National parks near Yellville, Arkansas
Hot Springs National Park is the closest national park to Yellville, Arkansas — 120 mi (193 km) in a straight line, which works out to roughly 3 hr 17 min behind the wheel.
Hot Springs and Gateway Arch are better with a night booked nearby.
Yellville has a population of about 1,169.
National parks near Yellville
| Park | Straight-line distance | Estimated drive | Realistic trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot Springs National Park | 120 mi (193 km) | 3 hr 17 min | Best as a weekend |
| Gateway Arch National Park | 215 mi (346 km) | 5 hr 32 min | Best as a weekend |
| Mammoth Cave National Park | 371 mi (597 km) | 9 hr 13 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Indiana Dunes National Park | 480 mi (772 km) | 11 hr 48 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 513 mi (825 km) | 12 hr 35 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| New River Gorge National Park | 651 mi (1048 km) | 15 hr 52 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Point Pelee National Park | 673 mi (1084 km) | 16 hr 23 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Los Novillos National Park | 676 mi (1088 km) | 16 hr 27 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Cuyahoga Valley National Park | 692 mi (1114 km) | 16 hr 50 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Congaree National Park | 694 mi (1117 km) | 16 hr 53 min | Worth a longer road trip |
What to book before you leave Yellville
| Park | What needs booking | Covers | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Smoky Mountains | Great Smoky Mountains National Park Parking Tag | Parking, not an entrance fee | Timed reservation |
Camping near Yellville
Within reach of Yellville, 50 campgrounds across 7 parks appear on Recreation.gov: 30 at Great Smoky Mountains, 5 at Mammoth Cave, 5 at Indiana Dunes, and 5 at New River Gorge, plus 3 more parks with fewer sites.
Recreation.gov releases most national park campsites six months before the arrival date, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. Windows are set per campground, so confirm yours on the Seasons and Fees tab on that campground page.
Once a date is gone, cancellations are the real supply, and they get taken within minutes of appearing.
When to make this trip
Hot Springs National Park is generally best March through May, then September through November, with February and December as the quieter shoulder either side.
Midsummer is hot, humid, and buggy; winter is mild and one of the better times to visit.
Biting insects and afternoon storms dominate summer. Repellent and a rain shell matter more than warm layers.
Seeing more than one
Several parks near Yellville are close enough to each other to combine on one trip, so the drive from home only has to happen once.
| Pair | Apart | Estimated drive |
|---|---|---|
| Mammoth Cave → Great Smoky Mountains | 179 mi (288 km) | 4 hr 41 min |
Planning a trip from Yellville
Distances here are straight-line and the drive estimate adds a road factor on top, but mountain passes and seasonal closures can change it a lot — a route that looks like three hours in June can be shut entirely in February. Confirm road status with the park before you commit to a date.
Other towns in Marion County
Common questions
What is the closest national park to Yellville?
Hot Springs National Park. It is about 120 mi (193 km) from Yellville, roughly 3 hr 17 min of driving.
Can I do a national park day trip from Yellville?
Not comfortably. The nearest parks are far enough that you will want at least one night away.
How many national parks are near Yellville?
10 parks are within reach of Yellville, 0 of them close enough for a day trip.
Do you need a reservation for the national parks near Yellville?
None of them gate the entrance itself. These requirements are usually seasonal, so check the date you plan to arrive.
Where can you camp near Yellville?
Recreation.gov lists 50 campgrounds at the national parks within reach of Yellville. They are spread across 7 of those parks.
When is the best time to visit the parks near Yellville?
For Hot Springs National Park, the closest one, generally March through May, then September through November. Either side of that, February and December stays quieter.