Are you ready to plan your next summer vacation? Check out this complete list of the best national parks in summer, so you can get out and see some of the prettiest places 😍 in the entire US!
Kids are on break, the weather is nice and everyone is ready to get out and explore. National parks are wonderful, but they can also be packed with people. No one wants a vacation where you spend most of the time in traffic or in the car 🚗. The parks on this list are some of the most beautiful, but they are also generally easier to navigate.
My husband and I traveled to all 51 national parks in the Lower 48 of the US 🇺🇸. In fact, we last summer we went to 18 of them! So, I know the parks that are the best summer destinations for your next vacation.
Below I’ve compiled a list of the 5 best National Parks to visit this summer! You can read all about the highlights of these parks, reasons they are fantastic summer destinations, and important things to know before you visit.
Don’t forget to get your National Parks Pass here!
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5 Best National Parks to Visit in Summer
1) Grand Teton, Wyoming
Grand Teton is one of the best national parks to visit in summer, but it’s also just one of the best parks in general. With some of the prettiest hikes in the US and stunning scenery that will truly blow you away 🤯.
This park preserves the rugged peaks of the Teton Mountain range. Surrounding these Wyoming mountains you’ll find a paradise of bright blue alpine lakes and a diverse ecosystem. A variety of wildlife roam the park including bison 🦬, prong horns, grizzly bears, and moose. Its splendor will captivate you.
Weather in Summer: Lows in the low 40s, highs in the mid 70s and sunny
Why Grand Teton is One of the Best National Parks to Visit in Summer:
During the summer wildflowers bloom 🌺, snow melts, and the bright alpine lakes come out to play. Although Yellowstone sits right next to it, Grand Teton has significantly less visitors. There’s so much to do in this park that you could stay for weeks and weeks to find endless adventures.
You can get out and go for a hike along the trails and then spend time swimming in the lakes afterwards. Get up for sunrise to see moose and then watch the sky light up during sunset. If you’re looking for a camping adventure ⛺️, then Grand Tetons is ideal with great campsites in the park and free ones right outside of it.
Plus, you can always drive out of the park to Jackson for more outdoorsy adventures like whitewater rafting and floating the rivers. It’s the perfect park for a great summer vacation.
What to Do in the Grand Tetons:
- Visit Jenny Lake
- Head out on the amazing trails like Delta Lake, Inspiration Point, Bradly Lakes, and Cascade Canyon
- Watch the sunrise at Oxbow Bend & Schwabacher Landing
- Boat in Colter Bay
- Go cliff jumping at Phelps Jumping Rock
- Drive the scenic road
- Go looking for wildlife at dawn or dusk
Important Things to Know:
💵 Grand Teton’s entrance fee is $35 for a private vehicle which covers 7 day.
⛺️There are 8 campgrounds in Grand Teton National Park. All of these campgrounds require advance reservations, which sell quickly for the summertime. Book these months in advance. You can also get into the backcountry, but you will need a permit that are first-come, first-served.
🐻 Grand Teton National Park is bear country, so make sure to stay bear aware and make loud noises when hiking on the trails. Use the rule of thumb when viewing wildlife, so that you stay the correct distance away. It’s important to bring bear spray.
🦮 Pets are allowed in the park, but they are not permitted on hiking trails or in buildings. They can be on the roads and in parking lots.
⚠️ Most roads are closed during the winter time, so they reopen for the summer season. However, construction may close certain roads during these months, but you can stay up to date on the NPS website.
2) Mount Rainier, Washington
Head to Mount Rainier to see one of the most awe inspiring mountains 🏔 in the entire country. There’s nothing that can describe the feeling of seeing it in person, it is truly spectacular.
Located just a couple hours from Seattle, Mount Rainier sits at 14,000 feet and towers above. It’s one of the oldest parks in the nation and preserves this mountain, which is still an active volcano today with over 25 glaciers 🧊 on its surface. Within the park’s boundaries you’ll find gushing waterfalls, glacial lakes, and challenging trails.
Weather in summer: Lows in the 40s, highs in the low 70s, sunny
Why Mount Rainier is One of the Best National Parks to Visit in Summer:
Summer is the best time to visit Mount Rainier, because for most of the year roads and trails are covered in snow. But, in the summer, the snow melts ❄️, the sun shines, and you can see wildflowers pop up amongst the landscape. Visit the Paradise, Longmire, and Sunshine areas of the park, to see the wondrous scenery.
In the early parts of the summer, there may still be snow on the trails. But, that’s the best time to go glissading (sledding without a sled) down the mountain and water gushes in the rivers. The weather is warm, so you can wear a T-shirt while you walk on the snow covered trail.
Later in the summer, you can access all of the best trails in the park and see gushing waterfalls. July and August are wonderful times to visit, despite the growing crowds. There’s so much to fall in love with in the area surrounding Mount Rainier.
What to Do in Mount Rainier:
- Hike one of the amazing trails like Fremont Tower, Wonderland Trail or Sourdough Ridge
- See the beautiful wildflowers in front of Mt Rainier
- Visit Paradise and soak in the scenery
- Go glissading in early summer
- Chase waterfalls at at Myrtle, Narada, or Spray Falls
- Go stargazing and see the milky way over the mountain 💫
Important Things to Know:
💵 Mount Rainier is $30 for vehicle entry, which covers seven days in the park. They are only taking cashless payments for entry.
☀️ Weather changes quickly in Mt. Rainier National Park. Make sure that you stay updated and that you take the proper precautions. If there are signs of bad weather, then stay in the lower elevations.
⛺️ Most of the campgrounds at Mount Rainier are on a first-come, first-served basis. However, you can book reservations at Cougar Rock and Ohanapecosh Rock up to six months in advance on recreation.gov.
🐻 Mt. Rainier is bear country, so make sure to stay bear aware and make loud noises when hiking on the trails. Use the rule of thumb when viewing wildlife, so that you stay the correct distance away.
🦮 Pets are not allowed in the park and they must stay leashed in parking lots as well.
⚠️ In early summer, you may still have various road and trail closures in the park based on the yearly snowfall. You can get updates on openings on the NPS website or ask the rangers in the park when you arrive.
3) Redwoods, California
Tall trees, gorgeous coastline, and mild temperatures, what’s not to love about Redwoods National Park? It’s the perfect road trip destination 🚙 for you to visit this summer!
Redwoods National Park protects the tallest trees in the country with large groves full of them. But in addition to to the trees, it also has an amazing coastline, an abundant population of elk, and a beautiful coastline. People often say that the Redwoods is one of their favorite parks.
Weather in Summer: Lows in the low 60s, highs in the low 80s, cool and dry
Why Redwoods is One of the Best National Parks to Visit in Summer:
While it is still a popular park, Redwoods 🌳 has significantly smaller crowds than the popular Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. So, you can drive through the park with ease while gaping up at the Redwoods that tower above. Its mild temperatures in the summer are great for getting out and exploring.
Additionally, this park follows the coastline and there’s nothing better than a summer beach vacation. You can visit the great beaches 🌊 that cover the shoreline or hide under the cool shades of the gigantic trees. It’s a wonderful family-friendly vacation with experiences for everyone.
What to Do in the Redwoods:
- Walk amongst the trees in Lady Byrd Johnson Grove
- Hike through Fern Canyon
- See the giants in the Tall Trees Grove
- Chase the fairytale beauty of Trillium Falls
- Drive through the scenic roads of the park
Important Things to Know:
💵 Redwoods National Park is free to visit and there are no entrance stations in the park! Much of the park is connected to the California state parks as well.
⚠️ Redwoods National Park is run as a unit with three California state parks: Del Norte State Park, Jedidiah Smith State Park, and Prairie Creek State Park. Some people can get confused visiting this park because of that, but they are all connected.
🎟 Like many other parks, you need to acquire permits for certain areas of the park. There are permits for the Fern Canyon Trailhead parking as well as for the Tall Trees Grove hike.
⛺️ Redwoods National Park has four different campgrounds that you can reserve months to advance. You can find these reservations here.
🦮 Pets are allowed in the park, but are not permitted on the trails. They must be leashed at all times while in the the park.
4) Isle Royale, Michigan
Isle Royale is one of the most remote parks in the country, but it is also one of the most stunning. It’s closed for most of the year, but summer is the ✨ perfect time ✨ to visit this lush island.
Travel to Isle Royale and find a rugged and secluded island brimming with beauty. This island sits in the middle of Lake Michigan far from any civilization. It has hundreds of miles of trails 🥾 and dozens of campgrounds to explore. Go for a visit and find out why this is one of the most revisited parks in the entire country.
Weather in summer: Lows in low 50s, highs in low 70s, warm with occasional rain
Why Isle Royale is One of the Best National Parks to Visit in Summer:
First and foremost, summer is one of the only times this park is open, but more than that it is remarkable. Because it is so hard to get to, it’s one of the parks with the fewest crowds. So, you can enjoy a summer camping trip in solitude on an island surrounded by bright blue waters with cool temperatures.
Most people travel to this park to go backpacking 🎒, which is the best way to see the park. You can spend a few days walking through the solitude of the island, dipping in lakes, and having a magical experience. It will be a trip that you will never forget!
Don’t worry, if you aren’t a big backpacker, then you can still visit this amazing park! Isle Royale has lodges on both sides of the island: Rock Harbor and Windigo. Stay there for a few days to bask in the solitude of the island, take short day hikes, and go on a boat tour 🚤.
The only downside of summer is the black flies that come out to bite. So don’t forget to pack plenty of bug spray!
What to Do in Isle Royale:
- Go Backpacking around the island
- Look for Moose and other wildlife
- Take the ferry to Isle Royale
- Pick wild berries on the trails
- Hop on a boat tour around Lake Superior
- Spend time fishing in the Lake’s cool waters
- Go on a day hike from Rock Harbor or Windigo
Important Things to Know:
💵 Isle Royale costs $7 to enter per person, but that doesn’t include transportation.
⚠️ Isle Royale is only open from April 16th to October 31st every year. During the rest of the year, the weather is too extreme for visitors.
⛴ The only way to get to Isle Royale is by boat or seaplane (which starts at $80 one way) from Minnesota or Michigan. You need to book these months in advance and you can read more about that here.
⛺️ Backpacking is the best way to see Isle Royale. You will need to get a permit, but you only need to get it in advance if your group has more than 6 people. There is no fee for small groups.
🐺 There are moose and wolves in Isle Royale. So, be aware and give all wildlife plenty of space.
🦮 Pets are not allowed in the park and will not be permitted on board the boats or planes either.
5) Shenandoah, Virginia
Escape the oppressive East Coast summer heat and visit Shenandoah National Park. This park follows Skyline Drive in Southern Virginia and is surrounded on all sides by the rolling Appalachian mountains.
This park is an incredible destination for outdoorsy individuals or people who just want to soak in some views. Visit here and fall in love with the gorgeous waterfalls, vibrant wildlife, and stunning sunsets 🌅. Shenandoah is one of those parks that you could visit dozens of times and find something new to see every time.
Weather: Lows in high 50s, highs in mid 80s, sunny
Why Shenandoah is One of the Best National Parks to Visit in Summer:
Summer in the East Coast can be described in two words: hot and sticky 🥵. The humidity makes the air feel warmer and it can be hard to go outside. Luckily, if you just travel two hours South of DC, you’ll be able to get up to the cool Shenandoah mountains.
Cruise along Skyline drive and you’ll be welcomed by lush trees and rolling mountains all around. There are so many great trails to get panoramic vistas above the tree lines with the long sunlight hours ☀️. You’ll want to keep exploring for hours.
Spring rain accumulates in the waters and in the summer waterfalls flow strongly 💦 in the middle of the forests. There are plenty of wonderful trails where you can go for a dip when the temperatures get too hot. Shenandoah is a fantastic summer adventure for everyone!
What to Do in Shenandoah:
- Go on an epic hike up to Old Rag
- Drive down Skyline Drive
- Go swimming along the White Oak Canyon Trail
- Visit the gushing Dark Hollow Falls
- Watch the sunset at Stony Mountain
- Stop at scenic overlooks
Important Things to Know:
💵 Shenandoah costs $30 for a private vehicle that covers 7 day.
🎟 The Old Rag trail requires permits. You can book them on recreation.gov as long as they are available and they cost $1.
⛺️There are five campgrounds in Shenandoah National Park. Big Meadows and Dundo Group Campground are by reservation only, but the other three have some first-come, first-served sites. Sites open up 6 months in advance.
🐻 You might see black bears when you are in Shenandoah. Try to make noise and keep your distance so that you stay safe.
🦮 Luckily, Shenandoah is a pet friendly park. They are allowed on many of the trails, but they must stay on a leash that is 6 feet or shorter.
Find my favorite gear for outdoor adventures here.
Final Thoughts
Summer is the ultimate time to go on a vacation. Learn why these are the best 5 national parks to visit in summer. Travel to one of these parks and create memories that will last forever.
Let me know in the comments if you enjoyed this list!
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