Congaree
Excellent for paddling.
March through May
Best National Parks to Visit in Spring
Spring brings waterfalls, wildflowers and wildlife babies, and it's the best season for the canyon parks of the Southwest. Here are the parks rated best from March through May.
37 parks rated good or better in spring
Mammoth Cave
Wildflowers bloom on the surface trails and the Green River runs high.
Gateway Arch
Pleasant weather on the riverfront grounds.
Hot Springs
Dogwoods and redbuds bloom on the mountain trails.
Haleakalā
Shoulder season with fewer crowds and generally clear skies.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes
Shoulder season, and a great time to visit.
Virgin Islands
Excellent and less crowded, with calm seas.
Dry Tortugas
Excellent.
Petrified Forest
Mild, but often windy.
Guadalupe Mountains
Good hiking weather between windy spells.
Capitol Reef
Fruit trees in the historic Fruita orchards bloom in April.
White Sands
Pleasant, but often very windy, with blowing sand.
Saguaro
Wildflowers in March and April.
Biscayne
Still pleasant.
Great Smoky Mountains
Wildflowers peak in April and May; the Smokies are known as the 'Wildflower National Park.' Synchronous fireflies appear in late May and June.
Joshua Tree
Peak season.
Pinnacles
The best season.
Canyonlands
Great hiking weather in the Needles district.
Grand Canyon
Excellent rim weather and good inner-canyon conditions.
Arches
Ideal temperatures and the busiest time of year.
Redwood
Rhododendrons bloom under the redwoods in May and June, and the coast turns green.
Carlsbad Caverns
The bats return to the cave in April and May, and the evening bat flight programs start.
Bryce Canyon
Snow lingers into April.
Big Bend
March brings spring breakers and crowds.
Zion
Waterfalls and green cottonwoods, but crowds build fast, and snowmelt often closes the Narrows.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison
The South Rim Road opens fully in spring.
Wind Cave
Wildflowers bloom and bison calves appear on the prairie.
Channel Islands
The islands turn green, and giant coreopsis blooms bright yellow.
Mesa Verde
Guided tours usually begin in spring.
Badlands
The prairie greens up and wildflowers bloom.
New River Gorge
Rafting season begins with high water.
Shenandoah
Wildflowers and blooming trees in April and May.
Great Sand Dunes
Medano Creek flows at the base of the dunes, usually peaking from late May to early June.
Cuyahoga Valley
Wildflowers along the trails and Brandywine Falls running high from snowmelt.
Death Valley
Pleasant through March, with wildflowers in wet years.
Yosemite
Waterfalls peak in May and June as snow melts.
Everglades
Still good through April.
Questions
What are the best national parks to visit in spring?
The highest-rated parks for spring are Congaree, Mammoth Cave, Gateway Arch, Hot Springs, Haleakalā, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes.
Which months count as spring here?
March through May. 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.