Best national parks to visit in August
Ranked by hiking and camping weather from 10 years of data. Top pick: Redwood National and State Parks.
Based on 10 years of weather data, the national parks with the best hiking and camping weather in August are Redwood National and State Parks, Sequoia, Crater Lake. 26 of the 34 destinations we track score good or better this month; Arches, Everglades, Death Valley are the toughest bets on weather alone.
Redwood National and State Parks99 · Excellenthighs near 70°F, lows 56°F, mostly dry
Sequoia National Park96 · Excellenthighs near 76°F, lows 55°F, mostly dry
Crater Lake National Park94 · Excellenthighs near 71°F, lows 48°F
Mount Rainier National Park92 · Excellenthighs near 68°F, lows 46°F
Glacier National Park91 · Excellenthighs near 79°F, lows 53°F
Grand Teton National Park91 · Excellenthighs near 75°F, lows 49°F
Yellowstone National Park88 · Excellenthighs near 72°F, lows 49°F
Olympic National Park88 · Excellenthighs near 75°F, lows 55°F
Acadia National Park86 · Excellenthighs near 71°F, lows 62°F, 9 wet days
Bryce Canyon National Park86 · Excellenthighs near 77°F, lows 56°F, 9 wet days
North Cascades National Park85 · Excellenthighs near 80°F, lows 58°F, 6 days over 90°F- Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore84 · Excellenthighs near 74°F, lows 64°F, 10 wet days
- Great Sand Dunes National Park84 · Excellenthighs near 76°F, lows 54°F, 10 wet days
Grand Canyon National Park80 · Excellenthighs near 82°F, lows 60°F, 10 wet days- Indiana Dunes National Park80 · Excellenthighs near 79°F, lows 66°F, 12 wet days
Shenandoah National Park79 · Excellenthighs near 75°F, lows 59°F, 13 wet days
Cuyahoga Valley National Park78 · Excellenthighs near 80°F, lows 63°F, 14 wet days
Rocky Mountain National Park77 · Excellenthighs near 72°F, lows 46°F, 14 wet days
Grand Mesa77 · Excellenthighs near 68°F, lows 46°F, 14 wet days
Yosemite National Park75 · Excellenthighs near 86°F, lows 59°F, mostly dry, 8 days over 90°F
White Mountain National Forest75 · Excellenthighs near 72°F, lows 57°F, 16 wet days
New River Gorge National Park75 · Excellenthighs near 79°F, lows 63°F, 15 wet days
Cloud Peak Wilderness70 · Goodhighs near 62°F, lows 43°F, 17 wet days
Badlands National Park70 · Goodhighs near 86°F, lows 63°F, 9 days over 90°F
Big Bend National Park65 · Goodhighs near 86°F, lows 68°F, 10 days over 90°F
Great Smoky Mountains National Park64 · Goodhighs near 84°F, lows 67°F, 15 wet days
Joshua Tree National Park59 · Fairhighs near 90°F, lows 73°F, 16 days over 90°F
Mammoth Cave National Park58 · Fairhighs near 86°F, lows 68°F, 13 wet days, 7 days over 90°F
Buffalo National River58 · Fairhighs near 87°F, lows 70°F, 12 wet days, 9 days over 90°F
Zion National Park52 · Fairhighs near 91°F, lows 65°F, 19 days over 90°F
White Sands National Park48 · Fairhighs near 92°F, lows 71°F, 21 days over 90°F
Arches National Park40 · Poorhighs near 95°F, lows 69°F, mostly dry, 26 days over 90°F
Everglades National Park25 · Poorhighs near 90°F, lows 76°F, 25 wet days, 15 days over 90°F
Death Valley National Park4 · Poorhighs near 108°F, lows 90°F, mostly dry, 31 days over 90°F
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 August?
On weather alone, Redwood National and State Parks scores highest in August (highs near 70°F, lows 56°F, mostly dry). Check each park's guide for road closures, crowds and permits.
Where is it warm in August?
Warmest highs this month: Death Valley (~108°F), Arches (~95°F), White Sands (~92°F).
Is August a good time to go camping?
Depends where. 26 of 34 parks we track have good or excellent camping weather in August. Watch overnight lows: Cloud Peak Wilderness averages 43°F, Rocky Mountain averages 46°F at night.