Matt and Karen Smith visit Glacier National Park. Courtesy of Matt and Karen Smith.
A Gen X couple who has been to all 63 national parks says some are better than others in the summer.
Matt and Karen Smith avoided parks like Death Valley because of the extremely high summer temperatures.
The best place to visit in summer is Takayama National Park.
There are 63 national parks in the United States, but not all of them are summer destinations, according to a couple who have visited them all.
Matt and Karen Smith, both 63, quit their jobs in 2010 with the sole mission of visiting every national park in the United States, inspired by their friends Bob and Sue, they told Business Insider. Told.
Since then, the couple has written several books about their national park experiences and shares their tips and tricks on their Instagram page and podcast, “Dear Bob and Sue: A National Parks Podcast,” which had more than 247,000 followers as of May 2024. I'm sharing tips.
The National Park Service reported earlier this year that more than 325 million people visited at least one national park last year, an increase of 4% from the previous year.
With popularity near an all-time high, here are eight parks the Smiths recommend visiting this summer, and two parks they recommend avoiding.
Visiting Death Valley in the summer can be “literally” murderous.
Death Valley National Park is located in California. Courtesy of Matt and Karen Smith
If you're considering a stop in Death Valley this summer, the Smiths strongly advise against it.
Matt and Karen love California's desert parks, hiking the Gower Gulch Loop and watching sunsets from the Mesquite Flat dunes, but they say the sweltering summer heat just isn't worth the effort.
“We love Death Valley,” Matt said. “Don't go to Death Valley in the summer. Not because it's a bad park, but because you can literally die from the heat.”
He has a point. In early July 2023, tourists made headlines for arriving at the park in droves despite multiple NPS warnings of a dangerous heatwave that could reach 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Several deaths were reported in the aftermath, including that of an elderly hiker who was found collapsed in a bathroom near the Golden Canyon trailhead, NPS reported. .
For a safer visit and less intense heat, the Smiths recommend planning your trip in January or February.
The same goes for Joshua trees, which the Smiths say can also be “brutally hot.”
Sunset at Joshua Tree National Park, a popular getaway for residents of Los Angeles and San Diego. Frank DeBonis/Getty Images
Similarly, Matt and Karen would advise against visiting Joshua Tree National Park in the summer due to the potential for “scorching heat.”
In fact, the best months to travel are January and February, when temperatures are cooler.
Once you arrive, we recommend trekking our favorite hiking trail, the Panorama Loop. It's not too crowded and you can enjoy great views.
One of the best parks to visit in the summer is Washington's North Cascades.
North Cascades National Park is located in Washington state. Courtesy of Matt and Karen Smith
According to Karen, some of the best national parks to visit in the summer are alpine parks. ”throughout the northwestern part of the country. ”
The North Cascades are a prime example of this, and are best visited from July to September, according to the Smiths.
The alpine hiking trails are reminiscent of the Swiss Alps and will make you feel like you're in the great outdoors, even though you're only a few hours from bustling cities and towns like Bellingham and Mount Vernon. they added.
Another summer favorite of the Smith family is Mount Rainier, also in Washington.
Mount Rainier National Park is located in Washington state. Courtesy of Matt and Karen Smith
Mount Rainier is just a few hours away from the Smiths' home in Washington, which is convenient since it's one of their favorite parks to visit in the summer.
”“Mt. Rainier isn’t as popular as the other mountains, but Mt. Rainier is amazing,” Karen said. “It's like being in Switzerland. World-class hiking on Mount Rainier.”
One of my favorite spots in the park is the Sunrise Area, which will be accessible by car starting July 1st. “Mount Rainier is literally right in front of us,” Karen added.
Visiting the glacier in the summer is worth it just for the views, the Smiths say.
Glacier National Park is located in Montana. Courtesy of Matt and Karen Smith
montana lies glacier national parkThe Smiths say hiking experiences can be found in areas such as Logan Pass and Many Glacier, which rival the Swiss Alps.
Besides the hike, the couple say their biggest reason for visiting the glacier is the panoramic views they get on the drive down. The road to the sun.
The only caveat for the Smiths is that the time to visit the glacier in the summer is a little limited. They recommend visiting from mid-July to mid-September, but warn that near the end of that period the weather can change from full-blown summer to winter storms in a matter of days. There is.
In the summer, you're more likely to have unobstructed views of Crater Lake.
Crater Lake National Park is located in Oregon. Courtesy of Matt and Karen Smith
Another national park the Smiths recommend visiting in the summer is Crater Lake in Oregon. One reason for that is that many of the roads in the park “won't open until at least July 1,” Cullen said.
But more importantly, the couple say the views along the crater's rim are most spectacular, unobstructed by clouds, during the summer months from July to September.
Yosemite is “beautiful” during the warm months of the year.
Yosemite National Park is located in California. Michael Gerardo Santos Serralde/Getty Images
Matt says Yosemite is “beautiful” and “a great place to visit” from July to September.
He added that it is not impossible to visit in winter, but it is not the same as most of the high altitude areas and roads are closed.
Yosemite is one of the most popular national parks, so couples like to choose the less popular high country trails in the Tioga Pass area to avoid the crowds, and find they are just as good as the more famous trails. they say.
An underrated alternative to Yosemite, which is equally beautiful in the summer, is Kings Canyon.
Kings Canyon National Park is located in California. Courtesy of Matt and Karen Smith
For those interested in escaping the crowds of national parks in the summer, the Smiths recommend visiting California's Kings Canyon.
They say the Cedar Grove area of the park is similar to Yosemite Valley, but less crowded. Access varies depending on snow conditions, but the best chance of a successful visit is from July to September.
Sequoia National Park is also a great option for those looking to avoid the summer crowds.
Sequoia National Park is located in California. Elena Pueyo/Getty Images
As the name suggests, the Smiths said the towering sequoia trees are the main attraction of visiting the national park.
But they say it's also home to great hikes through areas such as the Giant Forest and the trail to the top of Moro Rock.
Due to the park's high elevation, Sequoia receives quite a bit of snow. According to the couple, it's best to go in the summer when temperatures are warm and the snow has melted. That said, winter hiking can be a magical experience when the roads are clear.
Wildlife lovers should visit Yellowstone in early summer.
Yellowstone National Park is located mostly in Wyoming. Courtesy of Matt and Karen Smith
The Smiths' favorite activities in Yellowstone are hiking overlooking Grand Prismatic Spring and driving through Lamar Valley to see roaming bison.
From late spring to mid-June, the couple said visitors have a chance to see many baby bison, nicknamed “red dogs” because their fur turns orange after birth.
It's important to remember that snow can fall in Yellowstone any season. But Matt and Karen say that's usually not an issue between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Grand Teton is Yellowstone's “sister park” and is also a great place to visit in the summer.
Grand Teton National Park is located in Wyoming. Courtesy of Matt and Karen Smith
“Grand Teton is also a great park to visit in the summer,” Karen said, especially between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
The park, less than a three-hour drive from Yellowstone, is home to an abundance of wildlife, including grizzly bears, so the couple recommends visitors carry bear spray.
The couple, who are avid hikers, recommend hiking to the west side of Jenny Lake and into Cascade Canyon. It is said that moose are regularly sighted there.
Denali is just one of 15 national parks in Alaska that the Smiths recommend for summer visits.
Denali National Park is located in Alaska. KeenaiPhoto / iStock
“If people want to see Alaska's parks, they want to go in the summer,” Karen said.
Some of them are alaska parks Like Wrangell St. Elias, it's fairly remote and inaccessible, but one of the most convenient places to visit is Denali.
“It’s just a few hours north of Anchorage,” Karen said. “So it's one of the most accessible parks, and it's also phenomenal.”
The couple said that with permission, people can take a bus into the park and enjoy the vast natural surroundings.
Matt and Karen added that August is the best time to go. Because there is less cloudiness, you are more likely to have a clear view of the mountains, and, importantly, there are no mosquitoes.
