June is among the best months to tour most national parks in the United States. Many people prefer to travel in June because this month conveys the best temperatures as summer kicks off. So, you may have to consider the least visited national parks if you want to avoid crowds.
Some national parks may also experience extremely high temperatures in June. It’s hard for most people to deal with this kind of weather, except for those who are naturally more tolerant of 100-degree and above temperatures.
This article outlines the most amazing national parks to visit in June. We have deliberately left off some national parks with extremely high temperatures, in consideration of those who prefer less scorching environments.
These parks offer great weather, which allows you to have fun and enjoy yourself while avoiding the crowds experienced during summer.
1. Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is home to several ungulate species, including grizzly bears, pronghorns, white-tailed deer, badgers, otters, and badgers
| Yellowstone National Park | |
|---|---|
| State | Wyoming |
| Size | 2.2 million acres |
| Animal to See | Grizzly bear |
| Attraction to See | Hot springs and gushing geysers |
Yellowstone National Park is among the most beautiful and diverse national parks in the United States. The park is famous for its geysers and geothermal features. June is the best month to visit Yellowstone since most places are warm and free of snow.
June is also the prime season for wildflowers at Yellowstone National Park. You will be able to enjoy the immense assortment of brilliant blooms throughout the park. Part of the reason you should visit the park in June is because of the wider availability of the dark-eyed Susans, geraniums, and lavenders. These flowers bring forth the most impressive scenery you’ll ever come across.
Summer is the best time to hike the trails at Yellowstone when the snow has already melted in the lower elevations. You can hike up Mt. Washburn through the gnarled rock faces and open meadows, where you will get the best panoramic views of the park.
Yellowstone is also home to several ungulate species, including grizzly bears, pronghorns, white-tailed deer, moose, badgers, otters, and bison among other animals. June makes it possible to view all these animals because the park is full of new life in the summertime, and the animals come out of their dens to enjoy the warm weather.
2. Channel Island National Park
Channel Island National Park is home to over 100 native species of animals
| Channel Island National Park | |
|---|---|
| State | California |
| Size | 249,600 acres |
| Animal to See | Wild fox, sea lion |
| Attraction to See | Anacapa Island |
Located off the southern California coast, Channel Islands National Park is also a breathtaking place to visit in June. The Channel Islands is a great place to go hiking with your family and friends because there are so many trails and roads that go through the islands.
The park is home to more than 100 native species of animals, including deer mice, island night lizards, island scrub jays, sealions, island foxes, and island fence lizards among others. Channel Island is often regarded as the North American Galapagos because of the different unique species of animals found there.
In addition, you will enjoy a great ferry experience at the Channel Islands, though it’s often fully booked. So it’s best to check out the park’s website when planning to visit this place to book your trip along with other activities in advance.
3. Great Smoky Mountain National Park
The Great Smoky Mountain National Park is a perfect place for those who love wildlife, hiking, scenic views, photography, and camping
| Great Smoky Mountain National Park | |
|---|---|
| State | Tennessee |
| Size | 522,427 acres |
| Animal to See | Black bear |
| Attraction to See | Clingmans Dome |
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has been ranked the most visited place in the United States. June is the best time to visit the Great Smoky Mountains: at this time, the weather is warm, the flowers are still blooming, and the park is full of life.
The Great Smoky Mountains is a perfect place for those who love wildlife, hiking, scenic drives, scenic views, photography, and camping. So, you’re bound to find something that sparks your interest while at the park.
While exploring the Smoky Mountains, you will have an opportunity to see numerous animals, including white-tailed deer, elk, coyotes, black bears, and different species of salamanders. There are four spots in the park to see wildlife: Cades Cove, the Three Bears General Store, the Wildlife Encounter at Ober Gatlinburg, and the Roaring Fork Trail.
The Great Smoky Mountains is the best place to visit in summer because of the best hiking experience the park offers. Due to favorable weather in June, you will have more than 850 miles of trails to hike, from Abrams Falls Trail to Andrews Bald along the Forney Ridge Trail.
4. Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve
Glacier Bay National Park offers unique scenery of the snow-capped mountains, great beaches, and rugged coastlines
| Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve | |
|---|---|
| State | Alaska |
| Size | 3,223,384 acres |
| Animal to See | Black bear |
| Attraction to See | Snow-capped mountains |
Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve is another great place that should be on your priority list in June. Located in Southern Alaska, Glacier Bay National Park offers unique scenery of the snow-capped mountains, great beaches, and rugged coastlines.
The abundance of animals, including moose, wolves, deer, mountain goats, marmots, bald eagles, and black bears, makes Glacier Bay more appealing. Besides, rest assured that June will be much more adventurous at the park as it brings minke whales, humpback whales, and killer whales.
5. Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National park lies along the Blue Ridge Mountains
| Shenandoah National Park | |
|---|---|
| State | Virginia |
| Size | 199,173 acres |
| Animal to See | White-tailed deer |
| Attraction to See | Blue Ridge Mountains |
Shenandoah National Park is among the unique parks that deserve to be on your June bucket list. The park lies along the Blue Ridge Mountains, providing a wide range of hiking opportunities.
Be sure to experience different wildlife species, including white-tailed deer, big brown bat, and black deer. You might come across different bird species such as ospreys and hummingbirds in the park since summer is when birds do most of their flying, singing, and hunting for prey in the open air.
6. Denali National Park
| Denali National Park | |
|---|---|
| State | Alaska |
| Size | 4,740,911 acres |
| Animal to See | Grizzly bear |
| Attraction to See | Mount McKinley |
Denali National Park & Preserve is another significant natural wild park located in Alaska you can visit in June. The park is best known for outdoor activities such as hiking, wildlife viewing, scenic drives, photography, camping, scenic views, and river rafting.
The park has about 35 hiking trails unless you decide to hike off-trail. Some of the trails you shouldn’t miss on your hiking list include the Tundra Loop Trail, McKinley Bar Trail, Horseshoe Lake Trail, Curry Ridge Trail, and Triple Lakes Trail if you’re looking for solitude. While on the trails, you might get an opportunity to see wolves, deer, and moose.
Since Alaska is close to the North Pole, it gets about 20 hours of sunlight in June. That means you will have a lot of hours to enjoy the scenic views during the daytime at Denali National Park without worrying about creeping darkness.
7. Voyageurs National Park
Popular lakes at Voyageurs National Park include Sand Point, Kabetogama, Rainy, and Namakan
| Voyageurs National Park | |
|---|---|
| State | Northern Minnesota |
| Size | 218,200 acres |
| Animal to See | Gray wolf |
| Attraction to See | Ellsworth Rock Gardens |
Voyageurs National Park, located along the Minnesota-Canadian border, is another amazing park that you can visit in June. Voyageurs is open year-round, and there’s no bad time to tour this park. However, summer is the best time to visit this park if you want to see more of the Voyageurs and avoid the crowds at Kabetogama Lake in winter and spring.
The park is home to the most iconic North Woods animals, such as bald eagles, loons, wolves, and moose. Voyageurs has more than 300 islands on 30 lakes, all connected by narrow waterways. Some of the most popular lakes at Voyageurs include Sand Point, Kabetogama, Rainy, and Namakan. Many anglers are often found fishing for smallmouth bass and walleye in these waters.
Voyageurs provide short hiking trails near the Ash River Visitor Center. Hikers can enjoy a peaceful experience as they walk along the park road, through forests, wetlands, or around rock outcrops. They can see how the park’s landscape changes as they go up and down different parts of the park.
8. Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is full of magnificent granite cliffs, giant sequoia groves, glaciers, clear streams, lakes, and mountains
| Yosemite National Park | |
|---|---|
| State | California |
| Size | 748,542 acres |
| Animal to See | Bobcat |
| Attraction to See | Glacier Point |
June is one of the best months to visit Yosemite National Park because at this time, much of the snow would have already melted and the flowers would be in their peak bloom. Most roads, including Toga Road, are open in summer for scenic drives. This means that you will be able to access Glacier Point and Tuolumne Meadows in June.
The only challenge with visiting Yosemite in June is the huge crowds. Most people tour the place from April to November. However, the crowds do not affect the hikers who go further on a trail where there are fewer people.
You may spot songbirds, marmots, bobcats, squirrels, rabbits, and different species of butterflies while exploring the park. Yosemite also provides habitat to more than 22 species of reptiles, such as snakes, lizards, and turtles.
9. Isle Royale National Park
In Isle Royale National Park, you can find beavers, garter snakes, minks, ermines, and many bird species
| Isle Royale National Park | |
|---|---|
| State | Michigan |
| Size | 571,800 acres |
| Animal to See | Garter snake |
| Attraction to See | Rock Harbor Lighthouse |
Isle Royale National Park is among the most fascinating places to visit in June. The park is less crowded in June and early fall. It’s one of the most beautiful places with an island and its associated islets full of moose, snowshoe hares, loons, beavers, garter snakes, minks, ermines, and many bird species.
Isle Royale is worth visiting in June, but visitors should be aware of bugs, gnats, black flies, and mosquitoes that annoyingly bite. The water is full of tapeworms and must be boiled for at least two minutes before consumption. Otherwise, if you’re planning to camp at Isle Royale, the park will give you a sense of darkness that you will never find elsewhere.
10. Mesa Verde National Park
There are lots of outdoor activities to explore in Mesa Verde National Park
| Mesa Verde National Park | |
|---|---|
| State | Southwest Colorado |
| Size | 52,000 acres |
| Animal to See | Mountain lion |
| Attraction to See | Cliff Palace |
Mesa Verde National Park is another beautiful park in Colorado that you can tour during summer. June is a comfortable month to explore outdoor activities at Mesa Verde. So, if you love touring cliff dwellings, attending campfire programs, or just having dinner in the park, then you should consider visiting Mesa Verde National Park in June.
You will be able to see Mesa Verde’s desert wildlife if you go for scenic drives at dusk or dawn. Keep your eyes out for mountain lions, black bears, porcupines, gray foxes, elks, marmots, coyotes, jackrabbits, and turkey vultures. You may even spot wild horses within the park. Remember not to disturb the wildlife for your safety and theirs.
11. Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Theodore Roosevelt National Park is home to large and small grazing animals, including bison, elk, prairie dogs, and wild horses
| Theodore Roosevelt National Park | |
|---|---|
| State | Western North Dakota |
| Size | 70,446 acres |
| Animal to See | Bison |
| Attractions to See | Maltese Cross Cabin |
Theodore Roosevelt National Park is best known for its variety of plants and species of animals. There is a concentration of hundreds of bison in the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt. So, you are likely to see one if you tread lightly.
You may also come across small grazers such as mule deer and prairie dogs in the park. It’s interesting to watch the views of the prairie dogs as they come out of their burrows and run around. Several kinds of snakes and lizards also live in the semi-arid climate of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Summary of the 11 Best National Parks to Visit in June
Here’s a recap of the 11 national parks that we think make great destinations in June.
| Number | Park | Location | Animal to See | Attraction to See |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yellowstone National Park | Wyoming | Grizzly bear | Hot springs and gushing geysers |
| 2 | Channel Island National Park | California | Wild fox, sea lion | Anacapa Island |
| 3 | Great Smoky Mountain National Park | Tennessee | Black bear | Clingmans Dome |
| 4 | Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve | Alaska | Black bear | Snow-capped mountains |
| 5 | Shenandoah National Park | Virginia | White-tailed deer | Blue Ridge Mountains |
| 6 | Denali National Park | Alaska | Grizzly bear | Mount McKinley |
| 7 | Voyageurs National Park | Northern Minnesota | Gray wolf | Ellsworth Rock Gardens |
| 8 | Yosemite National Park | California | Bobcat | Glacier Point |
| 9 | Isle Royale National Park | Michigan | Garter snake | Rock Harbor Lighthouse |
| 10 | Mesa Verde National Park | Southwest Colorado | Mountain lion | Cliff Palace |
| 11 | Theodore Roosevelt National Park | Western North Dakota | Bison | Maltese Cross Cabin |