10 of the Best National Parks to Visit This Summer in the USA
The best national parks to visit in summer include uncrowded destinations in Utah, California, Alaska and beyond.
Planning a national park summer vacation? These nature-filled destinations from coast to coast are some of the best places to go this year for the perfect weather and outdoorsy activities.
From the forests of California to the canyons of Utah and the rivers of West Virginia, we’ve picked the best national parks to visit in June, July and August. Since parks like Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon tend to draw tons of vacationers, we’ve left them off this list and instead selected spots that are a little less famous.
Use these ideas to plan your next national parks vacation in summer.
New River Gorge, West Virginia
This summer is a great time to head to the newest national park before it becomes mega-popular and overrun with tourists.
Summer at New River Gorge National Park is the perfect season for white-water rafting and paddling in the West Virginia destination. On land, you can hike the Grandview Rim Trail for views of the gorge, the Castle Rock Trail for cliffs and huge rock walls, and the Tunnel Trail for a shady forest walk. The 83-mile New River Gorge Scenic Drive will take you to some of the best views of the valley and the famous New River Gorge Bridge.
Average summer temps in the park are ideal for being outdoors, with highs in the 70s and lows in the 50s.
Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska
While Denali National Park and Preserve is one of the most popular national parks for an Alaska vacation, it still gets just a fraction of the visitors of crowded parks like Zion and Yosemite. Plus, with 6 million acres to explore, it’s easy to find a spot to yourself on one of the many trails or wilderness areas.
The park is named after the tallest mountain in North America, which you can see here on a clear day. The landscape wraps in everything from tundra to forests to glaciers and lakes.
Most of the park is inaccessible to private vehicles, so you need to book a ticket on one of the tour or transit buses to go down the 90-mile Denali Park Road. Along the way, you can trek mountain trails, look for grizzly bears and caribou, or just sit back and enjoy the scenery.
The summer weather in this part of Alaska generally runs from the end of May through early September, with daytime highs in the 50s to 70s and lows sometimes dipping into the 30s at night. It’s one of the best national parks to visit in the summer to escape the heat!
Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota
Voyageurs National Park in northern Minnesota is all about the lakes and waterways in summer. Given the far north location on the border with Canada, Voyageurs is typically one of the 20 least visited national parks in the country, so it’s a great spot to escape the crowds.
You’ll definitely want a boat to explore here, but you can reserve watercraft from local vendors or book a ranger-led tour through the national park service. A few forested trails on land add in some variety.
While the ice often doesn’t melt here until May, by summer, temperatures average in the 70s during the day and cool off to the 50s at night, perfect for camping and house boating.
Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Utah’s Big Five national parks are a popular summer destination, but Canyonlands is the least busy of the group and a great spot for Southwest desert scenery and cool rock features. With sweeping canyon views, it also makes the perfect alternative to the busy Grand Canyon.
Summer at Canyonlands National Park can see temperatures over 100, so hiking in the early morning and evening is much more pleasant and safe than in midday. Many scenic points here only require a short walk, though, like the Mesa Arch, Green River Overlook and Buck Canyon Overlook.
Arches National Park is also nearby, just outside of Moab, Utah.
Redwood National Park, California
California has the most national parks out of any state, and destinations like Yosemite and Joshua Tree rank among the most popular in the country. If you want to visit a less crowded California national park this summer, try Redwood National Park in the northern part of the state.
Named for the massive trees that grow in this region, Redwood National and State Parks cover nearly 40 miles of Pacific coastline. Hikes and scenic drives through the old-growth woods and to ocean overlooks are some of the best things to do at Redwood in summer.
Even in summer, the temperatures here stay cool and comfortable for outdoor activities. Daytime highs average in the mid-60s at Redwood in June, July and August, while lows can be in the high 40s to low 50s.
Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
Kentucky can get pretty hot in July and August, so it’s the perfect time to head underground to explore the cool caverns at Mammoth Cave National Park in summer. More than 400 miles are mapped out at this cave system, and you can book tours deep into the dark, where temperatures dip to the 50s. You need to reserve your tour time in advance because they often sell out during the high season.
At the surface, 80-plus miles of trails trace through forests and along rivers. You can also kayak and fish in the park’s waterways.
Mammoth Cave is about midway between Nashville in Tennessee and Louisville in Kentucky, so you can visit on a road trip between the two.
Biscayne National Park, Florida
Biscayne National Park in summer is perfect for anyone who loves boating, swimming, diving and other ocean activities. Located south of Miami at the northern end of the Florida Keys, the park is made up of reefs, islands and mangroves.
Snorkelers and divers can explore shipwreck sites and coral reefs, while paddle trails along shallow lagoons and bays are great for spotting rays, fish and seabirds. Popular destinations here include Elliot Key for hiking and camping and the Boca Chita Lighthouse for panoramic views from an observation deck.
Summer weather is steamy with afternoon showers, but it’s the low season for prices and crowds in the Keys. Biscayne is one of the best national parks for summer if you love the ocean.
Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona
The least crowded of Arizona’s national parks, Petrified Forest in summer is a great spot to escape the crowds. Petrified Forest National Park is known for its fossilized wood and colorful hills in the Painted Desert.
While mid-summer temps in this part of the state average in the 90s and can even creep up to 100, the typically clear and sunny desert days are perfect for sightseeing. Most of the trails in Petrified Forest National Park are short and easy, so you don’t have to stay in the heat for long. You can also catch some of the best views from the car along Petrified Forest Road, a 28-mile scenic drive with lookouts along the way.
The park is along I-40 in northern Arizona about 200 miles from the Grand Canyon South Rim, so it fits perfectly in an Arizona road trip.
Haleakala National Park, Hawaii
Haleakala National Park on the island of Maui has two sections — the Kipahulu District, with waterfalls and ocean scenery on the remote eastern coast near Hana and the Summit District, which stretches to the 10,023-foot peak of a shield volcano.
Despite the tropical locale, both sides of the park offer an escape from the summer heat. Coastal breezes and rain keep the Kipahulu zone in the 70s and low 80s, perfect for hiking and swimming in waterfall pools. At the summit, temps typically top out in the 60s but drop to freezing at night. The best thing to do in this district is to watch the sunrise from the summit and hike around the craters. Don’t forget to reserve a ticket ahead of time if you want to watch the sunrise from the peak.
Badlands National Park, South Dakota
While national parks in the neighboring states of Wyoming and Montana are overflowing with summer tourists, Badlands in South Dakota is a bit quieter. The wilderness park covers 244,000 acres of prairies and canyons with scenic trails and drives.
While hiking and camping here you might spot bison, pronghorn, prairie dogs and bighorn sheep. You can also stop by the fossil lab and walk an exhibit trail to learn about ancient creators that roamed on the range.
Badlands National Park in summer is warm during the day, with high temps averaging in the 80s to low 90s. Nights cool off to a chilly 50s and 60s, perfect for camping.
