Photo: NPS Photo / D.J. Reiser
Ohio
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
- Straight line
- 16 mi
- Drive (est.)
- ≈ 20 min
- Quiet month
- November
- Entrance
- Free entry
Cleveland · Ohio
National parks near Cleveland
Last verified Straight-line miles · drive times estimated
The closest national park to Cleveland is Cuyahoga Valley National Park, about 16 miles away as the crow flies, or roughly 20 min by road on our estimate. 4 national parks are within 300 miles. Here are the nearest 8, a few road trips, and the Park Service sites even closer to home.
At a glance
Cleveland to the parks
| Closest national park | Cuyahoga Valley National Park 16 mi straight-line |
|---|---|
| Within 150 / 300 / 500 miles | 1 / 4 / 7 national parks |
| Day trip (≤ 3 h, est.) | Cuyahoga Valley |
| Closest NPS site of any kind | James A Garfield National Historic Site, 21 mi |
| Metro population | 2,165,775 (Cleveland, OH metro, Census 2025 est.) |
The closest three
Nearest to Cleveland
Photo: NPS photo/Louise McLaughlin
West Virginia
New River Gorge National Park & Preserve
- Straight line
- 252 mi
- Drive (est.)
- ≈ 6 h
- Quiet month
- September
- Entrance
- Free entry
Photo: NPS Photo / Neal Lewis
Virginia
Shenandoah National Park
- Straight line
- 267 mi
- Drive (est.)
- ≈ 6 h 20 min
- Quiet month
- November
- Entrance
- $30 / vehicle
The nearest 8
National parks by distance from Cleveland
Straight-line miles from the city to each park's NPS reference point (often its center, not an entrance). Drive times are a rough estimate: miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route.
| # | Park | Straight line | Drive (est.) | 2025 visits | Quiet month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cuyahoga Valley National ParkOH | 16 mi | ≈ 20 min | 3,025,325 | November |
| 2 | New River Gorge National Park & PreserveWV | 252 mi | ≈ 6 h | 1,958,440 | September |
| 3 | Shenandoah National ParkVA | 267 mi | ≈ 6 h 20 min | 1,682,152 | November |
| 4 | Indiana Dunes National ParkIN | 280 mi | ≈ 6 h 40 min | 2,629,497 | September |
| 5 | Mammoth Cave National ParkKY | 379 mi | ≈ 9 h | 660,734 | May |
| 6 | Great Smoky Mountains National ParkNC · TN | 418 mi | ≈ 9 h 50 min | 11,527,939 | November |
| 7 | Gateway Arch National ParkMO | 491 mi | ≈ 11 h 40 min | 2,209,028 | August |
| 8 | Congaree National ParkSC | 534 mi | ≈ 12 h 40 min | 287,833 | February |
Make it a road trip
Park pairs within reach of Cleveland
Groups of parks where every pair is within about six hours of each other by our drive estimate.
3 parks · OH · VA · WV
Cuyahoga Valley, New River Gorge & Shenandoah
- Cuyahoga Valley
- New River Gorge+ ≈ 5 h 40 min
- Shenandoah+ ≈ 3 h 20 min
≈ 9 h of driving between parks · the nearest is 16 mi from Cleveland
See the route →2 parks · KY · NC · TN
Great Smoky Mountains & Mammoth Cave
- Great Smoky Mountains
- Mammoth Cave+ ≈ 4 h 20 min
≈ 4 h 20 min of driving between parks · the nearest is 379 mi from Cleveland
See the route →
Closer to home
National Park Service sites within 100 miles
Not national parks, but run by the same Park Service: monuments, historic sites, seashores and recreation areas. Links go to nps.gov.
- James A Garfield National Historic Site21 mi · OH
- First Ladies National Historic Site50 mi · OH
- Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial60 mi · OH
- River Raisin National Battlefield Park93 mi · MI
Straight-line miles to each site’s NPS reference point. Long-distance trails are left out.
FAQ
National parks near Cleveland, answered
- What is the closest national park to Cleveland?
- Cuyahoga Valley National Park, about 16 miles from Cleveland in a straight line. By road, figure roughly 20 min on our estimate (straight-line miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route). Next closest: New River Gorge (252 mi) and Shenandoah (267 mi).
- Can you visit a national park on a day trip from Cleveland?
- Yes: Cuyahoga Valley is within about 3 hours by our estimate. Check the park's nps.gov page for entrances and current road conditions.
- How many national parks are within a day's drive of Cleveland?
- 4 by our rough estimate (up to 8 hours of driving): Cuyahoga Valley, New River Gorge, Shenandoah and Indiana Dunes. 4 national parks are within 300 straight-line miles.
- Are there National Park Service sites closer to Cleveland?
- Yes. Within 100 miles there are 4 other NPS sites, the nearest being James A Garfield National Historic Site (21 mi), First Ladies National Historic Site (50 mi) and Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial (60 mi).
Sources · 5
- 1.Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Area Population Totals: 2020-2025 · U.S. Census Bureau
- 2.City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2025 · U.S. Census Bureau
- 3.2025 Gazetteer Files: Places · U.S. Census Bureau
- 4.NPS Data API — /parks (all park units) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- 5.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
City location: the U.S. Census Bureau’s internal point for Cleveland city, Ohio. Metro: Cleveland, OH (2025 estimate).
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