Looking for National parks with easy access to a major airport

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Originally Posted by hikerman2000

It doesn't get the credibility that your more "glamorous" NP get, but Cuyahoga Valley National Park near Cleveland, OH is only 30 minutes away from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport...

However, it is consistently a top-10 most visited NP in the States, even though most have never heard of it.

Tons of trails, my favorite is the Buckeye Trail, which is well over 1000 miles in total length and circumnavigates the state of Ohio.

for info on this park and all other NP's, go to: www.nps.gov

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+1 on CVNP. There's no overnight camping (except for one "group" area), but tons of trails that you wouldn't expect to see in a major metro area. I was just up there today putzing around for a few hours. There is a historical canal towpath if you like biking/ easy walks, waterfalls, gorges, cliffs, scenic trains, historic farms, bridle trails, etc. It's considered an "urban" national park, as it was all private land at one point in time that they are mostly letting "return to natural" while preserving historic aspects.

If you want to camp, there are numerous state parks in the Cleveland/ Akron area that have developed campgrounds.

Sam Houston National Forest is about an hour drive north of Intercontinental Airport in Houston. Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge about an hour from OKC, as are several other Parks in OK and AR. Two units of the LBJ National Grasslands are about an hour and a half from DFW. White Mountains National Park are about two hours from Boston Logan, closer if you go to Manchester NH Regional airport.

I guess it all depends on what you are considering a "major airport". I think most NP probably have access relatively close.

Yellowstone NP is about 90 miles from Bozeman/Yellowstone IAP, through the Gallatin NF (think Yellowstone without the park service).

Glacier NP is about 25 miles from Glacier IAP (Columbia Falls), through the Flathead NF.

Teton NP is about 5 miles from the Jackson Hole, WY airport.

GSMNP is about 30 miles from the Knoxville airport, McGhee Tyson.

The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area is 72 miles of awesome, and it's located right next to the Minneapolis St Paul International Airport

There's no one thing to do or see, it's just lots of good times.
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