A long-weekend arc up the East Coast — old growth in Congaree, the gorge bridge, Skyline Drive, finishing on the Maine coast. Expect a big climate gradient: Congaree and New River Gorge run warm and humid (highs mid-70s to low-80s, lows upper-50s to 60s) with a real chance of spring thunderstorms, while Shenandoah's ridgeline runs 10–15°F cooler than the valley. Acadia is the outlier — late May/early June coastal Maine is still cool (highs upper-50s to low-60s), often foggy, so pack a real jacket even as the rest of the trip feels like early summer. New River Gorge's water levels are typically still high from spring snowmelt, making it prime (if colder, faster) rafting season.
A long-weekend arc up the East Coast — old growth in Congaree, the gorge bridge, Skyline Drive, finishing on the Maine coast. Expect a big climate gradient: Congaree and New River Gorge run warm and humid (highs mid-70s to low-80s, lows upper-50s to 60s) with a real chance of spring thunderstorms, while Shenandoah's ridgeline runs 10–15°F cooler than the valley. Acadia is the outlier — late May/early June coastal Maine is still cool (highs upper-50s to low-60s), often foggy, so pack a real jacket even as the rest of the trip feels like early summer. New River Gorge's water levels are typically still high from spring snowmelt, making it prime (if colder, faster) rafting season.