Photo: NPS Photo
Indiana
Indiana Dunes National Park
- Straight line
- 108 mi
- Drive (est.)
- ≈ 2 h 40 min
- Quiet month
- September
- Entrance
- $25 / vehicle
Milwaukee · Wisconsin
National parks near Milwaukee
Last verified Straight-line miles · drive times estimated
The closest national park to Milwaukee is Indiana Dunes National Park, about 108 miles away as the crow flies, or roughly 2 h 40 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
Milwaukee to the parks
| Closest national park | Indiana Dunes National Park 108 mi straight-line |
|---|---|
| Within 150 / 300 / 500 miles | 1 / 1 / 6 national parks |
| Day trip (≤ 3 h, est.) | Indiana Dunes |
| Closest NPS site of any kind | Pullman National Historical Park, 96 mi |
| Metro population | 1,575,010 (Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro, Census 2025 est.) |
The closest three
Nearest to Milwaukee
Photo: NPS Photo/Sue Ford
Missouri
Gateway Arch National Park
- Straight line
- 328 mi
- Drive (est.)
- ≈ 7 h 40 min
- Quiet month
- August
- Entrance
- Free entry
Photo: NPS Photo / Paul Brown
Michigan
Isle Royale National Park
- Straight line
- 344 mi
- Drive (est.)
- No road
- Quiet month
- September
- Entrance
- $7 / person
“It is only accessible by ferry, seaplane, or private watercraft.” (NPS)
The nearest 8
National parks by distance from Milwaukee
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 | Indiana Dunes National ParkIN | 108 mi | ≈ 2 h 40 min | 2,629,497 | September |
| 2 | Gateway Arch National ParkMO | 328 mi | ≈ 7 h 40 min | 2,209,028 | August |
| 3 | Isle Royale National ParkMI | 344 mi | Isle Royale is not reachable by road | 29,091 | September |
| 4 | Cuyahoga Valley National ParkOH | 350 mi | ≈ 8 h 20 min | 3,025,325 | November |
| 5 | Mammoth Cave National ParkKY | 417 mi | ≈ 9 h 50 min | 660,734 | May |
| 6 | Voyageurs National ParkMN | 442 mi | ≈ 10 h 20 min | 206,326 | September |
| 7 | New River Gorge National Park & PreserveWV | 512 mi | ≈ 12 h 10 min | 1,958,440 | September |
| 8 | Great Smoky Mountains National ParkNC · TN | 568 mi | ≈ 13 h 20 min | 11,527,939 | November |
No drive estimate for Isle Royale: NPS says it's reached by boat or plane.
Make it a road trip
Park pairs within reach of Milwaukee
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 350 mi from Milwaukee
See the route →
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.
- Pullman National Historical Park96 mi · IL
- Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore161 mi · MI
- Effigy Mounds National Monument163 mi · IA
- Herbert Hoover National Historic Site198 mi · IA
Straight-line miles to each site’s NPS reference point. Long-distance trails are left out.
FAQ
National parks near Milwaukee, answered
- What is the closest national park to Milwaukee?
- Indiana Dunes National Park, about 108 miles from Milwaukee in a straight line. By road, figure roughly 2 h 40 min on our estimate (straight-line miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route). Next closest: Gateway Arch (328 mi) and Isle Royale (344 mi).
- Can you visit a national park on a day trip from Milwaukee?
- Yes: Indiana Dunes 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 Milwaukee?
- 2 by our rough estimate (up to 8 hours of driving): Indiana Dunes and Gateway Arch. 1 national parks are within 300 straight-line miles.
- Are there National Park Service sites closer to Milwaukee?
- Yes. Within 200 miles there are 4 other NPS sites, the nearest being Pullman National Historical Park (96 mi), Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (161 mi) and Effigy Mounds National Monument (163 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 Milwaukee city, Wisconsin. Metro: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI (2025 estimate).
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