The Best National Parks To Cool Off in This Summer

Venture to southwestern Oregon to experience one of the world's deepest and most pristine lakes in Crater Lake National Park. This is the most popular time to visit the park when average high temperatures hover around 70 degrees and rainfall is minimal. 

One of the nation's least-visited national parks, Isle Royale is a rugged island cluster in Michigan's Lake Superior that offers adventure in bunches, from scenic hiking and kayaking to close encounters with nature and wildlife such as moose and wolves. 

Washington's Olympic National Park is an underrated protected land boasting nearly two million acres of exceptional wilderness, including jaw-dropping mountain peaks and mesmerizing rainforests that visitors can experience in cool and comfortable temperatures this time of year. 

Alaska's Denali National Park and Preserve is where travelers will find North America's tallest peak. This serene landscape is best experienced in the summer months before the arrival of the harsh Alaskan winter. Whether your passion is hiking or photography, you're sure to fall in love with this remote land.

Elsewhere in the Last Frontier, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve stands out for its lack of crowds and ideal summer climate. This is quintessential Alaska where visitors can take in dramatic mountains, vibrant lakes and awe-inspiring wildlife including salmon and bears as well as learn about the Dena'ina people who have called this land home for centuries. 

Glacier National Park in Montana's Rocky Mountains is an ideal place to cool off this summer. Visitors can hike hundreds of miles of scenic trails and enjoy unrivaled nature in the form of eye-popping meadows, lakes and wildlife ranging from grizzly bears to mountain goats. 

If you've got a top-tier national park on your radar but want to avoid the crowds at Yellowstone, consider Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park. Visitors can cool off in the Snake River before touring extraordinary valleys, forests and mountains.