Best national parks to visit in March
Ranked by hiking and camping weather from 10 years of data. Top pick: Big Bend.
Based on 10 years of weather data, the national parks with the best hiking and camping weather in March are Big Bend, Death Valley, White Sands. 11 of the 34 destinations we track score good or better this month; Grand Mesa, White Mountain National Forest, Crater Lake are the toughest bets on weather alone.
Big Bend National Park96 · Excellenthighs near 70°F, lows 48°F, mostly dry
Death Valley National Park95 · Excellenthighs near 77°F, lows 59°F, mostly dry
White Sands National Park95 · Excellenthighs near 69°F, lows 44°F, mostly dry
Joshua Tree National Park90 · Excellenthighs near 60°F, lows 43°F
Arches National Park85 · Excellenthighs near 60°F, lows 36°F
Everglades National Park80 · Excellenthighs near 83°F, lows 65°F
Buffalo National River80 · Excellenthighs near 62°F, lows 42°F, 12 wet days
Great Smoky Mountains National Park76 · Excellenthighs near 62°F, lows 42°F, 13 wet days
Mammoth Cave National Park72 · Goodhighs near 59°F, lows 39°F, 12 wet days
Zion National Park71 · Goodhighs near 56°F, lows 32°F, frequent freezing nights
Redwood National and State Parks63 · Goodhighs near 55°F, lows 41°F, 15 wet days
New River Gorge National Park55 · Fairhighs near 54°F, lows 34°F, 13 wet days, snow on ~2 days, frequent freezing nights
Yosemite National Park50 · Fairhighs near 51°F, lows 31°F, 12 wet days, snow on ~2 days, frequent freezing nights
Badlands National Park49 · Fairhighs near 49°F, lows 27°F, snow on ~3 days, frequent freezing nights
Grand Canyon National Park45 · Fairhighs near 49°F, lows 29°F, snow on ~5 days, frequent freezing nights
Olympic National Park42 · Poorhighs near 49°F, lows 35°F, 19 wet days
Shenandoah National Park41 · Poorhighs near 46°F, lows 27°F, 10 wet days, frequent freezing nights
North Cascades National Park38 · Poorhighs near 48°F, lows 33°F, 18 wet days, frequent freezing nights- Indiana Dunes National Park37 · Poorhighs near 45°F, lows 31°F, 12 wet days, snow on ~3 days, frequent freezing nights
Cuyahoga Valley National Park35 · Poorhighs near 48°F, lows 30°F, 14 wet days, snow on ~4 days, frequent freezing nights- Great Sand Dunes National Park28 · Poorhighs near 42°F, lows 23°F, snow on ~4 days, frequent freezing nights
Glacier National Park21 · Poorhighs near 43°F, lows 23°F, 13 wet days, snow on ~4 days, frequent freezing nights
Acadia National Park18 · Poorhighs near 39°F, lows 27°F, 11 wet days, snow on ~5 days, frequent freezing nights
Bryce Canyon National Park17 · Poorhighs near 39°F, lows 22°F, snow on ~6 days, frequent freezing nights- Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore13 · Poorhighs near 37°F, lows 27°F, 10 wet days, snow on ~5 days, frequent freezing nights
Sequoia National Park12 · Poorhighs near 42°F, lows 25°F, 13 wet days, snow on ~7 days, frequent freezing nights
Yellowstone National Park0 · Poorhighs near 34°F, lows 18°F, 13 wet days, snow on ~10 days, frequent freezing nights
Rocky Mountain National Park0 · Poorhighs near 37°F, lows 15°F, 11 wet days, snow on ~9 days, frequent freezing nights
Grand Teton National Park0 · Poorhighs near 37°F, lows 19°F, 13 wet days, snow on ~9 days, frequent freezing nights
Mount Rainier National Park0 · Poorhighs near 33°F, lows 21°F, 18 wet days, snow on ~15 days, frequent freezing nights
Cloud Peak Wilderness0 · Poorhighs near 28°F, lows 13°F, 13 wet days, snow on ~11 days, frequent freezing nights
Grand Mesa0 · Poorhighs near 32°F, lows 15°F, 14 wet days, snow on ~12 days, frequent freezing nights
White Mountain National Forest0 · Poorhighs near 35°F, lows 17°F, 13 wet days, snow on ~8 days, frequent freezing nights
Crater Lake National Park0 · Poorhighs near 33°F, lows 20°F, 17 wet days, snow on ~14 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 March?
On weather alone, Big Bend scores highest in March (highs near 70°F, lows 48°F, mostly dry). Check each park's guide for road closures, crowds and permits.
Where is it warm in March?
Warmest highs this month: Everglades (~83°F), Death Valley (~77°F), Big Bend (~70°F).
Is March a good time to go camping?
Depends where. 11 of 34 parks we track have good or excellent camping weather in March. Watch overnight lows: Cloud Peak Wilderness averages 13°F, Rocky Mountain averages 15°F at night.