Photo: NPS
South Carolina
Congaree National Park
- Straight line
- 245 mi
- Drive (est.)
- ≈ 5 h 50 min
- Quiet month
- February
- Entrance
- Free entry
Jacksonville · Florida
National parks near Jacksonville
Last verified Straight-line miles · drive times estimated
The closest national park to Jacksonville is Congaree National Park, about 245 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.
At a glance
Jacksonville to the parks
| Closest national park | Congaree National Park 245 mi straight-line |
|---|---|
| Within 150 / 300 / 500 miles | 0 / 1 / 5 national parks |
| Day trip (≤ 3 h, est.) | None |
| Closest NPS site of any kind | Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve, 14 mi |
| Metro population | 1,785,500 (Jacksonville, FL metro, Census 2025 est.) |
The closest three
Nearest to Jacksonville
Photo: NPS Photo by Miguel Salas
Florida
Everglades National Park
- Straight line
- 346 mi
- Drive (est.)
- ≈ 8 h 10 min
- Quiet month
- May
- Entrance
- $35 / vehicle
Photo: NPS photo
Florida
Biscayne National Park
- Straight line
- 346 mi
- Drive (est.)
- ≈ 8 h 10 min
- Quiet month
- August
- Entrance
- Free entry
The nearest 8
National parks by distance from Jacksonville
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 | Congaree National ParkSC | 245 mi | ≈ 5 h 50 min | 287,833 | February |
| 2 | Everglades National ParkFL | 346 mi | ≈ 8 h 10 min | 778,198 | May |
| 3 | Biscayne National ParkFL | 346 mi | ≈ 8 h 10 min | 486,567 | August |
| 4 | Great Smoky Mountains National ParkNC · TN | 379 mi | ≈ 9 h | 11,527,939 | November |
| 5 | Dry Tortugas National ParkFL | 401 mi | Dry Tortugas is not reachable by road | 89,355 | November |
| 6 | New River Gorge National Park & PreserveWV | 522 mi | ≈ 12 h 20 min | 1,958,440 | September |
| 7 | Mammoth Cave National ParkKY | 539 mi | ≈ 12 h 40 min | 660,734 | May |
| 8 | Shenandoah National ParkVA | 592 mi | ≈ 14 h | 1,682,152 | November |
No drive estimate for Dry Tortugas: NPS says it's reached by boat or plane.
Make it a road trip
Park pairs within reach of Jacksonville
Groups of parks where every pair is within about six hours of each other by our drive estimate.
2 parks · FL
Biscayne & Everglades
- Biscayne
- Everglades+ ≈ 1 h
≈ 1 h of driving between parks · the nearest is 346 mi from Jacksonville
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 Jacksonville
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.
- Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve14 mi · FL
- Castillo de San Marcos National Monument37 mi · FL
- Cumberland Island National Seashore38 mi · GA
- Fort Matanzas National Monument50 mi · FL
- Fort Frederica National Monument63 mi · GA
Straight-line miles to each site’s NPS reference point. Long-distance trails are left out.
FAQ
National parks near Jacksonville, answered
- What is the closest national park to Jacksonville?
- Congaree National Park, about 245 miles from Jacksonville 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: Everglades (346 mi) and Biscayne (346 mi).
- Can you visit a national park on a day trip from Jacksonville?
- Not easily. The closest, Congaree, 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 Jacksonville?
- 1 by our rough estimate (up to 8 hours of driving): Congaree. 1 national parks are within 300 straight-line miles.
- Are there National Park Service sites closer to Jacksonville?
- Yes. Within 100 miles there are 5 other NPS sites, the nearest being Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve (14 mi), Castillo de San Marcos National Monument (37 mi) and Cumberland Island National Seashore (38 mi).
Sources · 6
- 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 2 moreShow fewer
- 5.NPS park directions text used for road access · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
- 6.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 Jacksonville city, Florida. Metro: Jacksonville, FL (2025 estimate).
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