24/7 Wall St. Insight
- Some national parks get very hot in the summer, so much so that travelers should be aware
- The hottest park in Death Valley National Park
Although summer is just about over and the next vacation may be months away, September might actually be a better time to visit some national parks. Not only are the crowds thinner but the weather in many may be more pleasant. In fact, it could also be safer as this summer there have been several heat-related deaths and injuries in national parks.
To determine the hottest national parks, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed census tract level data on land surface temperature from the USGS Landsat program. National parks were ranked based on average surface level temperature in July and August. Temperature data was aggregated from census tracts to national parks using boundary data from the U.S. Census Bureau and National Park Service. Supplemental data on the number of annual visitors in 2023 is also from the NPS.
While the parks on the list span the country, the 10 hottest parks, where average summer temperatures can reach over 110 degrees Fahrenheit, are in just five states. Three of the hottest 10 are in Arizona, including the Petrified Forest National Park, two each are in New Mexico, California, and Texas, and one is in Utah. The hottest, not surprisingly is the aptly named Death Valley National Park, where temperatures reach 123.7 F. (Also see, This Most Expensive National Park Offers Unforgettable Experiences.)
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40. Voyageurs National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 74.6°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 220,825
- Park area: 319.9 square miles
- Region: Northeast Minnesota
39. Glacier National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 75.8°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 2,933,616
- Park area: 1,575.2 square miles
- Region: Western Montana
38. Grand Teton National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 80.7°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 3,417,106
- Park area: 484.4 square miles
- Region: Wyoming Snake Drainage
37. Shenandoah National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 81.3°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 1,576,008
- Park area: 308.7 square miles
- Region: Northern Virginia
36. Cuyahoga Valley National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 81.9°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 2,860,059
- Park area: 51.2 square miles
- Region: Northeast Ohio
35. Mammoth Cave National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 82.8°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 654,450
- Park area: 111.8 square miles
- Region: Central Kentucky
34. Dry Tortugas National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 83.1°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 84,285
- Park area: 102.5 square miles
- Region: Florida Keys
33. Indiana Dunes National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 83.8°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 2,765,892
- Park area: 25.4 square miles
- Region: Northwest Indiana
32. Yellowstone National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 85.0°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 2,295,705
- Park area: 3,436.6 square miles
- Region: Wyoming Yellowstone Drainage
31. Biscayne National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 86.7°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 571,242
- Park area: 271.6 square miles
- Region: Florida Lower East Coast
30. Everglades National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 86.8°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 810,189
- Park area: 2,393.4 square miles
- Region: Florida Everglades
29. Congaree National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 86.9°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 250,114
- Park area: 41.8 square miles
- Region: Central South Carolina
28. Hot Springs National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 88.9°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 2,502,967
- Park area: 8.5 square miles
- Region: Central Arkansas
27. Mesa Verde National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 90.3°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 505,194
- Park area: 83.9 square miles
- Region: Colorado Colorado Drainage Basin
26. Crater Lake National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 90.9°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 559,976
- Park area: 285.2 square miles
- Region: Oregon High Plateau
25. Kings Canyon National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 91.3°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 643,065
- Park area: 717.1 square miles
- Region: California San Joaquin Drainage
24. Channel Islands National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 92.1°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 328,746
- Park area: 383.9 square miles
- Region: California South Coast Drainage
23. Sequoia National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 95.4°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 980,567
- Park area: 635.6 square miles
- Region: California San Joaquin Drainage
22. Lassen Volcanic National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 96.9°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 418,978
- Park area: 168.0 square miles
- Region: California Sacramento Drainage
21. Theodore Roosevelt National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 97.5°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 746,862
- Park area: 110.1 square miles
- Region: Southwest North Dakota
20. Gateway Arch National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 98.1°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 2,422,836
- Park area: 0.3 square miles
- Region: Southwest Illinois
19. Great Sand Dunes National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 98.1°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 512,219
- Park area: 168.1 square miles
- Region: Colorado Rio Grande Drainage Basin
18. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 99.2°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 357,069
- Park area: 48.8 square miles
- Region: Colorado Colorado Drainage Basin
17. Wind Cave National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 99.7°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 592,459
- Park area: 53.0 square miles
- Region: South Dakota Black Hills
16. Badlands National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 106.0°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 1,046,400
- Park area: 379.4 square miles
- Region: Southwest South Dakota
15. Bryce Canyon National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 106.4°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 2,461,269
- Park area: 56.2 square miles
- Region: South Central Utah
14. Zion National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 107.2°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 4,623,238
- Park area: 232.4 square miles
- Region: South Central Utah
13. Great Basin National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 108.8°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 143,265
- Park area: 120.3 square miles
- Region: Northeastern Nevada
12. Capitol Reef National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 109.3°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 1,268,861
- Park area: 382.5 square miles
- Region: Southeast Utah
11. Canyonlands National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 110.6°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 800,322
- Park area: 522.3 square miles
- Region: Southeast Utah
10. Saguaro National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 111.2°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 1,010,906
- Park area: 146.2 square miles
- Region: Southeast Arizona
9. Grand Canyon National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 111.5°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 4,733,705
- Park area: 1,880.1 square miles
- Region: Northeast Arizona
8. Arches National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 112.4°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 1,482,045
- Park area: 119.5 square miles
- Region: Southeast Utah
7. Carlsbad Caverns National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 113.0°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 394,121
- Park area: 73.1 square miles
- Region: New Mexico Southeastern Plains
6. Pinnacles National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 113.2°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 341,220
- Park area: 41.7 square miles
- Region: California Central Coast Drainage
5. Big Bend National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 114.0°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 509,129
- Park area: 1,267.0 square miles
- Region: Texas Trans Pecos
4. Guadalupe Mountains National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 115.8°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 227,340
- Park area: 136.3 square miles
- Region: Texas Trans Pecos
3. Petrified Forest National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 119.2°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 520,491
- Park area: 348.4 square miles
- Region: Northeast Arizona
2. White Sands National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 120.3°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 729,096
- Park area: 231.6 square miles
- Region: New Mexico Southern Desert
1. Death Valley National Park
- Average summer land surface temperature: 123.7°F
- Annual visitors, 2023: 1,099,589
- Park area: 5,367.1 square miles
- Region: California Southeast Desert Basin
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