Which national parks in the United States are the most beautiful in the summer?

Not all of them, at least. Some get congested, while others become hot (or overcrowded and overheated). If you want to avoid the first issue, we've compiled a list of lesser-known parks—places that are never crowded, even during peak season, and are always pleasant, regardless of the weather. However, we aren't skipping over any of the most popular and seductive choices.
Even in the midst of the summer crowds and triple-digit temperatures, there are certain parks worth visiting because some sections are only accessible or certain natural phenomena are only visible during the months of June, July, August, and September.
Here are some of our favorite summer national parks.
1. California's Channel Islands National Park
There are few locations better for animal lovers in the summer than the Channel Islands, both on land and at sea. The park is located off the coast of Ventura, north of Los Angeles, and comprises five islands out of an eight-island chain. Around 2,000 plant and animal species dwell here, including some that are found nowhere else on the planet. The National Park Service deserves credit for preserving one of the world's rarest animals, the island fox. The island fox, which is a third smaller (but even prettier) than its grey fox cousin, may be seen darting across your hiking path, which is a frequent occurrence now that the species has recovered sustainable population levels.
The seas around the islands are likewise protected, in part because they are home to a third of the world's cetacean species. There are few locations on the planet where you can go whale watching, particularly during the months of July, August, and September, when blue whales and endangered humpback whales visit.
The islands have also played an essential role in human history. Here, a 13,000-year-old skeleton was discovered, the oldest ever discovered in North America, and archaeological evidence indicates that these islands have been inhabited since the Ice Age.
2. Traveling to the Channel Islands
Hiking, scuba diving in sea caves, snorkelling, surfing, spearfishing, and tidepooling are some of the most popular activities.
The majority of visitors arrive by boat from the mainland, either from Ventura or Oxnard. Depending on whatever island you visit, the duration of the trip varies. The biggest and nearest island, Santa Cruz, is approximately 90 minutes away from Ventura. A 4- to 5-hour boat ride from Santa Rosa is required. Flights to the Channel Islands are also available.
There are no visitor centers on any of the islands, so you won't be able to use many of the amenities available at other parks. The primary tourist center is located in Ventura. There is also some information at a tiny satellite office in Santa Barbara.
3. Oregon's Crater Lake National Park
Because of the height and weather patterns, it's impossible to visit this beautiful park outside of the summer. Most years, Crater Lake National Park receives 44 feet of snow, and the roads around the lake's rim are not plowed. The park's Rim Visitor Center is only open from June to September, therefore the snow typically begins falling around October.
One of the world's deepest lakes was created 7,000 years ago when a volcano erupted and subsequently collapsed, creating a 6-mile-wide crater. The depth of the lake is about 1,900 feet. The water's brilliant hue of royal blue, on the other hand, is the most remarkable feature. The lake contains few floating particles since it is not fed by streams, resulting in its exceptional purity.
4. Taking a trip to Crater Lake
Scenic drives along the 33-mile rim, hiking, boat excursions, wildflower gazing, and swimming are all popular activities (if you can stand the frigid water temps)
Getting there: Take Oregon Route 62 for 75 miles from Medford.
5. Arizona's Grand Canyon National Park
This enormous, complex hole in the earth is open all year, although the summer months see the most visitors. However, it's worth battling the crowds during the peak season since the beautiful North Rim is accessible and the rafting on the Colorado River is, perhaps, the most thrilling.
The whitewater rafting season runs from July through August when the Glen Canyon Dam releases more water than normal to fuel the electrical system that keeps the air conditioning running. The water rises higher and quicker than normal when the dam feeds into the Colorado River, which is also impacted by afternoon thunderstorms. If you're not a thrill-seeker, consider going sooner or later in the rafting season, which runs from April to October.
The North Rim, with its IMAX movies, fast food chains, and helicopter rides, is less touristic than the South Rim (which is typically only accessible from May to October owing to winter). Furthermore, since the North Rim is located farther from Phoenix and Las Vegas, it receives fewer tourists. Other reasons to like the north include the following: It's 1,000 feet higher than the South Rim, with vast meadows and thick woods of ponderosa pines, Douglas firs, and aspens.
6. Seeing the Grand Canyon
Hiking, rafting the Colorado River (click here for a list of businesses we suggest), mule rides and ranger presentations on anything from geology to Native American history are among the most popular activities (get our full guide to the park here)
Getting there: Flagstaff is approximately a four-hour journey from the North Rim. It's located near the end of State Route 67, also known as the North Rim Parkway, in Arizona.
7. Glacier National Park in Montana
This park had 150 glaciers in the nineteenth century. There are just a sixth as many now, and experts predict that all of the ice will be gone by 2030. As a result, this is a get-it-while-you-can offer that is best fulfilled in the summer. That's when you'll be able to drive the Going-to-the-Sun Road (shown above), one of the most beautiful roads in the national park system, which doesn't open until mid-June due to the quantity of snowfall here.
Prepare to trek if you want to view a glacier up close. None of the ice slabs are close to the road, and most of them require at least a mile and a half of tramping. A quick guide to glacier viewing is available from the National Park Service. Birds, wildflowers, waterfalls, lakes, and streams are among the other notable attractions.
Glacier National Park in Montana has mountain goats and flowers.
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