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BEST NATIONAL PARKS TO VISIT IN WINTER

December 27, 2021

Winter is a unique (and sort of genius) time to explore US National Parks. Among the advantages are fewer crowds, less traffic congestion, and cheaper prices at nearby accommodations. If you love to hike, you’ll have a greater opportunity to find solitude on the trails that are often unbearably packed with tourists in the summer months. 

Not to mention that there are some pretty fun activities at National Parks in the Winter. From snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and snow-coaching to ice climbing and exploring frozen waterfalls, there are unlimited ways to mix up your usual outdoor experiences once the temperature drops.

And even if you’re already a frequent National Park traveler, visiting these destinations in their peak of wintery wondrousness transforms any experience from ordinary and familiar to fresh and outstanding.

1. Yellowstone National Park

While it’s true that the roads leading to many of Yellowstone’s top attractions are closed during the winter, that doesn’t mean a trip to this amazing park is off the table. In fact, visiting Yellowstone in the Winter might be one of the most fun and fascinating National Park experiences. 

First, there’s the contrast between its famously vibrant geothermal springs and the stark white snow. Second, there is a much greater likelihood of viewing wildlife, both due to the lack of visitors and their exposure due to the thinned-out trees. And lastly, there’s far more effort and adventure in just trekking into the park.

The Gardener, Montana Northern Entrance is the only entrance open during the Winter season to vehicles. From here visitors can explore Mammoth Hot Springs and the Lamar Valley. 

To reach the rest of the park, this is where things get really interesting! 

To get around you’ll need to book one of two options, either travel by snowcoach (an over-snow heated van with tires that kind of look like triangular conveyor belts), or you can zoom around on a snowmobile. 

There are various options for how to do this, and all options are available to depart from each of Yellowstone’s four entrances, but you’ll definitely need to book these in advance. 

Two lodges are open during the Winter at Yellowstone, including the Old Faithful Snow Lodge and the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel. Visitors to the park can drive directly to the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel while those wanting to stay at Old Faithful will need a snowcoach reservation or another form of over-snow travel.

A snowcoach runs a few times per day between each hotel, allowing visitors to travel through portions of Yellowstone inside of a heated cab. With that said, it’s a fairly hefty price tag per person each way which is something to keep in mind. Those wanting to venture out on their own from either destination would need plenty of warm weather gear to stay safe out in the harsh elements.

For those wanting a guided Yellowstone adventure, there are several full and half-day excursions to match your desired experience. 

You could book a Winter Photo Safari, offering wildlife and landscape photography opportunities at a leisurely place with an experienced photographer. There’s also a nightly Steam, Stars and Winter Soundscapes tour to geysers after dark. Or you could adventure on one of many snowshoe or ski tours to areas such as the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Whichever you choose, they’re all worthy options for a Winter Yellowstone Bucket List trip!

2. Arches National Park

Arches National Park is well-known for its crowds. In the summer months, the park has been known to hit capacity as early as 8 am, causing delays for those who’d like to enter. Receiving a lot less traffic in the colder months, Winter makes a great time to visit Arches. 

If you love photography, fewer people means less battling other photographers for viewpoints and more opportunities for wider landscape views.

Anyone who’s ever been to Arches or Canyonlands National Park and has tried to photograph any of their famous arches knows that you’re not only not alone, you’re surrounded by a literal HERD of other photo seekers of all skill levels. 

Another advantage for Winter photography at Arches is the low sun angle in the Winter, allowing for overall less haze, greater three-dimensionality, and warmer quality of light. Another perk is that photographing sunset is much earlier, so you don’t have to wait around until 8:30 pm for those gorgeous ribbons of dusky colors.

Epic snowfalls are also not very common in Moab, Utah, so there’s that added benefit. 

Still, it will be cold. According to the NPS website for Arches, highs average 30 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the Winter with lows bottoming out between 0 to 20 degrees. 

You’ll need to do some walking to see most of the arches so dressing in layers and bringing adequate water and food is highly recommended. If there’s ice on the trails, we suggest adding a pair of YakTrax to your hiking shoes or boots as they will definitely provide added traction, possibly prevent falls, and provide a greater sense of confidence trekking across slick surfaces.

3. Mt Rainier National Park

If you love to snowshoe or if you’ve always been curious to try it, Mount Rainier National Park is a great place to get going on this amazing cold-weather activity. The Mount Rainier NPS website has a great article outlining the basics for Beginner Snowshoers.

For maximum solitude, head to the Northeastern corner of the park where you’ll find thick expanses of snow-covered landscapes and endless opportunities to explore and snowmobile to your heart’s content.

No snowmobile? No problem! Enter the park at the Nisqually Entrance where the road to Longmire is open year-round. Explore the historic buildings and take in the views of warm mineral springs and Mount Rainier, one of the best in the whole park, from this location. 

From there, continue to Paradise where you’ll find a sledding and sliding wonderland that will be sure to bring out your inner child. You can also venture away from this activity hub to explore wintery landscapes for photography, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, camping, and more.

Be sure to check road conditions in advance. The gate from Longmire to Paradise opens at 9 am daily and closes to uphill traffic at 4 pm. Return traffic must exit before it locks again at 5 pm. 

4. Great Sand Dunes National Park

An already otherworldly destination, Great Sand Dunes National Park in the winter becomes a snow-dusted playground offering a transformative experience for anyone returning to the dunes and a lesser-seen adventure for first-time guests. Sledding, snowboarding, and skiing on sand is a popular draw, as is snowshoeing on the park’s many trails. After you’ve had your cold fix, warm up at one of several hot springs nearby.

If you have a 4WD vehicle, you can venture out on Medano Pass Road to the Castle Creek Picnic area for wildlife watching and photography, plus more snowshoeing options. Sandhill cranes return to the dunes in late February, which is another popular wildlife attraction.

Though Piñon Flats Campground is closed in the winter months, backcountry options are available year-round, and there are several car camping options at paid locations outside the park. You can also search BLM and other free camping options at Freecampsites.net.

5. Crater Lake National Park

The chilly tones of Winter at Crater Lake National Park provide some truly spectacular opportunities for viewing and photographing this gorgeous Oregon landmark. 

While the North Entrance and Rim Drive are closed to traditional vehicles during the Winter, travelers can access the lake via the West and South Entrances that are open year-round and plowed as needed. 

With that said, as the park receives 42 feet of snow on average per year, it’s best to lower expectations and exercise patience when visiting the park as snowstorms can indeed cause delays in both getting into the park as well as viewing the lake which can be obscured by clouds. 

Snowshoeing, skiing, and sledding are also permitted in the park, offering a wide variety of ways to play in the snow.

6. Dry Tortugas National Park

Looking for a truly unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience while also escaping the Winter blues? Consider a trip to one of America’s most curious and remote destinations, Dry Tortugas National Park.

Discovered by Ponce de Leon in 1513, visitors can explore historic Fort Jefferson, snorkel around its outer walls, view wildlife, picnic, and camp underneath a glowing net of stars unobscured by light pollution. 

As Dry Tortugas National Park is an island located 70 miles west of Key West, visitors can arrive there by boat on their own, private charter, or through The Yankee Freedom Ferry. Another way to get there is by seaplane through Key West Seaplane Charters.

While it’s indeed true that the water is colder in the Winter, if you’re not intending to snorkel, this either might not be a factor or you can stay cozy in a wetsuit. 

This minor inconvenience is far outweighed by the cooler daytime air temperatures and reduced crowds. Anyone who has ever traveled to south Florida or the Caribbean in the summer knows that the heat and humidity are unrelenting as are the bugs. Beat both and book a Winter trip to Dry Tortugas!

7. Badlands National Park

The color-rich formations at Badlands National Park are a huge draw for sightseers and hikers in the Summer. In the Winter, its curious spires and ridges are dusted in sparkling white, transforming this geological wonder into a quiet and ethereal landscape.

Ok, so first things first, plan for bitter cold and windy temps. 

Badlands is home to some seriously extreme temperature swings ranging from 116 degrees Fahrenheit in the peak of Summer to -40 degrees in the Winter. Dress in layers and be sure to have extra cold-weather gear such as hats, warm socks, and water-resistant boots for ultimate coziness. 

Despite the cold, December and January are also Badland’s driest months, which is a bit of an improvement to the sudden severe thunderstorms that can roll through this area in the warmer months. 

As with many of the other National Parks destinations on this list, Badlands is less packed in the Winter, and the Badlands Loop Road featuring all of the overlooks is usually passable unless directly following a big snowstorm.

8. Grand Canyon National Park

If you love landscape photography, wildlife viewing, less-trafficked trails, and epic jaw-dropping panoramic views, there are few places more perfect than Grand Canyon National Park in the Winter.

The canyon’s endless layers of ridges and buttes are enhanced by fresh snowfall, and the lower sun angles provide gorgeous opportunities for spectacular photography. 

Facilities at the North Rim are closed from late October to mid-May, so you’ll be better off venturing to the South Rim for access to popular viewpoints, lodging, and other common amenities. 

As the hours of daylight are greatly reduced, those planning a hike into the canyon have to pay close attention to sunset and sunrise times to avoid getting stuck out on the trail in the dark. Headlamps are a must carry, in our opinion, if you’re big into trail trekking as it pretty much eliminates this worry altogether.

If you’re an experienced hiker with wilderness safety experience and proper ice and snow trekking gear, Winter can be a great time for a guided or unguided hiking tour such as a Rim to Rim adventure or a less intense (but definitely still crazy intense) Rim to River hike.

9. Yosemite National Park

Many of Yosemite’s top sights are easily viewable during the Winter months as the main road into Yosemite Valley remains open year-round. Half Dome, Tunnel View, Yosemite Falls, and Mariposa Grove, for instance, are all accessible, provided you’re not arriving on the heels of a blizzard. 

Snow chains requirements may be in effect, and travelers to Yosemite in Winter should be prepared with snow chains for their vehicle. 

Access to Glacier Point is closed in the Winter, as is Tioga Road, a beautiful alpine pass that cuts through the entire park from southwest to northeast, so this might be something to consider if it’s a must-see item on your Yosemite bucket list.

Cross-country, backcountry, and downhill skiers will find incredible options at the Badger Pass Ski Area, and for the non-skiers out there (me), there are also fun options for snow tubing and snowshoeing as well. 

Hikes allowing for an up-close look will require ice trekking equipment and warm base layers, but the scenery and solitude will be well worth it.

10. Denali National Park

Unique, fun, and snowy activities await you at Alaska’s Denali National Park!

Despite the park road (there’s only one) being unplowed from Mile 3 and beyond during the heart of the Winter, visitors can still access this unique wilderness destination and witness its true beauty during these quieter months.

A few options to get around are hiking some of the trails, snow biking, and snowmobiling into designated areas of the park. 

Companies like Backwoods Lodge offer guided tours for photography, snowshoeing, cross country and backcountry skiing, as well as Northern Lights viewing. 

After all the snow play, make sure you visit the popular Sled Dog Kennels, learning all about the historical significance and purpose behind these canine rangers at Denali.

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Image Credits:

Yellowstone National Park Mammoth Hot Springs - David Birke/Atmosphere - stock.adobe.com; Yellowstone National Park Bison - Sean Beckett/ sbthegreenman - stock.adobe.com; Arches National Park/lightphoto2 - stock.adobe.com - Ruslan Kalnitsky/RuslanKphoto - stock.adobe.com; Mt. Rainier National Park - checubus - stock.adobe.com; Great Sand Dunes National Park Winter - Tom - stock.adobe.com; Crater Lake National Park Winter - Bob - stock.adobe.com; Dry Tortugas National Park - Francis - stock.adobe.com; Badlands National Park Winter - Tony - stock.adobe.com; Grand Canyon National Park Winter - paul - stock.adobe.com; Yosemite National Park Winter - Ruslan Kalnitsky/RuslanKphoto - stock.adobe.com; Denali National Park - ​​https://unsplash.com/@jorisbeugels; Trail Ridge Road - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities