Best national parks to visit in April
Ranked by hiking and camping weather from 10 years of data. Top pick: Joshua Tree.
Based on 10 years of weather data, the national parks with the best hiking and camping weather in April are Joshua Tree, White Sands, Big Bend. 17 of the 34 destinations we track score good or better this month; Mount Rainier, Cloud Peak Wilderness, Crater Lake are the toughest bets on weather alone.
Joshua Tree National Park98 · Excellenthighs near 69°F, lows 51°F, mostly dry
White Sands National Park97 · Excellenthighs near 77°F, lows 51°F, mostly dry
Big Bend National Park96 · Excellenthighs near 78°F, lows 54°F, mostly dry
Arches National Park95 · Excellenthighs near 70°F, lows 44°F, mostly dry
Zion National Park94 · Excellenthighs near 68°F, lows 40°F
Grand Canyon National Park90 · Excellenthighs near 61°F, lows 37°F
Buffalo National River81 · Excellenthighs near 68°F, lows 49°F, 12 wet days
Yosemite National Park80 · Excellenthighs near 59°F, lows 34°F
Great Smoky Mountains National Park80 · Excellenthighs near 68°F, lows 49°F, 12 wet days
Mammoth Cave National Park80 · Excellenthighs near 67°F, lows 47°F, 12 wet days
Death Valley National Park75 · Excellenthighs near 86°F, lows 68°F, mostly dry, 10 days over 90°F
New River Gorge National Park74 · Goodhighs near 63°F, lows 42°F, 14 wet days
Redwood National and State Parks74 · Goodhighs near 58°F, lows 44°F, 11 wet days
Shenandoah National Park71 · Goodhighs near 56°F, lows 37°F, 11 wet days
Badlands National Park69 · Goodhighs near 57°F, lows 35°F, 8 wet days, snow on ~3 days
Everglades National Park65 · Goodhighs near 86°F, lows 68°F, 11 wet days
Cuyahoga Valley National Park63 · Goodhighs near 58°F, lows 39°F, 15 wet days, snow on ~2 days
Bryce Canyon National Park59 · Fairhighs near 51°F, lows 30°F, snow on ~3 days, frequent freezing nights- Indiana Dunes National Park59 · Fairhighs near 55°F, lows 40°F, 14 wet days, snow on ~2 days
North Cascades National Park56 · Fairhighs near 53°F, lows 37°F, 16 wet days
Olympic National Park55 · Fairhighs near 54°F, lows 38°F, 18 wet days- Great Sand Dunes National Park54 · Fairhighs near 51°F, lows 28°F, snow on ~2 days, frequent freezing nights
Sequoia National Park53 · Fairhighs near 50°F, lows 31°F, 9 wet days, snow on ~2 days, frequent freezing nights
Glacier National Park51 · Fairhighs near 51°F, lows 29°F, 12 wet days, frequent freezing nights
Acadia National Park45 · Fairhighs near 47°F, lows 36°F, 12 wet days, snow on ~2 days- Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore41 · Poorhighs near 47°F, lows 35°F, 12 wet days, snow on ~3 days
White Mountain National Forest25 · Poorhighs near 47°F, lows 30°F, 15 wet days, snow on ~6 days, frequent freezing nights
Grand Teton National Park19 · Poorhighs near 43°F, lows 25°F, 13 wet days, snow on ~5 days, frequent freezing nights
Rocky Mountain National Park9 · Poorhighs near 43°F, lows 20°F, 12 wet days, snow on ~9 days, frequent freezing nights
Yellowstone National Park7 · Poorhighs near 40°F, lows 23°F, 13 wet days, snow on ~7 days, frequent freezing nights
Grand Mesa1 · Poorhighs near 40°F, lows 21°F, 11 wet days, snow on ~9 days, frequent freezing nights
Mount Rainier National Park0 · Poorhighs near 38°F, lows 25°F, 16 wet days, snow on ~12 days, frequent freezing nights
Cloud Peak Wilderness0 · Poorhighs near 33°F, lows 18°F, 15 wet days, snow on ~13 days, frequent freezing nights
Crater Lake National Park0 · Poorhighs near 39°F, lows 23°F, 14 wet days, snow on ~12 days, frequent freezing nights
Scores rate average weather only — temperature, rain, snow and heat at each park's main visitor area. Seasonal roads, crowds and reservations matter too; each destination guide covers them.
Frequently asked questions
What national park is best to visit in April?
On weather alone, Joshua Tree scores highest in April (highs near 69°F, lows 51°F, mostly dry). Check each park's guide for road closures, crowds and permits.
Where is it warm in April?
Warmest highs this month: Death Valley (~86°F), Everglades (~86°F), Big Bend (~78°F).
Is April a good time to go camping?
Depends where. 17 of 34 parks we track have good or excellent camping weather in April. Watch overnight lows: Cloud Peak Wilderness averages 18°F, Rocky Mountain averages 20°F at night.