9 Best National Parks To Visit In Fall ( + Foliage Guide)

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Fall is the most beautiful time of year. Fiery foliage erupts across the countryside in New England, snow is just beginning to fall in the highest peaks in the West, and pumpkin spice and warm apple cider (donuts- if you’re smart enough to head to Vermont) waft about the air. If you’re looking to visit a national park from September through November- I’ve got you covered. Here’s my complete guide to the very best U.S. National Parks to visit this fall.

Best National Parks to Visit in Fall

Here’s a complete list of all the national parks worth visiting in the fall. National Parks that benefit from the crisp cooling temps and changing fall colors.

• Acadia National Park (Maine)
• Arches National Park (Utah)
• Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
• Black Canyon of the Gunnison (Colorado)
• Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
• Death Valley National Park (California)
• Glacier National Park (Montana)
• Grand Canyon (Arizona)
• Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
• Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park (South Carolina/Tennesee)
• Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
• Joshua Tree National Park (California)
• Kings Canyon National Park (California)
• Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
• Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
• North Cascades National Park (Washington)
• Olympic National Park (Washington)
• Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
• Redwood National Park (California)
• Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
• Sequoia National Park (California)
• Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
• Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
• Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming/Montana)
• Yosemite National Park (California)
• Zion National Park (Utah)

If you want to plan an epic U.S. National Park road trip, follow our route through all 48 U.S. National Parks.

Fall is a great season for a national park road trip (as you can see) because many of the parks are still relishing temperate weather and have WAY fewer crowds than the summer months.

Best National Parks in September

September is my favorite month for travel in the United States. We started our cross-country vanlife road trip in September and started in these 5 National Parks. We couldn’t have been happier with our decision.

1. Glacier National Park (Montana)

There is a very small window of opportunity for enjoying Glacier National Park with decent weather. This high-altitude mountainous park gets volatile weather from late September through late May. But visit during September and the crowds of summer will be all back at the office or in school and all the mountain hikes will still be snow-free.

You absolutely must hike the Skyline Trail and drive the Going-to-the-Sun Road during your visit.

2. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)

The Tetons are one of the few West Coast national parks that erupt in fall color and since the park sits at such a high elevation… it happens early.

Time your visit for early September to beat the snow to the tallest peaks.

3. Yellowstone National Park (Montana/Wyoming)

Yellowstone is a notoriously crowded national park. One of the busiest in the United States. This means visiting during Summer can be miserable. Hoards of humans flock to the park and crowd the short trails. Since most sights are easily accessible, visiting during the still warm, but not so crowded month of September is the best way to go.

4. Yosemite National Park (California)

There are essentially two seasons to visit Yosemite if you plan on hiking the most popular trails. Spring and Fall. Spring has the added benefit of gushing waterfalls but fall offers foliage, crisp cool hiking temps, and fewer crowds. That seems to be the theme of visiting parks in the fall.

For a quick guide to visiting Yosemite check out our full blog post.

5. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)

Rocky Mountain National Park is a stunner for sure. But it’s also temperamental. Deep snow clogs the highest peaks making them nearly impassible to hikers until late July. This leaves a very small window of opportunity for hikers in the park. Time your visit for September and not only will you get lovely views of fiery fall colors and herds of Elk but also the least crowded time for hikers in the park.

Best National Parks in October

These are the best national parks to visit during the month of October.

6. Acadia National Park (Maine)

I don’t need to tell you that nothing compares to a New England Fall. It’s so well-known that people come from all around the world to leaf peep at this park. I’ll let the photos do the talking.

Be sure to climb the Beehive and the Precipice trails if you’re feeling daring.

7. Sequoia National Park (California)

Big trees. Not the golden and rust-colored ones that people typically seek out this time of year, but massive ancient Evergreen trees. These California Redwoods are some of the oldest and largest in the entire world.

Best National Parks in November

Winter is coming everyone. These are the best National Parks to sneak in before the weather really turns.

8. Joshua Tree National Park (California)

No surprise that as the weather turns colder, I recommend heading to the desert. Joshua Tree National Park still sits at a balmy 75 degrees even in the dead of winter. But visit during the month of November and you’ll get to enjoy slightly warmer days without the chilly nights.

9. Death Valley National Park (California)

Another desert. My favorite desert in the United States. Death Valley has a plethora of diverse landscapes, trails, and some of the best star-gazing in the world inside its border. This is one of my top 5 favorite National Parks because of its larger-than-life landscapes, massive salt flats, and stunning sunsets.

Be sure to watch the sunrise at Zabriskie Point and if you have a 4X4 vehicle… you’ll be able to visit the far reaches of the park that most visitors don’t get to see.

Best National Parks for For Fall Foliage

Hoping to do some leaf-peeping on your next national park trip? These 6 National Parks have the best fall colors during Autumn. If you want to time your visit for PEAK colors you’ll need to do some research ahead of time. This website gives a nationwide leaf forecast that helps you determine the day that the fall colors will be at their brightest.

1. Acadia National Park
2. Black Canyon of the Gunnison
3. Glacier National Park
4. Grand Teton National Park
5. Great Smoky Mountains National Park
6. Shenandoah National Park

If you want some stunning fall foliage hikes be sure to visit upstate New York & check out our fall hiking guide.

Van Life Tips for National Parks

We always visit national parks with our DIY converted campervan. And although we often have to stealth camp in national parks we find it’s the best way to explore the United States while on a budget.

For more vanlife tips and helpful U.S. travel guides be sure to visit our vanlife page.

Let me know what your favorite national parks to visit in the fall are!

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