12 Best National Parks to Visit in Winter

Visiting a national park in the summer has been a rite of passage since the country’s "best idea" became reality more than a century ago. Yet heat-seeking sightseers are missing what might be the parks’ best-kept secret: winter.

Freezing temperatures yield a fresh take on park landscapes, from ice-coated coastal cliffs in Maine’s Acadia National Park to the snow-covered forests of Sequoia and Kings Canyon in California. Exploring them on foot, skis, or snowshoes is a special way to see the parks outside of the high season.

For other parks, winter is the high season. It's definitely the best time to enjoy the sawgrass marshes of the Florida Everglades, for example, and the desert scenes of Arizona’s Saguaro National Park. So, whether you're craving snowy scenery or a warm escape, here are the best national parks to visit in winter.

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

This park’s gravity-defying limestone spires — called hoodoos — appear even more delicate when snow dusts the reddish-orange rocks. November through March, snowpack permitting, join a ranger-led full moon hike on snowshoes provided by the National Park Service. Or time your visit during a new moon phase for world-class stargazing beneath some of the West’s darkest skies.

Death Valley National Park, California

In the winter, Death Valley National Park gets a break from brutal heat often exceeding 100 degrees. Daily highs from December through February average in the 60- and 70-degree range, with overnight lows occasionally getting down to freezing. The mild temperatures make hiking on dusty trails, rolling dunes, and salt flats comfortable. Plus, you get to see the sites without the crowds, as Death Valley's tourist season ramps up in the spring.

Everglades National Park, Florida

From November through April, the subtropical dry season spells sunny skies, 70-degree days, and a break from the blood-sucking bugs that plague South Florida’s wetlands throughout the rest of the year. Less rain also concentrates wildlife at watering holes, boosting your odds of spotting the Everglades’ iconic alligators and wading birds like the bright-pink roseate spoonbill.

Big Bend National Park, Texas

Big Bend National Park is an International Dark Sky Park, and winter is arguably the best time to see stars. Clear nights mean great views of celestial phenomena; however, they can also bring freezing temperatures to the desert, so don't let the southwest Texas location fool you into thinking it's always hot. Cool days are conducive to ticking off some of the more challenging hikes, like the 6.5-mile Mariscal Canyon Rim Trail, which can actually be dangerous to attempt in the warmer months.

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho

Although the park is typically jam-packed in the summer, visiting Yellowstone during winter allows tourists to experience the same striking scenery and abundant wildlife with far smaller crowds. Plus, the famed geysers, steam vents, and hot springs are especially impressive when the scalding geothermal waters meet the frigid air. Stay at the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, open December to March, and take a guided day tour to Old Faithful to spot steam-frosted bison, glimpse the Fountain Paint Pots, and watch the famous geyser erupt with barely a soul in sight.

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

The Grand Canyon is an awe-inspiring sight on its own. Now imagine seeing the fiery sandstone and surrounding evergreen trees with a layer of fresh snow. The winter scenery at this Natural Wonder of the World is absolutely magical. Visiting the South Rim in the off-season means popular hikes like the Bright Angel Trail are blissfully quiet and much more comfortable than in the summer, thanks to cool temperatures. Grand Canyon National Park's free shuttles run fewer routes in the winter, but there are still plenty that stop at the different trailheads and Grand Canyon Village viewpoints.

Acadia National Park, Maine

An average of five feet of snow falls on Acadia’s evergreen forests and rocky headlands over the course of a year, transforming the park’s scenic loop drive and winding carriage roads into a paradise for cross-country skiers and snowshoers. Ambitious early risers can climb Cadillac Mountain to catch the sunrise. From October to March, the summit is the first place to see the sunrise in the U.S.

Joshua Tree National Park, California

This boulder- and bush-dotted park straddling the Colorado and Mojave deserts is a serene winter escape from bustling Los Angeles (130 miles away) and Las Vegas (217 miles away). Winter in Joshua Tree National Park is a mecca for rock climbers, who take advantage of bouldering while the granite is cool. Keep this in mind when you're trying to snag one of the first-come, first-served campsites. If you're able to spend the night in the park, you'll get access to some of the best stargazing the West Coast has to offer.

Saguaro National Park, Arizona

Daytime temperatures average a comfortable 65 degrees from November through March at this gem just north of the Mexican border, but nights are cold, and snow is possible. Here, you can learn about desert-dwelling critters, savor a smoldering Sonoran sunset, or simply marvel at the park’s namesake cacti, which can grow as tall as 50 feet and live for 200 years or more.

Haleakalā National Park, Hawaii

Winter is one of Maui's busiest tourist seasons. People from colder climates flock to the tropics of Hawaii to get a dose of vitamin D, and many of them who vacation on Maui will spend some time soaking in the volcanic beauty of Haleakalā National Park. Daily highs in the 60s are favorable for hiking into the crater (bundle up, though, because the higher you go, the colder it gets). Disclaimer: Winter is Maui's rainy season, but that doesn't stop the masses from trekking to the summit for sunrise. Seeing first light from the top of Haleakalā is a must-have experience in any season.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado

Snowfall adds another dimension to the vertigo-inducing depths of this remote, rocky chasm in west-central Colorado. From December through March, ski or snowshoe the seven-mile South Rim Drive to see a bird's-eye view of the Gunnison River nearly 3,000 feet below. When you take a ranger-guided snowshoe walk, the park provides the shoes for free; otherwise, they can be rented or purchased locally.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California

Time slows to a primeval pace in the sequoia groves that make up Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, where arboreal giants have watched the seasons come and go for more than 2,000 years. In the winter, hike along quiet, snowy trails to the General Sherman Tree, among the world’s largest living icons at a height of 275 feet. These parks are also great for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. On free, ranger-led snowshoe walks, shoes are even provided. For something less strenuous, try driving through the wintry landscape, though be aware tire chains are often required during this time of year.