If you’re thinking about a summer trip to a US national park, this list will help you out! Summer is a great time to visit many of the national parks. The high altitude parks are thawing out from winter, and it’s a warm time (but not the hottest time of year) for other parks at lower altitudes.
I’m an avid national park traveler who has almost been to all 63 US national parks, and these picks are based on my experiences in the parks. Use this list to come up with ideas for a summer national park trip, and guide your planning process.
I struggled a bit with this list for June, because it’s a good month for a lot of parks, but not always the best month. I cut a few from the list because while visiting in the summer is popular and nice, you’ll experience better temperatures and fewer crowds if you visit in the shoulder months, like May and September, instead. In other parks, visiting in June can be nice, but there still might be a lot of snow in the higher altitudes, so I would recommend waiting until July for full access to the park.
Overall, I tried to keep this list short so that I could really focus on the best parks for June. For more ideas, check out my longer list of the national parks to visit in the summer, and see the honorable mentions at the bottom.
No matter which national park you visit, please make sure to leave no trace! That includes packing out all of your trash, following all park rules, never feeding wildlife and staying on durable surfaces. Please make an effort to respect our public lands.
11 of the Best National Parks to Visit in June
1. Olympic National Park, Washington
Average temperatures in June: 59° F / 43° F
This Washington park has a beautiful amount of variety. Olympic National Park offers marvelous beaches, lush rainforest, waterfalls and tall mountains. The highest elevation areas of the park, such as Hurricane Ridge, may still be snowy in early June, but the rest of the park is gorgeous this time of year.
Summer is the peak season at Olympic National Park, so you may encounter crowds. However, June tends to be less busy than July and August. I recommend going especially early to see the Hoh Rainforest, as there can be a long line of cars to get to the parking lot.
While the end of June is better for mountain hiking, the beginning of June will likely be better for powerful waterfalls and a chance to see wildflowers blooming in the coastal and lowland parts of the park.
Read my itinerary for Olympic National Park
2. Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee
Average temperatures in June: 77° F / 53° F
Great Smoky Mountains National Park has something different to offer year round, but June is a great time to explore.This is the most visited US national park, and it’s home to a variety of plants and animals, waterfalls, mountain peaks, scenic drives, and more.
June is a lovely time for hiking, and you might get to see some early summer blooms of mountain laurel or rhododendron.
One of the coolest parts about visiting in early June is that you could get a chance to see the Synchronous Fireflies. This event takes place annually, typically from the end of May to the beginning of June. It’s when fireflies flash in unison during their mating season. To see this special occurrence, you’ll need to enter a lottery, which usually is held during the month of May.
Whether you’re able to see the fireflies or not, June brings nice weather in this park. June can be crowded, but it should be less crowded than the busiest months in the Great Smoky Mountains, which tend to be July and October.
3. Great Sand Dunes, Colorado
Average temperatures in June: 79° F / 49° F
Explore the tallest sand dunes in North America at Great Sand Dunes in Colorado. This national park protects massive sand dunes, and is also home to forest, wetlands, alpine lakes and tundra. It’s a neat park for sandboarding, hiking, picnicking, and more.
Each year in late Spring, you have a chance to see a seasonal river flowing through the dunes known as Medano Creek. It’s typically at its best at the end of May and early June. This unique spot is nice for swimming or relaxing as if you’re at a beach.
During a visit to Great Sand Dunes, you can rent a sled or sand board to fly down the dunes. And don’t miss Zapata Falls, which is right outside of the park.
4. Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska
Average temperatures in June: 60° F / 43° F
Glacier Bay is a park mostly explored from the water, but the park protects 3.3 million acres of mountains, glaciers, rainforest and fjords. Most visitors see this park via a cruise, but you can also visit on your own and take a ranger-led boat tour to explore, among other activities.
You’ll want to visit this park between late May and early September, as most services won’t be available at other times of year. June is a great time to see humpback whales and orcas, along with other wildlife. This is an incredible place to watch glaciers calving and see some incredible landscapes.
5. Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
Average temperatures in June: 79° F / 49° F
Mesa Verde is an amazing place to step back in time and see what life was like for the Ancestral Puebloan people 100’s of years ago. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that protects over 5,000 archaeological sites and about 600 cliff dwellings. It’s home to the largest cliff dwellings in North America.
You’ll need to visit between May and October to take a ranger-led tour of one of the cliff dwellings, which I highly recommend. June (especially early June) is a great month to enjoy slightly fewer crowds than the busiest months of July and August. Plus, temperatures are a little cooler.
Tip: Be logged on and ready to book your cliff dwelling tour tickets 2 weeks ahead of time when they go on sale.
Read my itinerary for Mesa Verde National Park
6. Yosemite National Park, California
Average temperatures in June: 82° F / 51° F
Yosemite is a breathtaking park full of massive canyons, tall waterfalls, towering forests, and lots of beauty. The park offers something different year round, but summer is a great time to visit if you want to make sure the high altitude areas of the park are accessible.
June is a good part of summer to visit because the high altitude areas of the park will likely be accessible (sometimes this doesn’t occur until late June). At the same time, you might still get to see the gushing waterfalls that spring brings (they will be best in early June). Either way, there is so much to do and see in this massive park.
Plus, July and August tend to be the busiest months in the park, so you’ll experience slightly fewer crowds in June.
7. Acadia National Park, Maine
Average temperatures in June: 71° F / 49° F
Acadia offers a beautiful mix of coastline, mountainous trails, biking paths, and more. The park is well known for its epic sunrise (from Cadillac Mountain), its trails that feature ladders, and its famous popovers served at Jordan Pond House.
Acadia is not fully accessible or open during the winter and spring, and the best time to visit is in the summer or fall. June brings nice weather and wildflowers, and it’s a bit less crowded than July and August. The only downside is that the famous Precipice Trail (which features a ton of ladders and rungs), tends to be closed between March and mid-August.
8. National Park of American Samoa
Average temperatures in June: 85° F / 77° F
The National Park of American Samoa is a bucket list park that is located about 5,000 miles from the mainland US, and just over 2,000 miles from Hawaii. The park has stunning scenery that includes rugged coastlines next to pointed mountains covered in lush greenery. It’s an amazing place, but hard to reach.
The best time to visit American Samoa is between May and October. This is the dry season, which brings less humidity and good visibility for snorkeling. You’ll be happy for less humidity while you’re hiking - it gets hot!
Read my guide to American Samoa
9. Sequoia National Park, California
Average temperatures in June: 63° F / 38° F
Sequoia is home to the tallest trees in the world! Plus, this park features waterfalls, alpine lakes, mountain views and stunning scenery all around. Summer is the best time to visit to ensure the entire park is accessible. However, summer can also be very crowded.
Stick to early June to avoid more of the crowds, and consider visiting on a weekday if you can. However, if you plan to get to busy parking lots early, you can still enjoy the beauty without too many others.
Tip: On the busiest days, you’ll need to take a shuttle to get to certain areas of the park, such as Moro Rock.
Read my itinerary for Sequoia and Kings Canyon
10. Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska
Average temperatures in June: 45° F / 30° F
Kenai Fjords is where the ice meets the ocean. The park is home to nearly 40 glaciers, a massive ice field, and lots of wildlife. The park is mostly explored by the water, because there is only one area of the park accessible by road.
Kenai Fjords is also a place where you can clearly see the effects of climate change. Some of the glaciers are receding at an alarming rate, and signs marking the year show how large Exit Glacier (one of the most accessible glaciers in the park) used to be.
Kenai Fjords is best visited during the summer and June is a great time to see orcas, which are best seen between mid-May and mid-June.
Read my guide to Seward, Alaska
11. Kings Canyon National Park, California
Average temperatures in June: 63° F / 27° F
Kings Canyon is home to one of the deepest canyons in the United States, along with incredible mountains, alpine lakes, sequoia trees, and more. The park is right next to Sequoia (they’re jointly managed), but is often overlooked.
When you visit, make sure to drive the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway, which has stunning views of a glacier-carved valley.
Not all of Kings Canyon is accessible in the winter, and most people visit in the summer. Stick to early June to avoid more of the crowds, and consider visiting on a weekday if you can. However, if you plan to get to busy spots early, you can still enjoy the beauty without too many others.
Read my itinerary for Sequoia and Kings Canyon
Honorable Mentions
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison
- Shenandoah
- New River Gorge
- Congaree
- Theodore Roosevelt
- Wind Cave
- Denali
Final Thoughts
I hope this list gives you some great ideas for a summer national park trip! From breathtaking mountain vistas to glaciers, there are so many stunning parks to visit in the summer.
For more US National Park Guides, check out these blogs:
- The Best National Park to Visit in the Spring
- The Best National Parks to Visit in the Summer
- The Best National Parks to Visit in the Fall
- The Best National Parks to Visit in the Winter
- How to Avoid Crowds in National Parks
- A Guide to Which National Parks Require Reservations
- Exactly How to Plan a National Park Road Trip
Thanks for Reading!
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