The best national parks to visit in April come with two intentions – people looking to leave winter behind and those looking to hold for just one more powder day or snowshoe hike.
Unlikes the best national parks to visit in March, which can be a mixed bag, the lines are clear in April that spring is in the air.
In addition, national parks to visit in April soar in popularity during National Park Week, the third week in April. That’s nine days of increased activities, tours, and events at more than 400 National Park Service locations nationwide. Mark your calendar for April 20, as it’s a fee-free day.
Consider planning a trip to a Dark Sky Park the first week in April for additional festivities during International Dark Sky Week.
Our list of parks is ala carte, not in order of importance, based on crowds, access, weather, and personal experiences. We’ll also touch on some of the most popular parks to see what you can expect if you’re determined to, for example, see Glacier National Park in April.
TABLE OF CONTENTS: 15 BEST National Parks to Visit in April
Table of contents
- 15. Arches National Park
- 14. Badlands National Park
- 13. Big Bend National Park
- 12. Congaree National Park
- 11. Cuyahoga Valley National Park
- 10. Death Valley National Park
- 9. Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- 8. Guadalupe Mountains National Park
- 7. New River Gorge National Park
- 6. Pinnacles National Park
- 5. Redwood National Park
- 4. Saguaro National Park
- 3. Shenandoah National Park
- 2. Yosemite National Park
- 1. Joshua Tree National Park
- Parks to Avoid in April
- What About Zion National Park in April?
- List of National Parks to Visit in April
- Map of Best National Parks to Visit in April
15. Arches National Park
- Location: Utah
- Weather: The average high is 69° F while the average low is 40° F with three days of precipitation.
- Sunrise & Sunset Times: Average sunrise is 6:41, and sunset is 7:55.
- Crowds: Medium
- Resources: Things to Do / Map / Guidebook / Where to Stay / Timed Entry Reservations
Of the Mighty Five in Utah, Arches National Park in April makes this list. Yeah, there’s timed entry, but in early April? Forgedduboutit. You’ll have plenty of open slots to choose from if you plan, and early April should be no problem. Better yet, get there before 7am and you’ll have the best hikes in Arches National Park at your fingertips.
The weather and the long days are perfect without that sweltering desert heat, and you’re not going to experience the peak crowds, barring National Park Week.
14. Badlands National Park
- Location: South Dakota
- Weather: The average high is 57° F while the average low is 35° F with eight days of precipitation.
- Sunrise & Sunset Times: Average sunrise is 6:05, and sunset is 7:34pm.
- Crowds: Low
- Resources: Map / Guidebook / Guide / Things to Do / Where to Stay
Badlands National Park in April is a breathtaking marvel, offering a unique blend of rugged beauty and vibrant life. April’s visitation is tripled in May, so this is the last month without the crowds until after Labor Day.
The landscape bursts with colorful wildflowers, contrasting with the stark, dramatic backdrop of the Badlands. April is also prime time for wildlife viewing, with bison, bighorn sheep, and prairie dogs active throughout the park. Look for bison to wallow in mud – they’re just shedding that thick winter coat. You can do the same (uh, shed the coat – don’t wallow in mud) with the nice temperature this time of year.
The serenity and splendor of Badlands National Park make it a top choice among the best national parks to visit in April, promising unforgettable adventures.
13. Big Bend National Park
- Location: Texas
- Weather: The average high is 77° F while the average low is 55° F with one day of precipitation.
- Sunrise & Sunset Times: Average sunrise is 7:26am and sunset is 8:19pm.
- Crowds: Medium
- Resources: Map | Guidebook | Where to Stay
In 2023, Big Bend National Park’s busiest month was March, followed by April. Don’t let that scare you off. This park is rarely filled to the brim, and you have so many amazing hikes in Big Bend National Park through three ecosystems to discover.
Big Bend National Park weather in April offers warm but not hot temperatures and nice cool evenings to soak in some of the darkest skies in the country. International Dark Sky Week runs the first week in April, and Big Bend is a designated International Dark Sky Park.
April is also peak wildflower season at Big Bend National Park.
MORE: A full list of International Dark Sky Parks at National Parks
12. Congaree National Park
- Location: South Carolina
- Weather: High around 75°F and lows around 50° with five days of precipitation.
- Sunrise & Sunset: Average sunrise is 6:51am and sunset is 7:54pm
- Crowds: Medium
- Resources: Things to Do | Guide | Where to Stay
April is one of the best months to visit Congaree National Park in South Carolina to get warm temperatures but minimal impact from bugs. If you wait until May or the summer, you’ll face a greater risk of rain and potentially oppressive humidity.
Since so much of this park involves exploring waterways and lush landscapes, April in Congaree National Park provides the perfect atmosphere to enjoy things to do without unnecessary issues. Sure, you can wait until May or June for the synchronous fireflies, but by June temperatures are near 90 during the day.
11. Cuyahoga Valley National Park
- Location: Ohio
- Weather: The average high is 60° F while the average low is 42° with 10 days of precipitation.
- Sunrise & Sunset Times: Average sunrise is 6:45am, and sunset is 8:07pm.
- Crowds: Medium
- Resources: Guidebook | Brandywine Falls | Where to Stay
April in Cuyahoga Valley National Park means the temperatures are warming up, and the crowds are still well below peak. Wildflowers bloom before the trees can cut back their sun exposure.
Some people might see that 10 days of precipitation and think, “Meh,” but we see that and think, “WATERFALLS!” The spring green here seems to foster a saturation level of colors that reminds me of skipping to see The Wizard of Oz.
Of course, fall colors are spectacular here, too, but something about the colors, waterfalls, and floral musky scent just makes this ephemeral treat worth the trip.
10. Death Valley National Park
- Location: California
- Weather: 90° F for high and 62° F for low
- Sunrise & Sunset: 6:13am and 7:22pm
- Crowds: High
- Resources: Guide | Things to Do | More Than Just Parks Death Valley Film | Best Campgrounds | Itinerary | Wildflower Info | Park Conditions
Death Valley National Park topped the list of best national parks to visit in March, but April brings another busy month to the California desert. Wildflowers still reach across landscapes and up the mountains, bringing rare colors to the typical spectrum of browns and tans.
You’ll need to be okay with those temperatures being at or above 90, which means sunburns and heat exhaustion can happen quickly if you aren’t acclimated. I live in the desert and don’t break a sweat until it gets to 100°, but some people are uncomfortable above 85°F. The record high in April for Death Valley is 113° F!
We loved the trail to Darwin Falls; one of the least expected things to find in a desert is a waterfall.
If you’re coming this far, and especially if you like spring diversity and flowers, I encourage you to take a side trip to Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Explore the turquoise water oasis and Devil’s Hole, a sinister underwater system of caves with no known exit or bottom. The journey includes thermal features and spring-fed lakes.
9. Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Location: Tennessee & North Carolina
- Weather: The average high is 65° F while the average low is 36° F with 11 days of precipitation.
- Sunrise & Sunset Times: Average sunrise is 7:00am and sunset is 8:07pm.
- Crowds: Medium (first month with >1 million visitors of the year)
- Resources: Map / Guidebook / MTJP Guide / Things to Do / Where to Stay
Robust waterfalls are one of the main reasons Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the best national parks to visit in April.
The seasonal road closures start to lift in early April, making opportunities to take a scenic ride or hike your favorite waterfalls. Wildflowers bloom around every corner, and anchor towns like Gatlinburg kick off the new season with several celebrations.
For those wanting information about the synchronous fireflies in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, April is the month when the ticket lottery opens. The event usually happens in June.
Remember, if crowds get too much for you, there’s Cherokee National Forest, Pisgah National Forest, and Nantahala National Forest all around the Smokies.
Smoky Mountains in April 2024: If you’re reading this before April 2024, you should know that Doolywood is opening the new Dolly Parton Experience (replacing the Chasing Rainbows Museum). It’s important to know if you want to see that new exhibit because the expected opening is in May. If that’s not your thing, you should know that May and summer crowds in the Smokies might be more robust this year because of that.
8. Guadalupe Mountains National Park
- Location: (West) Texas
- Weather: 70° F / 45°
- Sunrise & Sunset: 6:29am/7:28pm
- Crowds: Low/Medium
- Resources: Guidebook | Map | Park Conditions | Facts | Hotel
April hits the sweet spot in West Texas, where the windy season ends, but the stifling heat of the summer hasn’t arrived. Mach is the busiest month in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, but April is one of the busiest months. The bonus of an underrated park is that even crowds mean plenty of room to explore. If you do run into crowds, take the Permian Reef Trail. You’ll hardly pass more than five people.
Guadalupe Mountains National Park is home to the highest point in Texas for those looking to bag that peak. Plus, the horseback rides in spring and wildflowers bursting across the park help make this one of the best national parks to visit in April.
7. New River Gorge National Park
- Location: West Virginia
- Weather: 63° average high and 38° average low
- Sunrise & Sunset: 6:33am/7:53pm
- Crowds: Medium
- Resources: Guide | Things to Do | New River Gorge Film | Map | Guidebook | Where to Stay | Park Conditions
April kicks off the whitewater rafting season on the New River, and you choose from raging rapids to chill float rides. Another reason New River Gorge National Park is one of the best national parks to visit in April is the ongoing Spring Nature Fling. It runs from late March through May, but April tourism is 40% lower than May.
Another great thing to do in New River Gorge National Park in April is the Bridgewalk, which can only be accomplished with a tour guide.
And if you’re going to talk like a local here, you call the river “The New.” Rock climbs should know that even during the “Wet Virginia” spring, April has the least amount of rain. Spring is an ideal rock climbing time at The New, as long as you can catch a dry spell. And if it rains, there’s always Sandstone Falls.
6. Pinnacles National Park
- Location: California
- Weather: Highs average 72°F, lows around 43°F
- Sunrise & Sunset: 6:02am/7:32pm
- Crowds: Peak on weekends, Medium during the week
- Resources: Things to Do | Map | Guidebook | Where to Stay | Park Conditions
The thing about Pinnacles National Park being one of the best national parks to visit in April is that you should visit during the weekdays. As the busiest month of the year, weekends between 10am and 3pm bring heavy traffic.
The park explodes in a vibrant display of wildflowers in April, rivaling anything the desert can produce. Picture fields painted with scarlet poppies, golden lupine (you’ll smell it before you see it), and delicate baby blue eyes. Keep an eye out for mariposa lilies, the park’s signature flower, showcasing their unique orange and purple blooms. It adds a softness to an otherwise rough landscape.
The best wildflower spots are:
- High Peaks Loop
- Balconies Trail
- Juniper Canyon Trail
Spring is the prime time to witness California condors, the largest flying land birds in North America, soaring through the skies. Climbers, check the raptor advisory to see if there are routes off-limits.
You’ll likely get to visit Bear Gulch Cave’s lower section before the bats come back to have their babies. That closure is expected mid-May.
5. Redwood National Park
- Location: California
- Weather: Highs near 57°F, Lows around 45°F (coast will be about 5-10 degrees colder)
- Sunrise & Sunset: 6:35am/7:57pm
- Crowds: Medium
- Resources: Our Expert Guide | Things to Do | Our Photo Gallery | Redwood National Park Map | Where to Stay
Finding the best month to visit Redwood National Park is a tall order, but we think April is ideal for the wildflowers and lower crowds that you’ll see during the rest of the season and summer. Plus, the rainy season is tapering off in April.
April in Redwood National Park also brings one of the peak whale migration months, with several vantage points to see the spouts of the mighty mammals.
Another benefit of April in Redwoods National and State Parks is that Fern Canyon’s parking reservations don’t start until mid-May. The same goes for Gold Bluffs Beach’s permit system.
4. Saguaro National Park
- Location: Arizona
- Weather: 83° F for the average high, 52° is the average low
- Sunrise & Sunset: 5:52am/6:52pm
- Crowds: Medium/High
- Resources: Our Expert Guide | Things to Do | Map | Guidebook | Where to Stay: East Side / West Side
Saguaro National Park is one of the best national parks to visit in April if, for nothing else, the cactus blooms. Yes, the cacti grow flowers. I lived five blocks from the Rincon Mountain District for several years, and this was one of my favorite desert activities.
It helps to learn more about how this phenomenon works, but starting April 1, park rangers and volunteers are looking for the white and yellow flowers that adorn the top of the saguaros. I was one of the few people who loved the overripe melon smell of the flowers. It’s important to know this – the flowers bloom for just 24 hours, opening at night. You must go first thing in the morning to see blooms, as they close by the afternoon.
Insects, birds, and bats pollinate the flowers, which then transition into a hot pinkish-red fruit. The downside of that for visitors is that fruit appears in the brutal heat of the Sonoran Desert summer in late June. The seeds fall to become watered by the summer monsoon.
Saguaro National Park in April is a warm, sunny experience, showcasing yet another fascinating side of desert survival.
3. Shenandoah National Park
- Location: Virginia
- Weather: 56°F/36°F
- Sunrise & Sunset: 6:37am/7:51pm
- Crowds: Medium
- Resources: Things to Do | Map | Guide | Where to Stay | Park Conditions
More than half of the park’s 1,400 plants are wildflowers, and they burst to life in April. Combine that with the peak waterfall season, and guests walk in an ephemeral forest and mountain landscape. Scour the edge of rivers to get the best wildflower views.
April’s crowds are more than double the size in March but still nearly 20% smaller than the peak summer crowds. That means a better chance at scoring an Old Rag day-use permit.
By April in Shenandoah National Park, most winter closures are lifted, barring late-season storms or severe weather. That includes two of the four campgrounds.
2. Yosemite National Park
- Location: California
- Weather: The average high is 65° F while the average low is 37° F with six days of precipitation.
- Sunrise & Sunset Times: Average sunrise is 6:22am and sunset is 7:34pm.
- Crowds: Low Weekdays/Medium Weekends
- Resources: Map / Guidebook / Facts / Where to Stay
Yosemite is one of the best national parks to visit in April due to waterfall season. The winter snowmelt transforms the park into a wonderland of waterfalls, with the thunderous roar of Yosemite Falls echoing through the valley and the mist of Bridalveil Falls dancing in the sunlight. Summer visitors might get access to Tioga Road, but they don’t get this spectacle.
By April, accessing Hetch Hetchy is less likely to have weather-related closures. Wildflowers showery the scenery here, even leading the way to Wapama Falls through nearly three miles of spring sights, sounds, and smells. Also, consider Cook’s Meadow and Wawona Meadow for wildflower views.
New in 2024, guests must reserve a spot to enter Yosemite on weekends between 5am and 4pm. That goes into effect in mid-April, so an early April trip won’t face that challenge. Bring snow chains just in case, and if you’re grasping the last straws of winter snow, hike above 7,000 feet.
1. Joshua Tree National Park
- Location: California
- Weather: The average high is 73° F while the average low is 53° F with one day of precipitation.
- Sunrise & Sunset: Average sunrise is at 6:12am and average sunset is 7:15pm
- Crowds: High
- Resources: Expert Guide | Things to Do | Best Hikes | Facts | Map | Hotel | Park Conditions
Everything comes up wildflowers at Joshua Tree National Park in April. Even the namesake tree is known to sprout beauties. April’s ideal timing means the higher and lower elevations are in bloom.
March is the busiest month at Joshua Tree for the same reason, so I prefer April when the crowds aren’t as intense. Spring brings a busy season for desert tortoises as they emerge from their burrows looking for some romance. 😏
You can’t beat the April temperatures and average lack of rain better than any other spring or winter month. Try to visit on weekdays to avoid the weekend crowds, and don’t forget to check the celestial calendar to soak in the sparking dark skies of a new moon.
Parks to Avoid in April
Of all the great national parks to visit in April, several just don’t vibe with April. For example, Voyageurs National Park is stuck between melting ice and ice out, with May 3 ranking as the average day you can get around the lakes with the ice broken up enough.
In fact, less than 500 people visit Vouygaers in April, with most other months seeing 2,600 to 50,000.
Glacier National Park in April suffers a similar fate, with snow melting, limiting skiing chances, but also warmer temperatures that don’t allow the hiking advantages you can get just waiting until Going To The Sun Road reopens in late May. From April to May, visits jump 372% before peaking another 250% in July.
Alaska Cruise season doesn’t start until May and runs through September, so just wait at least another month to consider an Alaska trip to one of the eight national parks there.
What About Zion National Park in April?
April brings the last month that park visits are below half a million until November. That’s a plus. The temperatures get close to 60°F for daytime highs. The only hesitation about putting Zion National Park on the April list comes with the popular Narrows hike.
Out of the past 10 years, seven saw the Narrows closed for part of or most of April due to the river being over the acceptable 150 CFS (cubic feet per second). If you don’t mind missing that hike potentially, enjoy Zion National Park in April! You can always check the Virgin River flow before you go.
List of National Parks to Visit in April
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Yosemite National Park
- Shenandoah National Park
- Saguaro National Park
- Redwood National Park
- Pinnacles National Park
- New River Gorge State Park
- Guadalupe Mountains National Park
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Death Valley National Park
- Cuyahoga Valley National Park
- Congaree National Park
- Big Bend National Park
- Badlands National Park
- Arches National Park
Map of Best National Parks to Visit in April
Pin Best National Parks to Visit in April
Helpful Related Links
January: 10 Best National Parks To Visit in January
February: 15 BEST National Parks to Visit in February (From Snow to Tropical)
March: 15 BEST National Parks to Visit in March
May: 15 BEST US National Parks to Visit in MAY (+2 Parks to Avoid!) 2023
October: 15 BEST National Parks to Visit in October (+ 3 to Avoid)
November: 15 BEST National Parks to Visit in November (+Holiday Hours)
December: 15 Best National Parks to Visit in December (+2 to Avoid!)
Out with the winter and in with “The New”!