Closest first
Straight-line miles from the city center; drive times are rough estimates. Open the app for parks near wherever you are right now.
- 1 Big Bend · Texas · 150+ trails · $30 / vehicle338 mi · ~7 hr drive
- 2 Hot Springs · Arkansas · 26+ trails · $20 / vehicle401 mi · ~8.5 hr drive
- 3 Carlsbad Caverns · New Mexico · 6+ trails · $15 / person425 mi · ~9 hr drive
- 4 Guadalupe Mountains · Texas · 80+ trails · $25 / vehicle437 mi · ~9 hr drive
Planning a trip from Austin
Nothing on this list is a casual day trip from Austin, so plan a longer road trip or fly closer. The printable 63-park checklist helps group parks by region.
Each park page covers popular trails, camping, entrance fees, and the best time to visit. In ParkAtlas, the home screen shows unvisited parks within reach of your current location and lets you log the one you pick.
Common questions
What is the closest national park to Austin?
Big Bend National Park, about 338 miles away (~7 hr drive).
How many national parks are within 500 miles of Austin?
4 of the 63 U.S. national parks are within 500 miles of Austin.