Haleakalā
Shoulder season and the best value.
September through November
Best National Parks to Visit in Fall
Fall may be the best season of all: fewer crowds, fall color, elk bugling and cooler canyon hiking. Here are the national parks rated best from September through November.
45 parks rated good or better in fall
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes
Shoulder season, with good weather and fewer crowds.
Gateway Arch
Comfortable riverfront weather and easier tram tickets.
Carlsbad Caverns
Bat flights continue into October before the colony migrates to Mexico.
Wind Cave
Elk bugling and golden prairie.
Mammoth Cave
Fall color on the surface and easier tour bookings.
Redwood
Often the clearest weather on the coast.
Capitol Reef
Apples and pears are ripe in the orchards, cottonwoods turn gold and the weather is ideal.
Hot Springs
Pleasant hiking and fall color in the Ouachita Mountains.
New River Gorge
Spectacular color in mid-October.
Great Smoky Mountains
Famous color, usually peaking in mid-to-late October at lower elevations.
Zion
The best season.
Petrified Forest
Calm and pleasant, the best time for the longer hikes into the wilderness area.
Congaree
Comfortable again by October.
White Sands
Excellent.
Mesa Verde
September is ideal: mild weather, fewer crowds and many tours still running.
Badlands
Great weather, golden grasses and calm crowds.
Guadalupe Mountains
The best season.
Yosemite
September and October bring warm days, fewer people and golden oaks.
Joshua Tree
October and November are ideal, with warm days, cool nights and good climbing conditions.
Bryce Canyon
September and early October are clear and crisp, perfect for hiking below the rim.
Canyonlands
Superb.
Grand Canyon
Arguably the best time.
Acadia
The best season.
Cuyahoga Valley
Spectacular color, usually peaking in mid-October.
Shenandoah
Peak color in mid-to-late October.
Arches
Arguably the best season: warm, golden and steady.
National Park of American Samoa
Still pleasant into October, before the wet season returns.
Saguaro
Heat lingers into October.
Great Basin
Aspens turn gold in late September and the stargazing is superb.
Great Sand Dunes
Calm, crisp and golden, with aspens turning in the mountains above.
Indiana Dunes
Warm September water, fall color in the woods and far fewer people.
Crater Lake
September is the best month: clear skies, warm days and thinner crowds.
Mount Rainier
Huckleberry and mountain ash turn the meadows red and gold in late September.
Olympic
Early fall is still lovely.
Channel Islands
September and October often have the clearest water and calmest days of the year, which makes this a great time to kayak the sea caves.
Lassen Volcanic
Quiet and crisp.
Kings Canyon
Quiet and golden, until the scenic byway closes, usually in mid-November.
Big Bend
Heat breaks in October, and the fall season through December is excellent.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison
Scrub oak and aspens turn color, and crisp weather makes rim hikes ideal.
Theodore Roosevelt
Quiet and golden in September.
Sequoia
Crisp, uncrowded and beautiful, with dogwoods turning red in the Giant Forest.
Yellowstone
September is exceptional, with elk bugling, fewer people and golden light.
Grand Teton
Aspens turn gold in late September, the elk bugle and crowds thin.
Rocky Mountain
Aspens peak in late September and the elk rut draws crowds to the meadows at dusk.
Questions
What are the best national parks to visit in fall?
The highest-rated parks for fall are Haleakalā, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes, Gateway Arch, Carlsbad Caverns, Wind Cave, Mammoth Cave.
Which months count as fall here?
September through November. See each month's page for exact ratings, since some parks change a lot within a season.
Last reviewed October 4, 2026. Ratings are editorial. Rules and road openings change each year, so confirm on the official NPS site before you go.