Are national parks crowded in August?

Like July, August is a very busy time to visit the US national parks. The combination of great weather and summer vacations makes August one of the most popular times of the year for travel in the USA. Fortunately, in many places, crowd levels aren't quite as large as they were in July.



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A majority of National Park visits take place in the summer season when kids are out of school so if you have the flexibility to take a vacation in the shoulder season (fall or spring), you'll face far fewer crowds and less competition for campsites and wilderness permits.

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July through August are the peak months for most, though not all, American national parks.

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8 Tips and Tricks for Avoiding Summer Crowds at National Parks
  1. Visit During The Week.
  2. Plan Ahead to Reserve Permits.
  3. Book Activities Early.
  4. Rise and Shine with the Sun.
  5. Consider a Less Popular Alternative.
  6. Skip the Middle-of-the-Day Madness.
  7. Plan a Backpacking Overnight.
  8. Stay Outside the National Park.


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At least three of the busiest parks—Arches, Glacier, and Rocky Mountain—require a timed-entry reservation to enter for much of the day during the high season, while snagging a campsite on recreation.gov during the prime summer months in many parks feels nigh impossible.

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Park Congestion and Overcrowding In 2021 and 2022, park visitation increased from 2020 levels and is now comparable to levels seen in the years just prior to the NPS Centennial of 2016. In 2021, the most recent year of complete data, the National Park Service received 297 million recreation visits.

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Visiting the National Parks in September After Labor Day, crowds get lower in the national parks, now that kids are back in school. During September, you can visit almost any national park and have a great experience. The parks in the northern half of the USA are still relatively warm and the roads are still open.

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National Park of American Samoa: The least-visited US national park in 2022 saw just 1,887 visits. Most visitors will need a passport to travel to American Samoa. 2. Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Alaska: This vast park contains no roads or trails.

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July and August are the hottest and busiest months in the park, making them less ideal times to explore the Grand Canyon than during spring or autumn. Temperatures in the canyon often exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit, making hikes unenjoyable (and at times, dangerous) during the heat of the day.

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Visit Midweek and During Off-Peak Seasons The best time to visit national parks is during midweek and off-peak seasons. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are usually the quietest days to visit the parks. As for the off-peak season, this can vary park by park but it usually is during the months of October, February, and April.

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The Grand Canyon is perfect for first-time National Park goers who are new to the whole schtick, as it attracts newbies from across the *entire* planet daily and is expertly prepared for accomodating visitors.

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Impacts from sources beyond their borders, overcrowding during some parts of the year, air quality issues, invasive species, and even the maintenance backlog in the National Park System all pose threats of varying degrees to some parks.

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The National Park Service presently has a cumulative monetary shortfall of approximately $11.1 billion. [6] This shortfall, which has accumulated over the years, has arisen from a backlog of unfunded operations, construction projects, land acquisitions, and resource protection projects.

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Although the popularity of national parks has been rising over several decades, soaring demand during the pandemic has exacerbated issues of overcrowding. In an effort to curb unsustainable visitation numbers, two Utah national parks announced last year that they would start requiring reservations.

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