The Best National Parks to Visit Before Summer

Staying in a national park in the off-season or shoulder season is a peaceful visit.  There are fewer people, traffic, and ‘business’.  Spring is also a great time to visit because wildlife is giving birth and flora and fauna are springing to life. 

Planning Your National Park Visit

Before you book a campground site, when it comes to visiting a national park with your RV, there are some things you need to know.  There might be certain requirements…

• Entrance fees and pass requirements
• Specific websites for booking
• Limited windows for booking
• Seasonal times national parks are operational
• Restrictions are rig sizes
• Available hookups, dump stations, or amenities
• Park closures due to natural disasters
• Are pets allowed or watch for other creatures?

You can’t waltz into most national parks.  You may need to book months in advance (or longer).  However, securing a site is worth the beauty and experiences you will have for your stay.

National Park RV Camping in the Spring

The other nice thing about camping before summer is you can escape the hotter summer months.  Here are some of the best parks to visit before the busy summer arrives if you don’t appreciate the heat.

Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas

This park is a fee-free park.  It is in the middle of town yet you can enjoy 26 miles of hiking trails, thermal springs, and historic bathhouses.  Camp at the Gulpha Gorge Campground.  Other interesting locations nearby are the downtown Gangster Museum of America, a stroll on the scenic boardwalk – Grand Promenade, or visiting some of the hanging bridges and hot springs.

Joshua Tree National Park in California

Enjoy the Mojave and Colorado deserts and be surrounded by the park’s namesake – Joshua Trees.  It is great here before summer but you do want to avoid the spring break season.  Additional sites you can visit are the Cholla Cactus Garden, the Barker Dam Trail, and the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve.

Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky

Four hundred miles of cave system, the longest recorded cave in the world.  Stay at the Mammoth Cave Campground while you tour the cave.  If the cave wasn’t enough to keep you busy for days, there are other experiences nearby.  The Kentucky Bourbon Trails are great for distillery tours or visiting more caves like Lost River Cave or Crystal Onyx Cave.

Great Basin National Park in Nevada

It might be a little chilly in the evenings before summer but this is a wilderness to explore.  There is a 13,063-foot summit of Wheeler Peak.  Or enjoy hikes in the foothills – take the Alpine Lakes Loop Trail.  Nearby you can take a Lehman Cave tour, and fish for Bonneville Cutthroat Trout.  This is a boondocking area only!

Big Bend National Park in Texas

There are several campgrounds with hookups so you have a choice if you book early.  Reservations are required.  Bonus – Big Bend State Park is nearby so you get two parks in one stay!  Explore the ghost town of Terlingua, visit Marfa Mystery Lights, or travel out to Fort Davis to the McDonald Observatory.

You can’t go wrong with any of these national park options.  There are plenty of activities in and around the parks to keep you entertained for weeks in the nice cool weather months.  Just make sure you plan and know the restrictions before you arrive.  Happy Camping!