Matt and Karen Smith, a Gen X couple, have completed their mission to visit all 63 national parks in the United States. Since embarking on their journey in 2010, the couple has become experts on national park adventures and shares their insights, tips, and tricks with over 247,000 followers on Instagram through their podcast “Dear Bob and Sue: A National Parks Podcast.”
After experiencing killer summer temperatures at Death Valley National Park, Matt and Karen discovered that high alpine national parks are the best places to visit during the summer months. The National Parks Service reported an increase in park visitors to over 325 million in the previous year, which is approaching an all-time high. With this surge in popularity comes the need for caution when planning a summer visit to these parks.
Based on their experience, Matt and Karen suggest eight national parks that are perfect for a summer vacation: Yosemite National Park in California, Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, Glacier National Park in Montana, Banff National Park in Alberta Canada, Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and Montana, Zion National Park in Utah, and Bryce Canyon National Park also in Utah. However, they advise avoiding two parks during the summer season: Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky and Death Valley National Park