BEST-OF COLLECTIONS · MONTH BY MONTH

Best national parks in November

In November, 2 of the 16 parks we've hand-reviewed are at their best: Big Bend National Park, Biscayne National Park. The table below shows every reviewed park's November verdict, with real temperatures and crowd levels.

Every hand-reviewed park's November verdict
ParkNovember verdictTemps °FCrowdsWhat November is likeBest window
Big Bend National Park Best window 69° / 42° moderate Superb hiking weather; car parks start filling early again February & April & October–November →
Biscayne National Park Best window 82° / 63° busy Hurricane season ends November 30; dry, warm and one of the best months to visit January–April & November–December →
Canyonlands National Park Good 56° / 30° quiet Short days, cold nights, and the spring permit window opens Nov 10 April–May & September–October →
Grand Canyon National Park Good 52° / 27° quiet Quiet month; first snows dust the rim April–May & September–October →
Zion National Park Good 63° / 37° quiet Cool, quiet shoulder season; full shuttle winds down April–May & October →
Joshua Tree National Park Good 72° / 45° moderate Mild and pleasant; a quieter alternative to spring March–April & October →
Badlands National Park Shoulder 50° / 26° very quiet Crowds gone, services shrinking, the first real cold May & September–October →
Grand Teton National Park Shoulder 38° / 16° very quiet Winter closing in — most of the park quiets down fast July & September →
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks Shoulder 50° / 31° very quiet Crystal Cave closes Nov 1; snow starts building back up in the groves June–August →
Arches National Park Shoulder 56° / 30° quiet Crowds fall away and the light runs long — the connoisseur's month April–May & September–October →
Rocky Mountain National Park Shoulder 46° / 22° quiet Wind and first big snows; quiet trails June & September →
Yosemite National Park Shoulder 57° / 33° quiet Glacier Point Road closes with the first real snow May–June →
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Shoulder 60° / 36° moderate Color lingers early month; crowds finally fade June & October →
Acadia National Park Tough 49° / 32° very quiet Services shrink to Bar Harbor essentials September–October →
Glacier National Park Tough 37° / 26° very quiet July–September →
Yellowstone National Park Tough 37° / 18° very quiet Most roads closed by early November June & September →

CROWDS: RELATIVE SEASONALITY FROM NPS VISITATION STATISTICS · TEMPS: APPROXIMATE NOAA NORMALS AT MAIN VISITOR ELEVATION — HIGH COUNTRY RUNS 10–20°F COLDER

THINK TWICE IN NOVEMBER

Acadia National Park, Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park — closures, harsh weather or limited access this month (services shrink to bar harbor essentials). · Check live conditions →

QUICK ANSWERS

Frequently asked

Which national parks are best in November?

Out of the 16 parks with a complete month-by-month review, November is the editorial best window in: Big Bend National Park, Biscayne National Park. Crowd levels follow NPS visitation statistics and temperatures are NOAA normals.

Which national parks should you think twice about in November?

Acadia National Park, Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park: closures, harsh weather or very limited access this month. Check the seasonal notes and the live conditions before booking.

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