UPFRONT/GO
The Best Months to Visit National Parks
PEAK TIMES FOR nature and climate in the great outdoors often don’t align with peak vacation season. This is ideal for older Americans with greater flexibility in their schedules. Kurt Repanshek, the founding editor in chief of NationalParksTraveler.org, offers some handy guidance for timing your national park trip. —Veronica Stoddart
Acadia National Park
MAINE
June, July, August: Mild temperatures, fresh ocean air
October: Blazing fall colors
Glacier National Park
MONTANA
June, July: Scenic drives (only open in summer) and hikes
September, October: Fewer crowds; aspen, larch and cottonwood trees turning yellow
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
NORTH CAROLINA AND TENNESSEE
April, May: Lavish wildflowers, blooming redbud and dogwood trees
September, October: Brilliant fall colors that change with elevation
Grand Canyon National Park
ARIZONA
April, May: Not as hot
October, November: Less crowded hiking trails
Joshua Tree National Park
CALIFORNIA
March, April, May: Cooler weather, cactus blooms, scenic wildflowers
October, November: Cooler weather
Rocky Mountain National Park
COLORADO
September, October: Elk bugling season; eagle, hawk and falcon spotting
Yellowstone National Park
IDAHO, MONTANA AND WYOMING
May, June: Wildlife watching
(bison, wolves, bighorn sheep, elk), wildflower season
October: Cooler weather, fall colors, migrating wildlife
Yosemite National Park
CALIFORNIA
May, June: Yosemite Falls at its peak, migrating birds
Zion National Park
UTAH
October, November: Less crowded, bighorn sheep, fall colors (orange aspens, cottonwoods)