Best national parks to visit in October
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 October are Joshua Tree, Yosemite, Zion. 26 of the 34 destinations we track score good or better this month; Grand Mesa, Mount Rainier, Cloud Peak Wilderness are the toughest bets on weather alone.
Joshua Tree National Park97 · Excellenthighs near 73°F, lows 58°F, mostly dry
Yosemite National Park95 · Excellenthighs near 71°F, lows 44°F, mostly dry
Zion National Park95 · Excellenthighs near 72°F, lows 46°F
Sequoia National Park93 · Excellenthighs near 62°F, lows 41°F
Big Bend National Park93 · Excellenthighs near 75°F, lows 56°F
White Sands National Park93 · Excellenthighs near 76°F, lows 54°F
Grand Canyon National Park92 · Excellenthighs near 63°F, lows 42°F
Arches National Park92 · Excellenthighs near 69°F, lows 44°F
Redwood National and State Parks88 · Excellenthighs near 65°F, lows 50°F
Badlands National Park87 · Excellenthighs near 62°F, lows 40°F
Buffalo National River87 · Excellenthighs near 72°F, lows 54°F, 8 wet days
Mammoth Cave National Park86 · Excellenthighs near 71°F, lows 52°F, 9 wet days
Great Smoky Mountains National Park85 · Excellenthighs near 71°F, lows 53°F, 9 wet days
New River Gorge National Park84 · Excellenthighs near 65°F, lows 48°F, 10 wet days
Bryce Canyon National Park81 · Excellenthighs near 57°F, lows 38°F
Shenandoah National Park81 · Excellenthighs near 59°F, lows 43°F
Cuyahoga Valley National Park79 · Excellenthighs near 63°F, lows 48°F, 13 wet days- Indiana Dunes National Park78 · Excellenthighs near 62°F, lows 50°F, 13 wet days
- Great Sand Dunes National Park78 · Excellenthighs near 58°F, lows 37°F
Death Valley National Park74 · Goodhighs near 87°F, lows 70°F, mostly dry, 11 days over 90°F
Acadia National Park73 · Goodhighs near 57°F, lows 48°F, 10 wet days
Olympic National Park69 · Goodhighs near 60°F, lows 45°F, 16 wet days
North Cascades National Park69 · Goodhighs near 59°F, lows 43°F, 16 wet days- Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore63 · Goodhighs near 56°F, lows 47°F, 15 wet days
Glacier National Park62 · Goodhighs near 53°F, lows 36°F, 11 wet days
Everglades National Park60 · Goodhighs near 85°F, lows 72°F, 16 wet days
White Mountain National Forest57 · Fairhighs near 54°F, lows 39°F, 14 wet days
Rocky Mountain National Park54 · Fairhighs near 53°F, lows 28°F, snow on ~4 days, frequent freezing nights
Grand Teton National Park51 · Fairhighs near 51°F, lows 31°F, 11 wet days, snow on ~2 days, frequent freezing nights
Crater Lake National Park48 · Fairhighs near 49°F, lows 34°F, 10 wet days, snow on ~4 days, frequent freezing nights
Yellowstone National Park35 · Poorhighs near 46°F, lows 29°F, 11 wet days, snow on ~4 days, frequent freezing nights
Grand Mesa32 · Poorhighs near 47°F, lows 26°F, 10 wet days, snow on ~6 days, frequent freezing nights
Mount Rainier National Park29 · Poorhighs near 46°F, lows 32°F, 14 wet days, snow on ~5 days, frequent freezing nights
Cloud Peak Wilderness11 · Poorhighs near 40°F, lows 24°F, 10 wet days, snow on ~8 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 October?
On weather alone, Joshua Tree scores highest in October (highs near 73°F, lows 58°F, mostly dry). Check each park's guide for road closures, crowds and permits.
Where is it warm in October?
Warmest highs this month: Death Valley (~87°F), Everglades (~85°F), White Sands (~76°F).
Is October a good time to go camping?
Depends where. 26 of 34 parks we track have good or excellent camping weather in October. Watch overnight lows: Cloud Peak Wilderness averages 24°F, Grand Mesa averages 26°F at night.