Green Springs
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts

National Historic Trail · 4

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

National Monument · 3

Part of Colonial National Historical Park · 3

National Battlefield Park · 2

National Scenic Trail · 2

Appalachian National Scenic TrailCT · GA · MA · MD · ME · NC · NH · NJ · NY · PA · TN · VA · VT · WV
Potomac Heritage National Scenic TrailDC · MD · PA · VA

Park · 2

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

FAQ

Virginia, answered

How many national parks are in Virginia?: 1: Shenandoah National Park. Virginia also has 32 other National Park Service sites, such as Appalachian National Scenic Trail and Appomattox Court House National Historical Park.
Do national parks in Virginia charge an entrance fee?: Headline entrance fees run $30 per vehicle. An America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees.
What is the closest national park to Virginia Beach?: Shenandoah National Park, about 178 miles from Virginia Beach in a straight line, roughly 4 h 10 min by road on our estimate (straight-line miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route). Virginia Beach is Virginia's largest city.

Sources · 5

1.Virginia: 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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