Matt and Karen Smith, a Gen X couple, have been on a mission to visit all 63 national parks in the United States since 2010. They were inspired by their friends, Bob and Sue, and have since written several books about their adventures. The couple also runs an Instagram page with over 247,000 followers and a podcast called “Dear Bob and Sue: A National Parks Podcast.”
After visiting many national parks during the summer months, Matt and Karen discovered that not all parks are ideal destinations during this time. They found that high alpine national parks are the best to visit during the summer.
The National Parks Service has noted an increase in park visitors to over 325 million in the previous year, which is approaching an all-time high. With the surge in popularity, Matt and Karen suggest eight parks to visit in the summer and two to avoid during the season.