Some public areas may be closed and travelers on Interstate 80 may see smoke and flames from prescribed burns planned Friday at Mahoney State Park.
CenturyLink Lake and some trails and roads in portions of the park will be marked with signs and closed during the fires, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission said in a news release.
The prescribed burns are part of an ongoing project to control the spread of invasive plants.
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Closest national parks to Lincoln
Closest national parks to Lincoln
Approximately visited American national parks in 2020, representing a 28% year-over-year decrease attributed to the coronavirus pandemic. Many parks were forced to close to combat the spread of the virus, but that’s not the whole story—when the parks were open, many of them saw record crowds as throngs of people desperate to safely enjoy nature descended onto parks when they reopened.
President Woodrow Wilson in 1916 signed the act creating the National Park Service to leave natural and historic phenomenons “unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.†Since then, our national parks have welcomed visitors from around the world to experience some of the best the country has to offer and showcase the country’s natural beauty and cultural heritage. Today, the country's contain at least 247 species of , more than 75,000 archaeological sites, and 18,000 miles of trails.
compiled a list of the closest national parks to Lincoln. National parks are ranked by closest straight line distance, measured from representative points in Lincoln, NE Metro Area and each national park. Estimated driving times are from and are only available within the lower 48 states. All featured distances and driving times are estimated using representative locations from the center of each metro and national park—for some places within the metro area, the actual distance may be slightly shorter or longer to reach the closest entryway to a park.
Be sure to check with individual parks before you visit to find out about ongoing, pandemic-related safety precautions at .
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Kris Wiktor // Shutterstock
#1. Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 352 miles
- Driving time: 7.6 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2020 visitors: 916,932 (#21 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 242,755.94 acres
Matt Ragen // Shutterstock
#2. Gateway Arch National Park (Missouri)
- Distance: 386 miles
- Driving time: 6.8 hours
- Date founded: February 22, 2018[47]
- 2020 visitors: 486,021 (#31 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 192.83 acres
Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock
#3. Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
- Distance: 389 miles
- Driving time: 7.7 hours
- Date founded: January 9, 1903
- 2020 visitors: 448,405 (#33 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,970.84 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
#4. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 459 miles
- Driving time: 7.5 hours
- Date founded: January 26, 1915
- 2020 visitors: 3,305,199 (#4 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 265,807.25 acres
Anna Krivitskaya // Shutterstock
#5. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Distance: 483 miles
- Driving time: 9.9 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1921
- 2020 visitors: 1,348,215 (#16 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 5,554.15 acres
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Zack Frank // Shutterstock
#6. Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 510 miles
- Driving time: 10.2 hours
- Date founded: September 24, 2004
- 2020 visitors: 461,532 (#32 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 107,341.87 acres
Kris Wiktor // Shutterstock
#7. Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
- Distance: 514 miles
- Driving time: 8.3 hours
- Date founded: February 15, 2019
- 2020 visitors: 2,293,106 (#11 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,349.08 acres
Delmas Lehman // Shutterstock
#8. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
- Distance: 537 miles
- Driving time: 11.5 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 1978
- 2020 visitors: 551,303 (#28 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 70,446.89 acres
Laurens Hoddenbagh // Shutterstock
#9. Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
- Distance: 566 miles
- Driving time: 10.8 hours
- Date founded: April 8, 1975
- 2020 visitors: 263,091 (#44 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 218,222.35 acres
BlueBarronPhoto // Shutterstock
#10. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 598 miles
- Driving time: 11.5 hours
- Date founded: October 21, 1999
- 2020 visitors: 341,620 (#39 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 30,779.83 acres
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SL-Photography // Shutterstock
#11. Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
- Distance: 631 miles
- Driving time: 11.8 hours
- Date founded: July 1, 1941
- 2020 visitors: 290,392 (#41 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 54,011.91 acres
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
#12. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
- Distance: 649 miles
- Driving time: 13.7 hours
- Date founded: April 3, 1940
- 2020 visitors: 6,493 (#59 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 571,790.30 acres
MDuchek // Wikimedia Commons
#13. Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
- Distance: 673 miles
- Driving time: 13.8 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1906
- 2020 visitors: 287,477 (#42 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 52,485.17 acres
Sopotnicki // Shutterstock
#14. Arches National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 692 miles
- Driving time: 12.1 hours
- Date founded: November 12, 1971
- 2020 visitors: 1,238,083 (#17 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 76,678.98 acres
Manamana // Shutterstock
#15. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 720 miles
- Driving time: 19.2 hours
- Date founded: September 12, 1964
- 2020 visitors: 493,914 (#30 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 337,597.83 acres
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#16. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 730 miles
- Driving time: 14.4 hours
- Date founded: May 14, 1930
- 2020 visitors: 183,835 (#45 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 46,766.45 acres
Doug Meek // Shutterstock
#17. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
- Distance: 740 miles
- Driving time: 13.7 hours
- Date founded: March 1, 1872
- 2020 visitors: 3,806,306 (#2 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,219,790.71 acres
Lane V. Erickson // Shutterstock
#18. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Distance: 741 miles
- Driving time: 12.7 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1929
- 2020 visitors: 3,289,638 (#5 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 310,044.36 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
#19. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
- Distance: 756 miles
- Driving time: 14.3 hours
- Date founded: December 20, 2019[111]
- 2020 visitors: 415,383 (#34 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 146,344.31 acres
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
#20. Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 758 miles
- Driving time: 15.5 hours
- Date founded: October 15, 1966
- 2020 visitors: 151,256 (#49 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 86,367.10 acres
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#21. Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 784 miles
- Driving time: 13.6 hours
- Date founded: December 18, 1971
- 2020 visitors: 981,038 (#20 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 241,904.50 acres
Layne V. Naylor // Shutterstock
#22. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio)
- Distance: 800 miles
- Driving time: 13.0 hours
- Date founded: October 11, 2000
- 2020 visitors: 2,755,628 (#7 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 32,571.88 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
#23. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
- Distance: 806 miles
- Driving time: 15.2 hours
- Date founded: June 15, 1934
- 2020 visitors: 12,095,720 (#1 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 522,426.88 acres
Aviator31 // Wikimedia Commons
#24. Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 808 miles
- Driving time: 16.0 hours
- Date founded: December 9, 1962
- 2020 visitors: 384,483 (#38 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 221,390.21 acres
Felix Lipov // Shutterstock
#25. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 851 miles
- Driving time: 15.8 hours
- Date founded: February 25, 1928
- 2020 visitors: 1,464,655 (#15 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 35,835.08 acres
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ronnybas frimages // Shutterstock
#26. New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)
- Distance: 864 miles
- Driving time: 15.5 hours
- Date founded: December 27, 2020
- 2020 visitors: 1,054,374 (#19 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,021 acres
Steve Heap // Shutterstock
#27. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
- Distance: 875 miles
- Driving time: 17.3 hours
- Date founded: June 12, 1944
- 2020 visitors: 393,907 (#37 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 801,163.21 acres
Eric Foltz // Shutterstock
#28. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 890 miles
- Driving time: 17.5 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2020 visitors: 2,897,098 (#6 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,201,647.03 acres
Josemaria Toscano // Shutterstock
#29. Zion National Park (Utah)
- Distance: 902 miles
- Driving time: 16.2 hours
- Date founded: November 19, 1919
- 2020 visitors: 3,591,254 (#3 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 147,242.66 acres
Galyna Andrushko // Shutterstock
#30. Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
- Distance: 933 miles
- Driving time: 16.2 hours
- Date founded: October 27, 1986
- 2020 visitors: 120,248 (#50 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 77,180.00 acres
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#31. Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
- Distance: 959 miles
- Driving time: 19.4 hours
- Date founded: October 14, 1994
- 2020 visitors: 762,226 (#24 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 92,867.42 acres
kojihirano // Shutterstock
#32. Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
- Distance: 998 miles
- Driving time: 19.1 hours
- Date founded: December 26, 1935
- 2020 visitors: 1,666,265 (#14 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 199,223.77 acres
Jon Bilous // Shutterstock
#33. Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Distance: 1,003 miles
- Date founded: May 11, 1910
- 2020 visitors: 1,698,864 (#13 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,013,125.99 acres
Pung // Shutterstock
#34. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Distance: 1,008 miles
- Driving time: 19.0 hours
- Date founded: November 10, 2003
- 2020 visitors: 119,306 (#51 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,476.47 acres
Jtmartin57 // Wikimedia Commons
#35. Death Valley National Park (California, Nevada)
- Distance: 1,123 miles
- Driving time: 19.5 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2020 visitors: 820,023 (#22 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,408,406.73 acres
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#36. Joshua Tree National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,152 miles
- Driving time: 21.8 hours
- Date founded: October 31, 1994
- 2020 visitors: 2,399,542 (#10 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 795,155.85 acres
Dennis Silvas // Shutterstock
#37. Kings Canyon National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,199 miles
- Driving time: 27.4 hours
- Date founded: March 4, 1940
- 2020 visitors: 415,077 (#35 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 461,901.20 acres
Patrick Poendl // Shutterstock
#38. Sequoia National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,215 miles
- Driving time: 26.2 hours
- Date founded: September 25, 1890
- 2020 visitors: 796,086 (#23 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 404,062.63 acres
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
#39. Yosemite National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,226 miles
- Driving time: 25.4 hours
- Date founded: October 1, 1890
- 2020 visitors: 2,268,313 (#12 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 761,747.50 acres
Stephen Moehle // Shutterstock
#40. Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,291 miles
- Driving time: 22.3 hours
- Date founded: August 9, 1916
- 2020 visitors: 542,274 (#29 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 106,589.02 acres
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
#41. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
- Distance: 1,305 miles
- Driving time: 23.5 hours
- Date founded: May 22, 1902
- 2020 visitors: 670,500 (#26 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 183,224.05 acres
Hank Shiffman // Shutterstock
#42. Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,305 miles
- Driving time: 23.4 hours
- Date founded: March 2, 1899
- 2020 visitors: 1,160,754 (#18 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 236,381.64 acres
Diane Fetzner // Shutterstock
#43. North Cascades National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,307 miles
- Driving time: 26.1 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2020 visitors: 30,885 (#56 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 504,780.94 acres
National Park Service/Deby Dixon // Wikimedia Commons
#44. Channel Islands National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,322 miles
- Date founded: March 5, 1980
- 2020 visitors: 167,290 (#47 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 249,561.00 acres
Ethan Daniels // Shutterstock
#45. Pinnacles National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,343 miles
- Driving time: 24.7 hours
- Date founded: January 10, 2013
- 2020 visitors: 165,740 (#48 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 26,685.73 acres
Yhelfman // Shutterstock
#46. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,378 miles
- Driving time: 28.4 hours
- Date founded: October 26, 1992
- 2020 visitors: 48,543 (#55 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 64,701.22 acres
U.S. National Park Service // Wikimedia Commons
#47. Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Distance: 1,399 miles
- Driving time: 26.5 hours
- Date founded: June 29, 1938
- 2020 visitors: 2,499,177 (#9 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 922,649.41 acres
f11photo // Shutterstock
#48. Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,408 miles
- Driving time: 26.6 hours
- Date founded: May 30, 1934
- 2020 visitors: 702,319 (#25 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,508,938.57 acres
Simon Dannhauer // Shutterstock
#49. Redwood National Park (California)
- Distance: 1,412 miles
- Driving time: 27.0 hours
- Date founded: October 2, 1968
- 2020 visitors: 265,177 (#43 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 138,999.37 acres
Bob Pool // Shutterstock
#50. Biscayne National Park (Florida)
- Distance: 1,422 miles
- Driving time: 25.5 hours
- Date founded: June 28, 1980
- 2020 visitors: 402,770 (#36 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 172,971.11 acres
NPS // Wikimedia Commons
#51. Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Distance: 1,474 miles
- Driving time: 27.4 hours
- Date founded: February 26, 1919
- 2020 visitors: 2,669,034 (#8 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 49,076.63 acres
Romiana Lee // Shutterstock
#52. Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,127 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2020 visitors: 5,748 (#60 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,223,383.43 acres
Alan Wu // Wikimedia Commons
#53. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,344 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2020 visitors: 16,655 (#57 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,323,146.48 acres
Sewtex // Wikimedia Commons
#54. Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Distance: 2,454 miles
- Date founded: August 2, 1956
- 2020 visitors: 167,540 (#46 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 15,052.53 acres
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
#55. Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,586 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2020 visitors: 115,882 (#52 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 669,650.05 acres
National Park Service, Alaska Region // Wikimedia Commons
#56. Denali National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,647 miles
- Date founded: February 26, 1917
- 2020 visitors: 54,850 (#53 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 4,740,911.16 acres
Denali National Park and Preserve // Wikimedia Commons
#57. Lake Clark National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,721 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2020 visitors: 4,948 (#61 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 2,619,816.49 acres
Ryjil Christianson // Wikimedia Commons
#58. Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,770 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2020 visitors: 51,511 (#54 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 3,674,529.33 acres
Katmai National Park and Preserve // Wikimedia Commons
#59. Gates of the Arctic National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,786 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2020 visitors: 2,872 (#63 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 7,523,897.45 acres
National Park Service, Alaska Region // Wikimedia Commons
#60. Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska)
- Distance: 2,939 miles
- Date founded: December 2, 1980
- 2020 visitors: 11,185 (#58 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 1,750,716.16 acres
LCGS Russ // Wikimedia Commons
#61. HaleakalÄ National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 3,712 miles
- Date founded: July 1, 1961
- 2020 visitors: 319,147 (#40 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 33,264.62 acres
MH Anderson Photography // Shutterstock
#62. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
- Distance: 3,716 miles
- Date founded: August 1, 1916
- 2020 visitors: 589,775 (#27 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 325,605.28 acres
jo Crebbin // Shutterstock
#63. National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa)
- Distance: 6,041 miles
- Date founded: October 31, 1988
- 2020 visitors: 4,819 (#62 highest among all national parks)
- Park area: 8,256.67 acres
Tavita Togia, National Park Service // Wikimedia Commons
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