Photo: NPS
Texas
Big Bend National Park
- Straight line
- 284 mi
- Drive (est.)
- ≈ 6 h 40 min
- Quiet month
- February
- Entrance
- $30 / vehicle
San Antonio · Texas
National parks near San Antonio
Last verified Straight-line miles · drive times estimated
The closest national park to San Antonio is Big Bend National Park, about 284 miles away as the crow flies, or roughly 6 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
San Antonio to the parks
| Closest national park | Big Bend National Park 284 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 | San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, 12 mi |
| Metro population | 2,813,140 (San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX metro, Census 2025 est.) |
The closest three
Nearest to San Antonio
Photo: NPS / Michael Larson
New Mexico
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
- Straight line
- 403 mi
- Drive (est.)
- ≈ 9 h 30 min
- Quiet month
- February
- Entrance
- $15 / person
Photo: NPS/Bieri
Texas
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
- Straight line
- 414 mi
- Drive (est.)
- ≈ 9 h 50 min
- Quiet month
- February
- Entrance
- $10 / person
The nearest 8
National parks by distance from San Antonio
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 | Big Bend National ParkTX | 284 mi | ≈ 6 h 40 min | 568,104 | February |
| 2 | Carlsbad Caverns National ParkNM | 403 mi | ≈ 9 h 30 min | 410,778 | February |
| 3 | Guadalupe Mountains National ParkTX | 414 mi | ≈ 9 h 50 min | 206,423 | February |
| 4 | Hot Springs National ParkAR | 474 mi | ≈ 11 h 10 min | 2,494,611 | August |
| 5 | White Sands National ParkNM | 515 mi | ≈ 12 h 10 min | 659,742 | February |
| 6 | Great Sand Dunes National Park & PreserveCO | 704 mi | ≈ 16 h 40 min | 432,498 | August |
| 7 | Saguaro National ParkAZ | 750 mi | ≈ 17 h 40 min | 847,749 | April |
| 8 | Petrified Forest National ParkAZ | 760 mi | ≈ 18 h | 315,951 | April |
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.
- San Antonio Missions National Historical Park12 mi · TX
- Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park55 mi · TX
- Amistad National Recreation Area154 mi · TX
- Waco Mammoth National Monument168 mi · TX
- Padre Island National Seashore181 mi · TX
Straight-line miles to each site’s NPS reference point. Long-distance trails are left out.
FAQ
National parks near San Antonio, answered
- What is the closest national park to San Antonio?
- Big Bend National Park, about 284 miles from San Antonio in a straight line. By road, figure roughly 6 h 40 min on our estimate (straight-line miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route). Next closest: Carlsbad Caverns (403 mi) and Guadalupe Mountains (414 mi).
- Can you visit a national park on a day trip from San Antonio?
- Not easily. The closest, Big Bend, is about 6 h 40 min away by our rough estimate, so plan on at least one night.
- How many national parks are within a day's drive of San Antonio?
- 1 by our rough estimate (up to 8 hours of driving): Big Bend. 1 national parks are within 300 straight-line miles.
- Are there National Park Service sites closer to San Antonio?
- Yes. Within 200 miles there are 5 other NPS sites, the nearest being San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (12 mi), Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park (55 mi) and Amistad National Recreation Area (154 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 San Antonio city, Texas. Metro: San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX (2025 estimate).
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