What is the closest national park to Dallas?

Hot Springs National Park, about 244 miles from Dallas in a straight line. By road, figure roughly 5 h 50 min on our estimate (straight-line miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route). Next closest: Big Bend (452 mi) and Carlsbad Caverns (456 mi).

Can you visit a national park on a day trip from Dallas?

Not easily. The closest, Hot Springs, is about 5 h 50 min away by our rough estimate, so plan on at least one night.

How many national parks are within a day's drive of Dallas?

1 by our rough estimate (up to 8 hours of driving): Hot Springs. 1 national parks are within 300 straight-line miles.

Are there National Park Service sites closer to Dallas?

Yes. Within 200 miles there are 4 other NPS sites, the nearest being Waco Mammoth National Monument (86 mi), Chickasaw National Recreation Area (116 mi) and Oklahoma City National Memorial (190 mi).

Dallas · Texas

National parks near Dallas

Last verified October 1, 2026Straight-line miles · drive times estimated

The closest national park to Dallas is Hot Springs National Park, about 244 miles away as the crow flies, or roughly 5 h 50 min by road on our estimate. 1 national park is within 300 miles. Here are the nearest 8, a few road trips, and the Park Service sites even closer to home.

★ Dallas. Numbers match the list below; dashed lines are straight-line distance.

At a glance

Dallas to the parks

National parks near Dallas at a glance
Closest national park	Hot Springs National Park 244 mi straight-line
Within 150 / 300 / 500 miles	0 / 1 / 4 national parks
Day trip (≤ 3 h, est.)	None
Closest NPS site of any kind	Waco Mammoth National Monument, 86 mi
Metro population	8,477,157 (Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metro, Census 2025 est.)

The closest three

Nearest to Dallas

Photo: NPS photo
Arkansas
Hot Springs National Park
Straight line
244 mi
Drive (est.)
≈ 5 h 50 min
Quiet month
August
Entrance
Free entry
Photo: NPS
Texas
Big Bend National Park
Straight line
452 mi
Drive (est.)
≈ 10 h 40 min
Quiet month
February
Entrance
$30 / vehicle
Photo: NPS / Michael Larson
New Mexico
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Straight line
456 mi
Drive (est.)
≈ 10 h 50 min
Quiet month
February
Entrance
$15 / person

The nearest 8

National parks by distance from Dallas

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.

National parks nearest Dallas, with straight-line distance and estimated drive time
#	Park	Straight line	Drive (est.)	2025 visits	Quiet month
1	Hot Springs National ParkAR	244 mi	≈ 5 h 50 min	2,494,611	August
2	Big Bend National ParkTX	452 mi	≈ 10 h 40 min	568,104	February
3	Carlsbad Caverns National ParkNM	456 mi	≈ 10 h 50 min	410,778	February
4	Guadalupe Mountains National ParkTX	478 mi	≈ 11 h 20 min	206,423	February
5	Gateway Arch National ParkMO	546 mi	≈ 12 h 50 min	2,209,028	August
6	White Sands National ParkNM	556 mi	≈ 13 h 10 min	659,742	February
7	Great Sand Dunes National Park & PreserveCO	605 mi	≈ 14 h 20 min	432,498	August
8	Mammoth Cave National ParkKY	674 mi	≈ 15 h 50 min	660,734	May

Closer to home

National Park Service sites within 200 miles

Not national parks, but run by the same Park Service: monuments, historic sites, seashores and recreation areas. Links go to nps.gov.

Waco Mammoth National Monument86 mi · TX
Chickasaw National Recreation Area116 mi · OK
Oklahoma City National Memorial190 mi · OK
President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site193 mi · AR

Straight-line miles to each site’s NPS reference point. Long-distance trails are left out.

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