Summer is an ideal time to pack up your road snacks, clear out your camera roll and buckle up for the best scenic drives through the country’s most iconic national parks. We chose favorites in every corner of the country, and selected parks that offer ideal conditions in the summer: not too hot or cold, passable roads, etc.

Here’s everything you need to know to choose the best route and plan for an epic summer adventure to:

• Acadia National Park, Maine
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee / North Carolina
• Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
• Yosemite National Park, California
• Glacier National Park, Montana

Acadia National Park

Maine’s rugged coastline, rocky shores, craggy islands and glacially sculpted mountains are on show in Acadia National Park, along with lush forests, serene ponds, and gently babbling brooks. Summer highs in the 70s and 80s and a cool ocean breeze off the Atlantic make this a mild-weathered escape, even at the peak of summer.

With 120 miles of hiking trails and coastal walks, plus swimming, boating, kayaking and tidepooling, this charming coastal getaway makes a perfect summer road trip. The scenic byways that roll through quaint New England towns like Bar Harbor are a big part of the appeal.

Best Road Trip Route in Acadia National Park

From charming Trenton on the mainland, head to the park on the Acadia All-American Road, one of America’s most beautiful byways. The scenic byway follows Route 3 onto Mount Desert Island and through Bar Harbor, after which it merges onto the iconic 27-mile Park Loop Road through Acadia National Park.

Park Loop Road gives you access to the best of Acadia National Park, cruising past pink granite cliffs, picturesque lakes, dense forests and dramatic ocean views. You’ll have easy access to hiking trails, visitor centers, picnic areas and scenic overlooks along the way. Must stops include: Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Otter Point and Jordan Pond.

For a less crowded route, don’t miss the 29-mile Schoodic Scenic Byway. The road follows the peninsula jutting out into Frenchman Bay, with stunning seascapes set against dramatic granite shores. It also offers an authentic coastal Maine experience, complete with charming fishing villages, fresh local seafood and plenty of wildlife.

Know before you go: You’ll need a reservation to drive Cadillac Summit Road, a 3.5 mile stretch off Park Loop Road that winds up to the summit of Cadillac Mountain, the highest peak on the eastern U.S. seaboard with unbeatable birdseye views.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

There’s a reason the Great Smoky Mountains is America’s most visited national park. Stradling the Tennessee - North Carolina border, this massive 816-square-mile park is a road tripper’s (and hiker’s) dream. Cruise through misty mountain ridges along the crest of the Smokies, drop down into picturesque deep river valleys, hike to cascading waterfalls and marvel at lush forests along the way. 

Be prepared for windy, narrow mountain roads, which may feature both fog and animal crossings (especially at night). With more than 850 miles of trails, it’s smart to plan your hikes in advance. It’s also a good idea to pack a picnic and plenty of snacks, as there are no restaurants within the park.

Best Road Trip Route in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Our favorite route through the Smokies is to start in Cherokee, NC and take Newfound Gap Road (U.S. Highway 441) 33 miles through the park, ending up at Gatlinburg, Tennessee. You’ll ascend 3,000 feet in elevation and see spectacular panoramic mountain views from ample scenic overlooks. 

You’ll also pass popular attractions like Newfound Gap. Located at the state line, it’s the lowest drivable pass through the park, home to the Rockefeller Memorial and a jumping off point for many popular hikes, including the Appalachian Trail. Kuwohi (formerly Clingmans Dome) is another can’t miss spot. The highest point in the park features a steep (paved) half-mile hike to a 54-foot observation tower at the summit. Trust us, the hike up is well worth the sweeping 360-degree panoramic mountain views. 

Once you get to Gatlinburg, turn west at Sugarlands Visitor Center onto Little River Road to drive the Cades Cove Loop. The 11-mile one-way drive passes through a gentle rolling valley framed by the dramatic peaks of the Smokies. You’ll cruise through lush grassy meadows and fields of wildflowers, passing historic log cabins, barns and churches. Know before you go: The loop is closed to cars Wednesdays (May through September) for pedestrian and bike access.

Bryce Canyon National Park

Located in Southern Utah, Bryce Canyon is one of “Utah’s Mighty 5 National Parks,” which include Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Capital Reef National Park and Zion National Park. And let’s not forget nearby Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park just over the state line to the south. 

All are epic, and worthy of a longer road trip, but we chose Bryce because its higher elevation (7,000 to 9,000 feet) makes it cooler in the summer months and better for hiking – not to mention it’s generally less crowded than nearby Zion National Park. 

Bryce’s landscape is otherworldly, with its signature spire-like hoodoo rock formations in varying shades of orange, red, pink and white. It’s also internationally renowned for its dark skies, which makes it an ideal place for stargazing.

Best Road Trip Route in Bryce Canyon National Park

The nearest big cities to Bryce are Salt Lake City to the north and Las Vegas to the south, and many drive between Bryce Canyon and nearby Zion. Utah rewards road trippers with unique red rock formations dotting the landscape that you won’t see anywhere else.
 

Utah’s Scenic Highway 89 and Scenic Byway 12 feature some of the state’s best canyon formations, pine forests and rolling plateaus leading to Bryce Canyon. Inside the park, the 18-mile park road (aka the Southern Scenic Drive) connects 15 major viewpoints. It also offers easy access to popular moderate hikes like the iconic Queens Garden Trail (1.8 miles) and the adjacent Navajo Loop Trail (1.5 miles), where you’ll descend into an amphitheater and shimmy through a slot canyon known as Wall Street (get it?).

Yosemite National Park

From its ancient Sequoias and cascading waterfalls to the gentle meadows and iconic granite monoliths of El Capitain and Half Dome, Yosemite is a California stunner that draws the masses. Whether you plan to hike, bike through Tuolumne Meadows, rock climb or cool off in the Merced River, it pays to plan ahead.

You’ll need a reservation to enter in the popular summer months, but if you missed the booking window in May, you can still reserve 7 days before your arrival when a small batch of additional reservations are released at 8 a.m. PST on a rolling basis.

Best Road Trip Route in Yosemite National Park

Our favorite way into Yosemite National Park is via the Tioga Pass entrance from the east on Tioga Road (highway 120). The route is closed in the winter, making it ideal for a summer road trip. Tioga Road takes you through the spectacular high country of the Sierra Nevadas and through the park’s picturesque Tuolumne Meadows. At 9,945 feet in elevation, it’s California’s tallest highway pass, and provides panoramic views of the Sierras and her alpine lakes.

Once you’re in the park, you’ll likely want to start on Yosemite Valley Loop Road, an 8-mile one-way road that includes Northside Drive and Southside Drive. Like the similarly named Yosemite Valley Loop Trail (for hikers), the road circles the valley and passes by some of the park’s biggest attractions, including Yosemite Falls and El Capitan. 

For a different perspective, venture up Glacier Point Road (only open in the summer) which affords sweeping vistas down into the valley. Or venture to the quieter side of Yosemite on Hetch Hetchy Road for the same stunning scenery, minus the crowds. Finally, consider leaving through the park’s south entrance on Wawona Road. Don’t miss the quick detour on Mariposa Road to visit the Giant Sequoias. And of course plan to stop for Yosemite’s signature sweeping valley photo op at Tunnel View on your way out.

Glacier National Park

Located just over the Canadian border in northern Montana, Glacier National Park boasts dramatic glaciers, jagged peaks, wildflower-carpeted meadows and sparkling turquoise lakes.  Adjacent to Canada’s Waterton Lakes National Park across the border, the park boasts over 1 million acres, 700 miles of hiking trails and 130 pristine lakes.

Best Road Trip Route in Glacier National Park

Even in the summer, it’s always a good idea to call ahead for road status; many of the roads don’t open until mid-summer. Going-to-the-Sun Road is a legendary, 50-mile scenic highway that many consider the most spectacular drive in North America. The road travels through the park from West Glacier to St. Mary, climbing over the Continental Divide at Logan Pass, through dense forests, stunning alpine meadows, sheer cliffs and dramatic mountain landscapes.
 

The route connects the park’s west and east entrances, and you can enter either way. However, you’ll need a timed reservation to enter from the west (Apgar/West Glacier Entrance) between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. from mid-June to late September. No reservations are required from the east (St. Mary Entrance), or from the west entrance after 3 p.m. A limited number of next day reservations open daily at 7 p.m. MDT on Recreation.gov. 

A free shuttle service from the Apgar or St. Mary visitor centers is also available on a first-come, first-served basis starting July 1 if you want to leave the driving to someone else. 

Plan Your Summer Road Trip

Once you’ve landed on a destination, be sure to book your accommodations early and reserve a park entry time, if necessary. It’s also a good idea to gas up before you enter the park as fuel stations may be few and far between — or non-existent. The same goes for food, as your options may be limited.  

If you want to avoid summer crowds, try to enter the park as early in the morning as possible, or towards the end of the day. Not surprisingly, weekdays will always be a little less crowded than weekends. Finally, be sure your car is prepared for the journey with PEAK’s Ultimate Road Trip Checklist. Drive safe, and have fun!