Photo: NPS Photo / Neal Lewis
Virginia
Shenandoah National Park
- Straight line
- 83 mi
- Drive (est.)
- ≈ 2 h
- Quiet month
- November
- Entrance
- $30 / vehicle
Washington, DC · District of Columbia
National parks near Washington, DC
Last verified Straight-line miles · drive times estimated
The closest national park to Washington, DC is Shenandoah National Park, about 83 miles away as the crow flies, or roughly 2 h by road on our estimate. 3 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
Washington, DC to the parks
| Closest national park | Shenandoah National Park 83 mi straight-line |
|---|---|
| Within 150 / 300 / 500 miles | 1 / 3 / 5 national parks |
| Day trip (≤ 3 h, est.) | Shenandoah |
| Closest NPS site of any kind | Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site, 1 mi |
| Metro population | 6,465,724 (Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro, Census 2025 est.) |
The closest three
Nearest to Washington, DC
Photo: NPS photo/Louise McLaughlin
West Virginia
New River Gorge National Park & Preserve
- Straight line
- 227 mi
- Drive (est.)
- ≈ 5 h 20 min
- Quiet month
- September
- Entrance
- Free entry
Photo: NPS Photo / D.J. Reiser
Ohio
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
- Straight line
- 291 mi
- Drive (est.)
- ≈ 6 h 50 min
- Quiet month
- November
- Entrance
- Free entry
The nearest 8
National parks by distance from Washington, DC
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 | Shenandoah National ParkVA | 83 mi | ≈ 2 h | 1,682,152 | November |
| 2 | New River Gorge National Park & PreserveWV | 227 mi | ≈ 5 h 20 min | 1,958,440 | September |
| 3 | Cuyahoga Valley National ParkOH | 291 mi | ≈ 6 h 50 min | 3,025,325 | November |
| 4 | Congaree National ParkSC | 410 mi | ≈ 9 h 40 min | 287,833 | February |
| 5 | Great Smoky Mountains National ParkNC · TN | 424 mi | ≈ 10 h | 11,527,939 | November |
| 6 | Mammoth Cave National ParkKY | 510 mi | ≈ 12 h | 660,734 | May |
| 7 | Indiana Dunes National ParkIN | 564 mi | ≈ 13 h 20 min | 2,629,497 | September |
| 8 | Acadia National ParkME | 591 mi | ≈ 14 h | 4,079,318 | October |
Make it a road trip
Park pairs within reach of Washington, DC
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 83 mi from Washington, DC
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.
- Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site1 mi · DC
- Ford's Theatre National Historic Site1 mi · DC
- Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site1 mi · DC
- Pennsylvania Avenue1 mi · DC
- African American Civil War Memorial1 mi · DC
- Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument1 mi · DC
- National Mall and Memorial Parks1 mi · DC
- World War I Memorial1 mi · DC
- Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial1 mi · DC
- The White House and President's Park1 mi · DC
Straight-line miles to each site’s NPS reference point. Long-distance trails are left out.
FAQ
National parks near Washington, DC, answered
- What is the closest national park to Washington, DC?
- Shenandoah National Park, about 83 miles from Washington, DC in a straight line. By road, figure roughly 2 h on our estimate (straight-line miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route). Next closest: New River Gorge (227 mi) and Cuyahoga Valley (291 mi).
- Can you visit a national park on a day trip from Washington, DC?
- Yes: Shenandoah 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 Washington, DC?
- 3 by our rough estimate (up to 8 hours of driving): Shenandoah, New River Gorge and Cuyahoga Valley. 3 national parks are within 300 straight-line miles.
- Are there National Park Service sites closer to Washington, DC?
- Yes. Within 100 miles there are at least 10 other NPS sites, the nearest being Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site (1 mi), Ford's Theatre National Historic Site (1 mi) and Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site (1 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 Washington city, District of Columbia. Metro: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (2025 estimate).
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