Epic National Parks near Dallas, Texas!

There are quite a few epic National Parks near Dallas, Texas! The Lone Star State is home to amazing National Parks, National Monuments, and historic sites! You can learn about Columbian Mammoths, enjoy walking the beach, or spending the day exploring a new part of Texas.

National Parks near Dallas

Each of these National Park Service sites is within 350 miles from Dallas, Texas. There is a list of parks at the bottom of this article that are farther away but still easily drivable.

The parks are listed from closest to Dallas by miles to farther away. There is a great variety of National Parks near Dallas that offer the perfect day trip or longer.

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Waco Mammoth National Monument

Distance from Dallas - 95 miles

Top Attractions - Columbian Mammoths

Visitors can take a tour of the nation's first and only recorded evidence of a nursery herd of ice age Columbian mammoths.

In order to see the mammoth bones, you do need to be on a tour of the dig site. Tours can be arranged at the parks visitor center.

Lodging - There is no lodging within the park

Camping- There is no camping within the park

Park Address - 6220 Steinbeck Bend Drive, Waco, TX 76708

Chickasaw National Recreation Area

Distance from Dallas - 144 miles

Top Attractions - Travertine Nature Center, swimming, hiking, bison, Lake of the Arbuckles

Chickasaw National Recreation Area was originally part of Platt National Park the 7th National Park created in the United States. The park was created to protect the federal Sulphur Sprigs Reservation that was established in 1902 to protect mineral and freshwater springs.

Visitors can explore the Travertine Nature Center, watch bison, enjoy 20 miles of trails, camp, and swim.

Lodging - There is no lodging within the park.

Camping- There are six campgrounds with over 400 campsites in the park.

Park Address -901 W. 1st Street, Sulphur, OK 73086

Oklahoma City Memorial

Distance from Dallas - 207 miles

Top Attractions - outdoor memorial, Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum.

On April 19, 1995 the Alfred P Murrah Federal Building in OKC was destroyed by a bomb. This was the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in US History.

The Oklahoma City Memorial honors the 168 people killed during the attack. The memorial consists of the Gates of Time, a field of 168 empty chairs representing those who passed away. and a reflecting pool.

Lodging - There is no lodging within the park.

Camping- There is no camping within the park.

Park Address -301 NW 6th Street, Suite 305, Oklahoma City, OK 73102-0676

William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace National Historic Site

Distance from Dallas - 212 miles

Top Attractions - 1917 house where Bill Clinton grew up.

President William Jefferson Blythe III was born in the small town of Hope, Arkansas on August 1, 1946. He lived in this house for the 1st four years of his life with his widowed mother, and her parents.

The house was build in the American Foursquare style popular in the early 20th century. Today visitors can take a guided tour of the house, learn more about President Clinton's childhood, and shop at the park bookstore.

Lodging - There is no lodging within the park.

Camping- There is no camping within the park.

Park Address -117 South Hervey Street, Hope, AR 71801

Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park

Distance from Dallas - 244 miles

Top Attractions - Texas White House, LBJ Ranch

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park tells the story of the 36th President of the United States. The park shares both presidential history and family history.

Lodging - There is no lodging in the park.

Camping- There is no camping in the park.

Park Address -100 Ladybird Lane, Johnson City, TX 78636

Big Thicket National Preserve

Distance from Dallas - 257 miles

Top Attractions - hiking, wildlife, paddling

You can take a 1-mile loop trail through a Pitcher Plant bog to see a large number of carnivorous plants in one area.

There are nine different eco-systems within the preserve.

Lodging - There is no lodging within the park.

Camping- Backcountry camping is allowed in the park.

Park Address -6102 FM 420, Kountze, TX 77625

Cane River Creole National Historical Park

Distance from Dallas - 265 miles

Top Attractions - Historical buildings and tours

Cane River Creole NHP encompasses the grounds of Oakland and Magnolia 18th century plantations. The park explains the working and legacy of the plantation system, the crops that were grown, and the people that lived there including the landowners, enslaved workforce, and paid workers.

Lodging - There is no lodging within the park.

Camping- There is no camping within the park.

Park Address -4386 Highway 494, Natchez, LA 71456 (Oakland )
5549 Highway 119, Cloutierville, LA 71416 (Magnolia)

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

Distance from Dallas - 278 miles

Top Attractions - hike and bike trail, urban park, visitor center

San Antonio Missions NHP is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas.

Lodging - There is no lodging within the park.

Camping- There is no camping within the park.

Park Address - Visitor Center at Mission San José, 6701 San Jose Drive, San Antonio, TX 78214

Hot Springs National Park

Distance from Dallas - 294 miles

Top Attractions - Historic bathhouses, hiking trails

Hot Springs National Park is in a way the oldest unit in the National Park Service even though it wasn't designated a National Park until 1921. In 1832, Congress designated the area as the Hot Springs reservation to protect the "healing" hot springs.

This city park has a colorful history, cool hot spring features, and bath houses. It is one of the most unique national parks in the United States.

Lodging - There is no lodging within the park.

Camping- Gulpha Gorge Campground

Park Address -369 Central Avenue, Hot Springs, AR 71901

Washita Battlefield National Historic Site

Distance from Dallas - 307 miles

Top Attractions - Visitor Center, self guided trail through the battlefield.

Washita Battlefield NHS is the site of a US Army attack on a Cheyenne Village. On the morning of November 27, 1868, Lieutenant Colonel George A. Custer led a surprise attack on a Southern Cheyenne Village.

The park protects the location of the village and shares the stories of what happened that November morning.

Lodging - There is no lodging within the park.

Camping- There is no camping within the park.

Park Address - 18555 Hwy 47A, Ste. A, Cheyenne, OK 73628

Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site

Distance from Dallas - 320 miles

Top Attractions - Visitor Center, guided ranger tours

In September 1957, nine African American students attempted to go to the all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. The threat of violence prompted President Dwight Eisenhower to order federal military troops to escort the "Little Rock Nine". They were eventually allowed to go to classes.

Today Little Rock Central High School is the only still functioning high school in the National Park system. Visitors can visit the visitor center, watch a park film, become a junior ranger, and take guided tours of the high school with a ranger.

The guided tour was one of the best National Park ranger programs we have ever done.

Lodging - There is no lodging within the park.

Camping- There is no camping within the park.

Park Address - 2120 W Daisy L Gatson Bates Dr, Little Rock, AR 72202