We live for a well‑timed trip, catch wildflowers at their peak and skip the long shuttle lines, and a national park feels like it opened just for you. In Part 1 of our Best National Parks In USA series, we tackled the classics: Zion’s chain‑clinging cliffs, Yellowstone’s roaring geysers, Yosemite’s granite cathedrals, the Grand Canyon’s mile‑deep abyss, and Glacier’s larch‑lit valleys.
But the adventure isn’t over. Part 2 shines a spotlight on five fresh gems: Rocky Mountain’s tundra blooms, Olympic’s rain‑soaked coasts, Acadia’s iron‑rung ladders, Arches’ slickrock mazes, and Big Bend’s dark‑sky desert.
You’ll learn the best time to go to Rocky Mountain (and its four peers), the best hikes in Olympic, and more. Every tip comes straight from NPS trail guides or equally reputable sources, so you can plan with total confidence.
Best time to visit
Best time to visit Rocky Mountain National Park is summer season, from late May to mid‑September brings snow‑free high country and riotous tundra blooms; late September adds golden aspens with smaller crowds.
Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park
- Emerald Lake – 3.6 mi RT, easy–moderate (771 ft). Lakes-and‑peaks postcard you can hike before breakfast.
- Sky Pond – 9.8 mi RT, strenuous (1,710 ft). Waterfall scramble ends at a glacial cirque worthy of screensavers.
- Flattop Mountain – 8.9 mi RT, strenuous (2,850 ft). Summit a 12,324‑ft mesa and watch clouds sail past at eye level.
Rocky Mountain offer over 350 miles of hiking trails, everyone can choose suits hiking trail. (Find More Trails)
Fun Facts about Rocky Mountain National Park
- Sky‑high highway: Trail Ridge Road tops out at 12,183 ft, the loftiest paved road in the National Park System.
- Skip the queue: Enter before 5 a.m. or after 6 p.m. to dodge the permit window.
Pro Tip: Temps can plunge 10–20 °F in minutes, pack fleece and warm jacket even in July.
Best time to visit
Best time to visit Olympic National Park is July through early September which offers dry skies for alpine ridges.
In September, it started snowing in the mountains. so if you want to visit the heights of the Olympic Mountains, it’s best to plan your trip for the spring or summer. May shows rhododendrons in the rainforest without summer congestion.
A permit is required for all overnight stays in the wilderness year-round. (See Detail)
Best Hikes in Olympic National Park
- Hurricane Hill – 3 mi RT, moderate (700 ft). 360° view from snow‑dusted Olympics to Port Angeles.
- Hoh River Trail to Five‑Mile Island – 10 mi RT, easy. Moss‑draped cedars, elk tracks, and a riverside lunch rock.
- Second Beach – 2 mi RT, easy. Tide pools brim with starfish at minus‑tide dawns.
Fun Facts about Olympic National Park
- The Hoh Rain Forest drinks ≈ 12 ft of rain each year, making it one of Earth’s wettest temperate forests.
- Olympic safeguards three major ecosystems—wild coast, mossy rain‑forest, and alpine glacier peaks—inside one boundary.
- A full 95 % of the park (≈ 876,000 acres) is federally designated wilderness.
Pro Tip: pack rain gear, your best waterproof backpack and hiking boots year‑round，coastal fog and mountain squalls hit all year.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Acadia National Park will be Mid‑September to mid‑October, because Acadia National Park is one of the best places to see fall foliage. Late May delivers lilac breezes but lighter traffic.
Acadia National Park is one of the few national parks across America that allows dogs. (Check Where to Go (and Where Not To))
Best Hikes in Acadia National Park
- Precipice Loop – 3.2 mi RT, very strenuous (1,000 ft). Iron‑rung vertigo and peregrine‑falcon closures, check alerts first.
- Jordan Pond Path – 3.3 mi loop, easy. Boardwalk skirts Maine‑clear water with Bubble peaks mirrored ahead.
- Cadillac South Ridge – 7.4 mi RT, moderate (1,500 ft). Sunrise from Atlantic‑touched granite before the auto‑road crowds.
Fun Facts about Acadia National Park
- Rockefeller’s legacy: 45 miles of stone‑lined carriage roads weave through forest and granite domes.
- Acadia became the first national park east of the Mississippi in 1919 (then named Lafayette).
Pro Tip: Reserve Cadillac Summit Road vehicle slots before you go.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Arches National Park will be March to May and late September to October mean 60–80 °F highs—perfect for slickrock scrambles and Milky Way nights.
Arches is desert region, so be careful about wide temperature fluctuations, sometimes over 40 degrees in a single day.
Best Hikes in Arches National Park
- Delicate Arch – 3 mi RT, moderate (480 ft). The icon glows orange at sunset; arrive an hour early for a ledge seat.
- Devils Garden Primitive Loop – 7.8 mi loop, strenuous. Seven arches, fins, and a crawl across narrow slickrock.
- Park Avenue – 2 mi RT, easy. Sandstone skyscrapers line a corridor worthy of Manhattan’s nickname.
Explore Over 2,000 Arches in Arches National Park
Fun Facts about Arches National Park
- Landscape Arch’s 306‑ft span is the longest in North America.
- Arches is a certified International Dark Sky Park, perfect for Milky Way photography.
Pro Tip: Timed‑entry tickets are mandatory Apr 1 – Jul 6 & Aug 28 – Oct 31 2025 (7 a.m.–4 p.m.).
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Arches National Park will be Late October to April, The weather is refreshing at this time, mild desert highs (60s–80s °F). While summer routinely tops 100 °F.
May – August are the hottest months. (Check Weather Before You Go)
Best Hikes in Big Bend National Park
- Lost Mine – 4.8 mi RT, moderate (1,100 ft). Juniper‑scented climb to a panoramic Chisos rim.
- South Rim Loop – 12.5 mi RT, strenuous (1,700 ft). Mega‑cliff overlooks of Mexico’s Sierra del Carmen.
- Santa Elena Canyon – 1.7 mi RT, easy–moderate. Rio Grande echoes between 1,500‑ft limestone walls.
From November through April all of the park’s campgrounds will be full every night. Reserve a camp before you go
Fun Facts about Big Bend National Park
- Big Bend boasts some of the darkest night skies in the lower 48—perfect for star parties.
- It preserves the largest protected slice of the Chihuahuan Desert in the United States.
- The Boquillas Port of Entry is the park’s unique pedestrian gateway to Mexico.
Pro Tips: Expect spotty cell service outside the Chisos Basin, download maps first.
If you pass through Las Vegas before going to the parks, consider renting outdoor gear for your trip from Basecamp Outdoor Gear. They have everything from comfort car camping to lightweight backpacking gear, so you don’t need to buy new gear for your trip and you can save space in your luggage for souvenirs.
