Know before you go to US national parks this summer.

Tips for road conditions, weather, wildlife and fire safety, extreme summer heat, new entrance fees and passes, list of national parks with no entrance fees, and individual park updates.

 

Know before you go

Check out National Park Service website for current road conditions, weather and alerts.

Also download NPS app on your phone, so you can get information about the park you’re visiting when there’s no cell phone coverage.

Road conditions – Find current road status (roads can be closed due to flooding, landslides, wildfires), seasonal opening and closing dates, road construction, which can cause traffic delays.

Weather – To help plan when to visit, check out weather for each month in the park, day and nighttime temperatures. Weather alerts are particularly important, weather can be too hot to hike safely, excessive rain is flooding rivers and trail crossings, roads are damaged.

Alerts – Alerts will cover a variety of topics, from fire, smoke and air quality, conditions of trails, closed campgrounds, day-use reservations required, traffic congestion, when parking lots are full.

 

Wildlife safety

Never approach animals or block traffic to stop and view wildlife.

Always stay at least 100 yards (91 m) away from bears and wolves, at least 25 yards (23 m) away from all other large animals, including bison and elk.

Do not feed the animals, especially birds, squirrels and chipmunks. Chips and snacks are bad for many animals – feed them people food and they can end up dead.

 

Fire safety

Each summer, wildfires can be caused by lightning strikes and human activities. Drought, high winds and dry grass conditions create extreme fire danger.

Campfires are only permitted within the fire rings in campgrounds. Campfires must be attended at all times and don’t leave until they are completely out.

To see any wildfire alerts, check out NPS for the park you’re visiting and national weather service.

If a wildfire is burning in your area, don’t go out on a hike – air quality alone will make it unhealthy. Fires are unpredictable, access roads can close, trails may be engulfed in flames.

 

Extreme heat

In summer, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, and Mojave National Preserve, temperatures are typically over 100. Death Valley always has the hottest temperatures, 120+ degrees.

Getting out of an air conditioned car in the desert in summer, initially it might not seem that hot. But temperatures over 100 degrees are a significant safety risk, particularly without access to water or shade.

Extreme heat vitally impacts your body and can result in heat stroke, which is life threatening.

Our recommendation is don’t visit California desert national parks in summer, it’s just too hot.

Also, in July and August, temperatures in Arches, Grand Canyon, Saguaro (Tucson) parks are 100+ degrees.

But heat advisories are not just for deserts in summer.

There are national parks in cities. In summer New York, Boston and Philadelphia can have temperatures of 100+ degrees. When it’s this lot, head to museums or public libraries that are air conditioned.

Entrance fees and passes

Entrance fees to parks provide vital funding for trail repairs, education programs, visitor centers and services.

In Jan. 2026, Trump government authorized a new entrance fee for 11 most popular national parks.

The parks are: Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion.

For international visitors at these parks, non-resident fee is $35 for vehicle, plus $100 per person (kids under age 16 are free), good for one park, 7 days. America the Beautiful Non-Resident Annual Pass is $250.

Here’s the details: Non-resident fees

Tip: At the park kiosk for entrance fees, one person can show their pass, and it will apply to other passengers in the car.

“Regardless of the year issued, all valid America the Beautiful Passes and park-specific annual passes will cover entrance fees and nonresident fees for the pass holder and passengers in a private vehicle.”

For US residents, America the Beautiful passes are savings if you plan to visit more than one park.

Resident American the Beautiful – Annual pass $80.
Senior Pass – 62+ Lifetime pass $80
Every Kid Outdoors 4th Grade Pass – Annual pass is free.

Buy all park entrance passes in advance on Recreation.gov.

Parks with no entrance fees

These parks have no entrance fees or long lines to pay or show pass at a park entrance kiosk.

Arizona
Canyon de Chelly

California
Alcatraz – fee for ferry ride
Devils Postpile
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Point Reyes National Seashore
Redwood National and State Parks

Hawaii
Pearl Harbor National Memorial

Massachusetts
Boston National Historical Park
Minute Man

New York
Ellis Island – fee for ferry ride
Statue of Liberty – fee for ferry ride

Nevada
Great Basin

Oregon
Lewis and Clark NHP
Oregon Caves NM

Pennsylvania
Independence NHP
Valley Forge
Gettysburg

Tennessee
Great Smoky Mountains

Washington
North Cascades NP

Park Updates

Already park staff cuts and non-resident entrance fees are creating chaos at entrance kiosks. Expect long lines and wait times to enter popular parks.

Plan to arrive before 9 or 10am when entrance lines are shorter and parking is still available. If parking lots in the national park are full, it may not be possible enter the park until some cars have left. Have a backup plan if parking lots are full.

Here’s useful seasonal information for trips to these parks this summer:

 

NPS Crater Lake

Cleetwood Cove and all lake access is closed, and will be closed for several years. There are no boat rides around the lake or access to Wizard Island.

 

NPS Olympic National Park

Hurricane Ridge and Hoh Rain Forest parking lots can be full by mid morning. When no parking is available, vehicles are stopped at entrance stations, and no cars can enter until cars have left, and wait times may be more than 1 hour.

In addition, there is major construction in Hurricane Ridge area.

Check road & weather line – 360-565-3131 before your visit.

Hurricane Ridge and the Hoh Rain Forest are two of our favorite places to visit, but this summer may not be the time. Check out other fun things to do with kids on the Olympic Peninsula.

 

NPS Grand Teton

This summer a large construction project will affect popular Moose entrance.

From May 1 to June 20, the Moose-Wilson Rd. between Moose and Teton will be closed, Antelope Flats Rd. (Mormon Row) will also be intermittently closed.

Tip: Wildlife spotting was amazing on Antelope Flats Rd. If the road is closed, ask at the visitor center for an alternative.

More more family fun in Grand Teton and where to stay, read our blog post: Yellowstone and Grand Teton summer 2026

 

NPS Yosemite

This summer, Yosemite Valley will be a traffic jam, parking lots full, long waits times for entrance kiosks, if you can get into the park.

For past several years, Yosemite successfully used day-use reservations to limit overcrowding in Yosemite Valley during busy summer months. This year Department of the Interior denied the request, so no day-use reservations are required.

NPS app for Yosemite includes a live map of road conditions within the park. However, what the map doesn’t show is conditions for the three roads leading into the park – Highways 140, 120, and 41.

For live road conditions, download Caltrans QuickMap app, type in Yosemite for location. Or, call 1-800-427-7623, enter highway number, e.g. 140, this is most accurate road information.

For Yosemite Valley, it’s helpful to know when parking lots are full, also wait time to reach entrance kiosk – could be 1, 2, or more hours. Set up your phone to receive text messages: ynptraffic to 333111

When Yosemite Valley parking lots are full, you will receive a text and message not enter the park. When no parking lots are available, DO NOT park on shoulder of the road or any unpaved areas.

For more tips about Yosemite, read our blog post: Yosemite Update

 

NPS Glacier National Park

Glacier NP has a glorious two lane road, Going to the Sun Highway, with hikes in high country. A shuttle bus goes to Logan Pass, also a parking lot that fills up early in the day.

In the past, Glacier had a day use reservation system to manage too many people with limited space in the parking lot and the shuttle bus. For 2026 there are no day-use reservations.

As of this writing, we have no information about using the shuttle bus, or options when Logan Pass parking is full.

Find other fun things to do with kids in Glacier NP on Travel for Kids.

 

NPS Mount Rainier

Grove of the Patriarchs is closed.

Trail conditions – Due to snow, popular trails such as the Skyline Trail may not open until mid-June. Check trail conditions before planning which trail to take.

Paradise and Sunrise parking lots are very crowded in summer, lots are full by late morning. Read tips for traffic congestion.

 

NPS Great Smoky Mountains

A parking tag is required (if staying longer than 15 min.) Buy a parking tag online, or at visitor centers and stores inside the park.

All the details: Parking tags

Trails can be closed due to bear activity. Find out about Bears in the Smokies – what to do if you see a bear, proper food storage, citations for feeding bears.

 

NPS Muir Woods

Located in Marin across from San Francisco, Muir Woods is opportunity to take a hike in magnificent coast redwoods. Muir Woods are very popular and parking is very limited.

Advance reservations are always required for car parking and shuttle, at a location away from the woods: Muir Woods Park and Shuttle

No cell phone service or Wi-Fi is available in Muir Woods, ride share or taxi is not recommended.

More outdoor activities and hikes with kids in Marin County on Travel for Kids.

 
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