NPS Sites Near Knoxville
Within 150 miles of Knoxville, five National Park Service units offer diverse recreational and historical opportunities. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, located 44 miles away, is the region's most visited site, drawing approximately 11.5 million annual recreation visits. The other units include Obed Wild & Scenic River (37 miles, 260,000 visits), Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area (47 miles, 774,000 visits), and Cumberland Gap National Historical Park (49 miles, 765,000 visits), each offering distinct outdoor and historical experiences.
Andrew Johnson National Historic Site, situated 73 miles from Knoxville, rounds out the regional offerings with approximately 43,000 annual visits. These five sites represent a range of park types, from natural river corridors and mountain landscapes to preserved historical properties, providing options for various interests and visit durations within the greater Knoxville area.
| NPS unit | Annual visits |
|---|---|
| Obed Wild & Scenic River · 37.3 mi | 259,989 (2025) |
| Great Smoky Mountains National Park · 44.3 mi | 11,527,939 (2025) |
| Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area · 46.6 mi | 774,353 (2025) |
| Cumberland Gap National Historical Park · 49.4 mi | 765,010 (2025) |
| Andrew Johnson National Historic Site · 73.1 mi | 43,203 (2025) |
| Chickamauga And Chattanooga National Military Park · 95.3 mi | 971,647 (2025) |
| Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site · 108.7 mi | 94,796 (2025) |
| Russell Cave National Monument · 119.9 mi | 7,821 (2025) |
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Nearby-NPS units and their annual recreation visits are from the NPS Visitor Use Statistics package (haversine match within 150 mi of the city centroid), verified June 2026. Null visitation renders as “n/a”, never 0. How we compile this.