NPS

National Parks to Visit in September

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September is an ideal month for many parks, but I recommend visiting these five in particular: Carlsbad Caverns, Crater Lake, Grand Teton, Redwood and Sequoia.

Besides the magnificent cave, the top experience at Carlsbad Caverns is watching the bats in the evening, and September is best for that. Arrive at least 30 minutes before sunset to get a good seat and listen to the ranger talk.

Crater Lake is surprisingly tricky to visit. The rim road is frequently closed in sections, and the park gets crowded and can be too hot in summer. September is by far the best option, as snow starts falling in October and the road is closed until the end of June.

Grand Teton is simply beautiful in September, with aspen foliage, elk rutting, fat bears, pronghorn, and less crowded scenic drives. Water levels can be low, especially later in the month, so if you want to raft or kayak make a reservation for early September. Plan ahead as the area has gotten extremely pricey.

Redwood has a long season along the temperate California coast, but I like September best. The hiking is easier because it’s dry, the elk are easy to spot, and there are hikes that go through lush green areas like Trillium Falls to give you a sense of flowing water. And after hiking a bit, I had the trees to myself.

Sequoia is another California park where you want to wait until the crowds of summer have passed. It will still be busy, but the weather is still nice and a bit better than October.

Timing is very important for having the best park visit, and these particular parks pay off best in September.

National Parks to Visit in August

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For August, I recommend going off the beaten path to Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Great Basin, Isle Royale, Kings Canyon or Voyageurs. While some more famous parks are crowded and hot, a little effort visiting any of these rewards you with exceptional natural beauty.

The popular rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison sits around 8,000 feet, so summer is peak season with August a little cooler than July. Although the 2025 South Rim Fire closed campgrounds and washed out some roads and trails, most visitors only drive along the scenic rim and walk out to the overlooks which remain open. Mid-day can get hot, so plan a relatively short stay on either a clear morning or afternoon to take some great photos.

Great Basin is another very high altitude park where the hiking is good in August up where the bristlecone pines are. While the caves are at lower elevations, they never get hot. And August is less crowded than July. Make reservations and enjoy.

Isle Royale is best in August. It’s warm enough to spend time out hiking, camping or on the water. The bugs aren’t as bad as June and July, and everything is fully open. You just need to get tickets and make reservations by January, which is challenging.

Kings Canyon in August has great weather for hiking. So drive the scenic byway to Roads End, and let your feet take you away into the wilderness. Smart park travelers make reservations in advance and hit the busiest sights first thing in the morning.

Voyageurs has fewer bugs in August than June/July and the water is warmer. And you’re going to want to get out on the water, maybe canoe camping on an island. Again, early planning and reservations are essential.

For earlier months in this series, click January, February, March, April, May, June and July.

National Parks along Route 66 (plus Photos)

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Driving Route 66 will take you from Pullman, through Chicago Portage, Lincoln’s Home, 1908 Race Riot, US Grant’s home, Gateway Arch, Oklahoma City, Pecos, Petroglyph, Petrified Forest, Walnut Canyon and Mojave Preserve to Santa Monica. And that’s a great trip covering a lot of territory, from natural wonders to Native American sites, on the paths of explorers, and through our history.

  • Pullman Historical Park tells the story of our railroad industry amid the homes of those who worked and went on strike.
  • Chicago Portage dates back to French-Canadian explorers 100 years before America was born.
  • Lincoln’s Home in Springfield preserves his whole neighborhood, and the 1908 Race Riot site nearby shows that violence against Civil Rights continues long after the Civil War.
  • Ulysses S Grant’s home is a pretty place that explains the origins and accomplishments of one of our greatest Presidents.
  • Gateway Arch commemorates Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase and the grand expansion of our country.
  • In the heart of Oklahoma City stands a moving memorial to the American men, women and children killed in a horrific act of domestic terror.
  • At Pecos you can climb down into a Puebloan ceremonial kiva and also visit a critical historic battle site.
  • Petroglyph is tucked in a suburban area where you can walk up to see ancient carvings made by prehistoric travelers.
  • Route 66 drives right through the Petrified Forest, and the Desert Inn evokes a bit of that travel history.
  • Walnut Canyon is right off the highway and is one of the best cliff dwelling sites in the southwest.
  • Mojave National Preserve contains canyons, sand dunes, lava tubes, soda lakes and an oasis[link].
  • Santa Monica is the California Dream with beautiful ocean views, recreation and locations you grew up watching on TV.

Route 66 celebrates its 100th birthday this year, and it is a traveler’s paradise. My grandfather and great, great aunt each passed that way just over 100 years ago, and I just stopped at the Bagdad Cafe earlier this year on one of many trips along the way. If you’re interested in trails, you will cross sections of the Butterfield Overland, the E Mojave Trails, Lewis & Clark, the Old Spanish Trails, the Pioneer Trails, the Santa Fe Trail, and the Trail of Tears. The Route starts near the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago and crosses the North Rio Grande as “winds from Chicago to L.A/ More than two thousand miles all the way” as Nat King Cole used to sing Bobby Troup’s verses.

“Now it goes through Saint Looey
Joplin, Missouri
Oklahoma City looks mighty pretty
You'll see Amarillo
Gallup, New Mexico
Flagstaff, Arizona
Don't forget Winona
Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino“

If you’re interested in Native American sites, take brief detours to visit Alibates Quarry, Bandelier, Chaco Culture, Canyon de Chelly, Chickasaw Recreation, Hubbell Trading, Montezuma Castle, Taos Pueblo, Tuzigoot, Washita Battlefield, and Wupatki. They comprise some of the best and most diverse experiences in the southwest, so click, read more and go!

And many other fascinating parks from small and obscure to big and famous are also just off Route 66, along with countless wonderful photogenic bits of Americana: perhaps America’s best road trip and a great way to celebrate both its 100th birthday and America’s 250th.

  • Ste. Geneviève is a cultural gem preserving a French community south of St Louis.
  • The Ozark River is one of the most beautiful places to float in the country.
  • GW Carver pays tribute to an influential American scientist and educator who overcame great adversity.
  • Fort Union is a dusty ruin that evokes the hard life of US Army Cavalry out west.
  • Los Alamos is a fascinating and well preserved town made famous for the Manhattan Project.
  • El Malpais has names from travelers carved in the rock since prehistoric times, and El Morro has bat caves.
  • Arizona has both Sunset Volcanic Crater and the best meteor crater in the world near the route.
  • Lake Mead has lots of great recreation.
  • Joshua Tree looks surreal.
  • And Death Valley is phenomenal.

Photos clockwise from top left: Kingman, Desert Inn, Amboy, Gallup, Gateway Arch, Shamrock, Wupatki, Gillette Mansion, Bagdad Cafe, and Zzyzx.

What is a national park unit?

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National parks in the national park system

These are our 63 well-known National Parks, including Yellowstone and Yosemite.

National park units in the national park system

While the 63 parks above are the most famous park units in the system, the other 370 national park units are less well known and are less clearly defined.

  • 25 Battlefields & Military Parks
  • 76 specific Historic Sites, including some battlefields and many military forts
  • 64 general Historical Parks, including some more battlefields
  • 31 Memorials for people, places and both positive & tragic events
  • 11 Gardens and undesignated areas, including some more memorials
  • 87 Monuments, including natural areas, some more battlefields and more military forts
  • 76 Preserves, Recreation Areas, Rivers, Shores and Trails, both protecting wildlife and supporting fishing & hunting

President Lincoln first protected Yosemite Valley. Then Grant created the first national park, Yellowstone. Then Teddy Roosevelt created five more, plus various bird reserves, national forests, and monuments, and he signed the Antiquities Act into law. Then Wilson signed the Organic Act which created the National Park Service. Stephen Mather was instrumental in making the parks into what we see today. And since then, there has been a wide variety of additional legislation, creating, ending, renaming, and reorganizing various types of parks for different purposes, including historic sites, rivers, trails and wilderness.

Turns out, a national park unit is quite arbitrary. Either the President or Congress can authorize a national park unit under different legislation, and they can and do change their status too. Leaders regularly reinvent what a park unit is, what it’s for and why it’s important (or not). Presidents on average increase the total by a couple units per year. But it varies; last week the President shrank two national monuments in Utah. All of which makes my trip planning a moving target.

Officially, there are now 433 national park units of the National Park Service (NPS) managed under rules standardized in 1970. I’ve been to 400.

Extra sites not considered park units that are within the national park system

I joined the non-profit National Park Travelers Club (NPTC) to track my visits on their parkstamps.org checklists, and their like-minded community of travelers has been wonderfully helpful. The NPTC got me interested in NPS-related affiliate sites, heritage areas and trails too, and I’ve been to over 100 of these.

  • 32 Affiliates including yet more battlefields, historic sites and memorials
  • 62 Heritage Areas covering broad areas
  • 27 Trails in addition to 6 Scenic Trails that are park units above
  • 50 Wild & Scenic Rivers are also part of the park system
  • 3 Commemorative sites
  • 5 Authorized sites not yet open (typically waiting on private land transfers)
  • 1 co-managed area next to the Grand Canyon

Same type of national park units outside the national park system

Confusingly, there are 1/2 a dozen other federal agencies that also manage exactly the same types of national park units as the NPS, sometimes jointly and sometimes on their own, often under different or even conflicting rules. This leads to confusion on many websites as to exactly how many national monuments and other types of park units there are in the US. And I have to decide whether to include these units or not.

When I began my quest to see our parks, I assumed that NPS management must mean that the site is worth visiting, but one of the first NPS sites I tried to visit is permanently closed to the public with nothing to see or do. Meanwhile, there are non-NPS national monuments over 1 million acres, extraordinarily beautiful, unique in the world, and as important as they are unforgettable.

If a national historic site, monument or recreation area is important enough to be so designated by the President and/or Congress, then it belongs on my EV road trip itinerary, regardless of which government agency manages it. If a President designates a new national monument in the middle of a large national forest, management likely goes to the US Forest Service (USFS), even though it’s not any less important than other national monuments.

So, don’t be surprised to read about a USFS national recreation area or a national monument managed by the Bureau of Land Management. I’ve already posted about several, and I plan to visit more of the following units outside the NPS.

  • 1 Historic Site
  • 51 Monuments
  • 23 Recreation Areas

Where to draw the line on what to see

But I’ve also decided I can’t visit everywhere I’d like to go.

The NPS manages 50 wild & scenic rivers, mostly in or near other NPS units, and I plan to visit the remaining ones. But other agencies manage more than 175 other wild & scenic rivers, which are equally verdant. That’s too many for me, and some are in roadless wildernesses. So my compromise goal is to visit most of our national recreational, scenic and wild river systems that are over 100 miles long. I’ve already seen our shortest wild & scenic river.

There are over 1250 national recreational trails managed by other agencies. While I’ve hiked many, I’m going to stick to the 33 NPS related trails, but feel free to hike the rest.

There are also over 800 national wilderness areas in the US, plus over 500 national wildlife refuges. Many wildlife refuges do not have any roads, since they’re set aside for forests, wetlands and wildlife, not for people. And that is a problem for my electric car and for me.

Our country is full of so many fascinating travel destinations, that there’s simply not enough time to see them all. I’m an old man, and I don’t want to spend the rest of my life futilely checking off 2,600+ landmarks, 700+ lighthouses, and ~10,000 state parks. No, I need to draw the line for my own sanity.

I happily drive through national forests and cross scenic rivers every trip, but I usually do so without mention. I’m leaving wilderness areas and wildlife refuges to the plants and animals. I wish I could visit every forest, hike every trail, paddle every wild river, and explore every wilderness and wildlife refuge in the country, because they’re critically important for saving species, especially as so many lands are being damaged irreversibly by the climate crisis. But I can’t, so I will only mention a few of them occasionally in passing. However, these are our public lands, and I hope you care about and help protect them too. Thanks.

Death Valley Lows: Tragedy, Madness & Our National Parks

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On Valentine’s Day in 1884, both the wife and mother of a young Teddy Roosevelt died of illnesses, leaving him with a two day old daughter. The young Harvard graduate and successful author resigned from the NY Assembly, and he went out west to mourn in the wilderness. His experiences would bring him through battle with his rough riders in Cuba to the White House, where he repaid his debt to nature by protecting 230 million acres of public land. Presidents Lincoln and Grant—no strangers to suffering—had already protected Yosemite and Yellowstone respectively, and in 1903 President Roosevelt camped in each park with Muir and Burroughs respectively, expanding Yosemite and changing from hunter to wildlife observer in Yellowstone. As parks or monuments Teddy signed into law Crater Lake, Grand Canyon, Lassen Volcanic, Mesa Verde, Olympic, Petrified Forest, Pinnacles and Wind Cave, plus Chaco, Devils Tower, El Morro, Gila Cliff Dwellings, Jewel Cave, Montezuma Castle, Muir Woods, Natural Bridges, Tonto, and Tumacacori.

But my hero Teddy Roosevelt is not the man I write about today. The secret behind the first NPS Director, Stephen Mather, was hidden from view until 1987 when his faithful assistant and successor revealed near the end of his own life that Mather was suicidally bipolar. A contemporary and kindred spirit of Muir and Roosevelt, Mather climbed Mt Rainier in 1905, explored Kings Canyon and Sequoia and helped found Save the Redwoods. Upset over the inconsistent and weak protection in the parks he visited, Mather lobbied Washington and got a job as Assistant Secretary of the Interior. Using his own funds, he organized an expedition and invited the head of the Appropriations Committee and the press, including the National Geographic Society editor. Mather’s enthusiasm was both manic—jumping into waterfall pools—and inspiring. As a direct result, President Wilson created the National Park Service, and Mather became its first leader.

Despite his months-long ‘Death Valley lows’ Mather was responsible for many of the decisions that converted protected public lands into the National Park experiences that we enjoy today. He pushed back the loggers, miners and ranchers who were extracting private wealth from our public lands. He lobbied to create many park units, including Indiana Dunes (postponed due to the urgency of WWI). He had iconic lodges built, like Old Faithful Inn above, and he limited development in many spectacular parks to just one dramatically scenic road. These exuberant and thrilling experiences in nature were his ‘Going to the Sun highs’, and he devoted all his energy to perfecting them. Mather was a staunch environmental defender, a visionary parks evangelist, and a brilliant marketer who wanted to share the joy of these wonderful places with everyone.

Humans have long sought solace in nature, so preserving havens in national parks is essential for humanity. People like Stephen Mather, who suffered from debilitating bouts of deep depression, desperately need nature both to recover from sadness and to be inspired into joyful action. This human bond with natural beauty and affinity with wildlife is what drove Teddy Roosevelt to rebound from his tragedies and Stephen Mather to overcome his mental illness. And as President and NPS architect, both worked tirelessly to protect our public lands for future generations.

Mather is well remembered in many NPS sites, from Mather District in Yosemite, Mather Gorge at Great Falls, Mather Parkway at Rainier, Mather Point in Grand Canyon and Mount Mather in Denali. His friends created bronze Mather plaques that can be found at over 50 park units across the country. Despite our current crazy and dangerous warming of our atmosphere, the plaques thank Mather with the following quote.

“He laid the foundation of the National Park Service, defining and establishing the policies under which its areas shall be developed and conserved unimpaired for future generations. There will never come an end to the good that he has done.”

1929 House Speech by Michigan Congressman Louis Cramton

National Parks to Visit in June

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I recommend Badlands, Great Smoky, Teddy Roosevelt, Yellowstone and Wind Cave in June. These popular parks are big enough to accommodate some crowds, are more fun in summer, and are even busier in July and August.

The Badlands are at their mildest in June, with wildlife about and even some greenery. Spend some time soaking in the scenery from a campground, time your hikes for the sun angles and weather, and listen to a ranger talk at an amphitheater. You won’t have the place to yourself, but do you really want to be in the Badlands by yourself?

Great Smoky in June is good for seeing bears, fireflies, and for swimming holes or rafting, so no wonder it’s so popular. Plan ahead and spend some time camping here, so you can visit the most popular spots on weekday mornings. Take your time hiking and ask folks what they’ve seen.

Teddy Roosevelt is another fun park that’s great in June. I enjoyed driving to all three park units, hiking and enjoying wildlife and scenic viewpoints. But if I go again, I’m going to stay longer. The folks at the campgrounds were very friendly and nice.

Yellowstone is the best park in the contiguous US and is big with lots to see and do. So you need to go when there’s good weather and activities are in full swing. Book campgrounds and activities well in advance, give yourself time for everything on your list, and go in June before it gets even busier in July and August. The grand old park can handle the crowds, but planning ahead is the key.

Wind Cave is crowded in summer, so common advice says to visit in May or September to avoid crowds and heat. But it’s a cave, so heat is not an issue. And the cave tours are all in guided groups, which are similar in size most of the year. So my advice is to visit when you’re visiting other parks above in the region. And you should absolutely book your tickets in advance. Bison can be seen outside the park entrance in June and other months.

June is a beautiful month, so take advantage of the fine weather, go camping and enjoy some of the best national parks in the country.

National Parks to Visit in May

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See January, February, March, and April. May is a great month to visit many parks, especially river and forest parks that are full of life in spring. I recommend Congaree, Cuyahoga Valley, New River Gorge, Olympic and Yosemite.

Congaree is a great place to kayak, so high water may allow you to roam more. But May is also when the fireflies all blink together. Recreation.gov holds a lottery in early April for evening passes during the week long synchronous firefly event mid May.

Cuyahoga Valley is popular in May as the Brandywine Falls are awash and the trails are surrounded by spring greenery. I like biking there, and the tourist trains run a full schedule in May also taking bikes.

New River Gorge may be best in May as the wildflowers are out on the trails, the temperature is just right, and the river runs fast for rafting.

Olympic for me is all about the rainforest. Go early, wear good hiking boots, a thermal layer and rain gear, but try to visit Hoh Rainforest and hike the Hall of Mosses when it’s wet and green. Visiting the rainforest is a unique national park experience, unlike mountain hikes or beaches. The park is beautiful during the summer, but it gets very crowded at Hoh beginning Memorial Day weekend.

Yosemite’s waterfalls all flow strong in May, and Bridalveil, Sentinel and Yosemite Falls are spectacular at peak snowmelt. Wildflowers bloom on the valley trails, the temperature is pleasant during the day, and it’s not as crowded as summer. Glacier Point viewpoint usually opens to vehicles in May, earlier now that there’s less snow.

You may notice that my recommendations on when to visit are often a little earlier than common advice, and that’s usually to avoid crowds, to take advantage of planning and because the climate is changing. Planning ahead is particularly important for saving time and money, as a simple campground reservation made six months in advance can put you in the best possible location at the best time for $30. Summer used to be the best time to visit most national parks, but many parks are now too crowded and too hot in July and August. But stay tuned, because I’ve got more national parks recommendations coming on the first Friday of each month.

National Parks to Visit in April

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[Quick note: beginning next week, Thursday and Saturday posts are switching to Friday].

After January, February and March, here are my April recommendations: Bryce, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and the Petrified Forest. These high plateau parks are great to visit in April.

Bryce Canyon is spectacular in April with a chance of snow on the hoodoos. The best of Bryce is a horse or better a mule ride down into the canyon, and the park concessionaire starts riding tours on April 1. The canyon rim is around 8,500 feet, so late snow and leftover morning ice are quite possible. Except for a couple roads up to mountain peak lookout trails, the park opens for spring between the end of the first week and mid-April. If you are a serious hiker and want all the trails open, then I’d recommend the first half of October before the snow falls. Otherwise, I’d check the weather, wear a thermal layer and go in the second half of April, when wildlife and flowers are just emerging after a cold winter. May or September are also nice, as they are at most parks.

Canyonlands has good weather in April and has many different places to explore by bike, drive or hike. The roads and trails are often rough especially after rain, but there are wildflowers. Campgrounds require early reservations and background camping requires permits, gear and experience.

Capitol Reef has some excellent hiking in April ~65° F. There may be some rain, but that brings wildflowers. Some like visiting the orchards in fruit picking season, but I’d rather be biking here when the orchards are in bloom.

April has pleasant weather for taking photos of the Petrified Forest with wildflowers. Summer is too hot and winter is too cold. You need decent weather to hike around, and the contrast between the fossilized trees and living flowers is nice.

National Parks to Visit in February

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On the first Saturday of every month, I recommend 3-5 parks to visit in the contiguous US, matching each of 51 parks with a great month to visit, as I did in January.

There are a few parks in the US which are dangerously hot to visit in the summer, but they’re perfect in February. In the west, especially at elevation, the coldest day of the year is often in December, and by February the southwest deserts are just beginning to bloom with wildflowers.

Big Bend, Death Valley, Saguaro and White Sands are my February favorites. These are beautiful parks, and you’re going to want to get out, hike around and take fabulous photos, without risk of heatstroke.

Big Bend is huge and takes time to explore, so you need to schedule several days there. Unlike most other parks, the full range of activities are open in February, including rafting and horseback riding. In February, the park’s daily temperature variations still stay in a range that allows you to explore the varied terrain. When I was hot, I spent time along the river and enjoyed sunset in the mountains. On cool days, you could go on a more challenging scenic hike. If camping, prepare for beautiful cold nights under clear dark skies. It’s a great park, and February is a great month to see it.

Death Valley daytime highs are around 70-75° F in February. Wildflowers bloom and even super-bloom when the rains have been good. The high Panamint mountains in the background of your photos will have snow-capped peaks as they cast a rain-shadow over the valley, keeping it extremely dry. Every February the park holds stargazing festivals, as the skies are exceptionally clear.

Saguaro also has many wildflowers in February, and the comfortable daytime temperatures mean the coyotes, javelina and roadrunners are more likely to be roaming around. Some say May is when to go in order to see the Saguaro cacti bloom, but there are many other great parks to visit in May, without any risk of over 100° F days. If you’re really interested in seeing the small Saguaro flowers, you can probably find a botanical garden to visit close to home.

White Sands, to me, is about stepping out on the other worldly landscape, so the solitude of February is best. It’s cold at night, but there’s no camping currently in the park anyway. As it’s quiet, there aren’t a lot of ranger-led hikes in February, but White Sands is best appreciated in silence. Many visit a bit later in order to see some wildflowers, but the gypsum desert does not allow much life. I’d happily trade the crowds of spring for easier parking and fewer footprints in February.

We visit national parks to be out in nature exploring, so good temperatures are very important. February is the perfect time to visit these southwestern parks which are dangerously hot for much of the year.

National Parks to Visit in January

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In case you want to visit all the National Parks in the contiguous US, this year I’m sharing my recommendations for 3-5 National Parks to visit each month. By the end of the year, you’ll have a full list of all 51 parks, evenly spread out over the different seasons with as few compromises as possible.

Since January is typically the coldest month, it makes sense to visit southern Florida, the only tropical climate in the continental US. That means Biscayne, the Dry Tortugas and the Everglades. These are beautiful parks for enjoying snorkeling, beaches and nature outdoors, so January is a great month for avoiding the hot, humid weather with afternoon thunderstorms that would bother you much of the rest of the year.

Hurricane season is lengthening, and now some tropical storms form in May before the official season of June through November. I visited the Dry Tortugas in May with an eye on the weather, and I was lucky. Some see sea turtles up close, but I was not lucky. Nesting beaches are often off-limits, and the water visibility wasn’t as clear for snorkeling as it would be in January. If you want to see the turtles, take the short, low altitude seaplane out to the Dry Tortugas, and you will see them swimming all year long.

Sometimes a winter storm will bring winds down to the keys with cold snaps in the 50s, but they don’t last. Many places that rent snorkel gear will have various wetsuits to keep you comfortable, if needed, but the water temperature usually stays above 70° F. Day highs are around 75° F, and most evenings are very mild.

Since the Everglades are dry in January, wildlife tends to concentrate around reliable water sources, making them easier to spot. Birding is best in January, as many migratory birds are in the park, and large charismatic birds like roseate spoonbills and wood storks are laying eggs. And there are few mosquitoes in January.

Weather makes a big difference in how much we enjoy our park visits, so—despite the high season costs—, I recommend visiting these three tropical parks in January, when most other parks are cold, closed and difficult to access. Plan ahead, be flexible on where to stay, and be efficient with your time to save money. But enjoy your time on a tropical beach or amongst the mangroves while others are home shoveling snow.