15 Best National Parks to Visit in the Winter

When the weather outside is cold and gray, you may feel the urge to head out on a sunny vacation to soak up some extra vitamin D. And who could blame you? Apart from Thanksgiving and Christmas, the winter months from November to February are considered low season and often offer the lowest rates and crowds you’ll see all year. It is all of these features that make a winter national park getaway the perfect way to escape the seasonal dread. In the last 5 years, my husband and I have visited a third of all national parks. Using our experience, I have compiled a list of the 15 best national parks to visit in the winter.

US NATIONAL PARKS – Read all national park guides

To help you plan the perfect winter national park visit, here is my list of the best national parks to visit in the winter months. These locations are either cold proof or gorgeous with a blanket of snow. Each park description includes general information as well as the best things to do during your visit and even links to more in-depth guides.

1. Petrified Forest
2. Carlsbad Caverns
3. White Sands
4. Saguaro
5. Grand Canyon
6. Joshua Tree
7. Death Valley
8. Bryce Canyon
9. Canyonlands
10. Arches
11. Biscayne
12. Everglades
13. Dry Tortugas
14. Haleakalā
15. Hawai’i Volcanoes

1. Petrified Forest

In my opinion, Petrified Forest National Park is one of the most underrated national parks in the United States. We have visited twice – in May 2018 and November 2022, and I can confidently say that the park is stunning year round. During our most recent visit in November, I found the views just as breathtaking as I had 4 years before. Though we did have to adjust our itinerary due to the earlier sunset, we were still able to add in some new hikes and viewpoints.

Best things to do:

• Enjoy the views of the Painted Desert
• Learn about the Pueblo culture
• Hike the Blue Forest or Blue Mesa Trail
• Get up close to the petrified wood

For a more complete itinerary, check out my Petrified Forest National Park Guide.

2. Carlsbad Caverns

A majority of Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located underground, making it the perfect place to explore when the weather outside is too cold or wet for outdoor adventures. The surface drives and trails of Carlsbad Caverns are also located in a desert biome that stays fairly unaffected by the winter weather.

Best things to do:

• Walnut Canyon Desert Drive
• Hike the Natural Entrance & Big Room Trails
• Go on a night sky viewing

3. White Sands

White Sands National Park is one of the smaller national parks in the country with just 16 miles (25.6 km) of paved roads along Dunes Drive. We visited in November of 2022 and enjoyed one of the most gorgeous sunsets. The dusty haze gives desert sunset skies magnificent pink and purple hues.

White Sands is one of the best national parks to visit in the winter as the frost can harden the sand dunes and make them much easier to walk on.

Best things to do:

• Watch the sunset from Interdune Boardwalk
• Go sledding
• Admire intact dunes on the Alkali Flat Trail

4. Saguaro

Saguaro National Park features America’s oldest and largest cactus. The saguaro cacti can grow to be 40 ft tall and live up to 300 years.

Saguaro National Park is easy to visit in a day or less and is located in southern Arizona on either side of downtown Tucson. Its southern location makes it one of the best national parks to visit in the winter with average day temperatures in the high 60s/ 18-20°C.

One of Saguaro’s particularities is that it is divided into two separate areas like Haleakalā National Park: Saguaro East and Saguaro West. In West Saguaro, a majority of the roads are unpaved, but we were able to drive my small, low-clearance sedan down the Bajada Loop Drive without a problem.

Best things to do:

• Tour the Red Hills Visitor Center
• Walk the Desert Discovery Nature Trail (0.4 mi/ 0.6 km)
• Wander around Valley View Overlook Trail
• Picnic at Signal Hill and walk to the Petroglyphs
• Drive along Cactus Forest Drive (East Saguaro)

For a more complete guide to Saguaro National Park, read Best Things to Do in Saguaro National Park.

5. Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon National Park is the 4th most visited national park in the United States with 4.5 million visitors in 2021. The breathtaking canyon is located 3 and a half hours north of Phoenix, AZ. I recommend flying into PHX and visiting GCNP on a Southwest Road Trip, as it is located close to many other national and state parks, including beautiful Sedona, AZ.

Best things to do:

• Enjoy the many viewpoints on the South Rim
• Go rafting on the Colorado River
• Hike down into the canyon or Rim to Rim (experienced hikers only)

6. Joshua Tree

Joshua National Park is located in Southern California where the Mojave and Colorado Deserts meet, creating a unique ecosystem. Joshua Trees, which have recently been linked to the agave family, were likely named after the prophet Joshua by Mormon settlers in the mid-19th century. However, Joshua Tree National Park is as much about the rocks as it is about the trees.

We visited Joshua in November on our way home from Death Valley. You can easily hit the highlights in a day, but I recommend 2 days if you want to hike up Ryan Mountain or go rock climbing. Winter is the ideal time to visit these national parks as temperatures reach record high during the summer months, and heat-related deaths may still occur during shoulder season, in fall and spring.

Best things to do:

• Hike Hidden Valley Trail
• Keys View
• Wander around the Hall of Horror
• Go rock climbing
• Skull Rock
• Mara Oasis
• Hike to Heart Rock and Arch Rock
• Cholla Cactus Garden

For a more detailed itinerary, check out my Joshua Tree National Park – One Day Itinerary

7. Death Valley

Death Valley is the lowest and hottest of all US national parks. It is also one of the largest and most remote. Therefore, you’ll need a minimum of one full day to visit, but I recommend 2-3 days to explore all the highlights including the remote Ubehebehe Crater and Racetrack Playa. This section of the park was still closed when we visited in November 2022, so we definitely plan on going back and visiting the areas we missed.

Driving around Death Valley reminded me of how small and vulnerable we are as human beings and how much we have come to depend on modern-day amenities. In many parts of the park, there is no cell service, no water, no plants, and sometimes no people. It is unbelievable to imagine that ancient civilizations managed to survive in such a barren landscape.

Best things to do:

• Dante’s View
• Zabriskie Point
• Go on a hike
• Tour the Furnace Creek Visitor Center (great for kids)
• Learn about the mining past of Death Valley
• Mesquite Sand Dunes
• Artist’s Palette
• Badwater Basin

For a more complete guide to Death Valley, check out One Perfect Day in Death Valley National Park.

8. Bryce Canyon

Due to an average elevation of 8,000ft/ 2500m, Bryce Canyon National Park is covered in frost over 200 days out of the year. If that is the case during your visit, consider purchasing or renting a pair of traction cleats for snow and ice. They are available at the visitor center during the winter season. We learned this the hard way after falling 3-4 times on the Queen’s Garden/ Navajo Loop Trail.

Nonetheless, winter is one of the best times to visit Bryce Canyon National Park. Bryce’s hoodoos blanketed in snow are one of the most magical sights you’ll behold on your winter national parks journey.

Best things to do:

• Hike the Fairyland Loop Trail to Tower Bridge
• Hike the Queen’s Garden/ Navajo Loop Trail
• Enjoy the views from Sunset Point and Bryce Point overlooks in Bryce’s Amphitheater

9. Canyonlands

Canyonlands National Park is the most overlooked of Utah’s Mighty 5, which is a pity. The park can be visited in as little as half a day and is located just 45 minutes from Arches National Park. I highly recommend getting up early for sunrise at Mesa Arch before stopping to admire the view at the different overlooks of the Island in the Sky District.

Best things to do:

• Go off roading into the Canyon
• Watch the sunrise from Mesa Arch
• Stop at Green River Overlook

10. Arches

Arches is one of the most popular national parks in Utah and the Southwest. So much so, that the National Park Service piloted a timed-entry system similar to Zion National Park’s. When we visited in March of 2021, we entered the park around 10am, and the line of cars was already quite lengthy. Starting in 2023, the timed entries must be reserved online on recreation.gov and costs $2 per slot. Vehicles can enter the park any time during their 1-hour time slot and remain as long as they wish. No reservation is required for entry before 7am or after 4pm. Click here for more information.

Arches features some unique geological formations, including Delicate Arch, the most license-plate worthy view in the country. Visiting during low season in January or February will allow you to enjoy the park’s beauty without the crowds and scorching heat.

Best things to do:

• Drive through Courthouse Towers
• Wander around the Windows
• Explore the Fiery Furnace
• Hike to Landscape Arch in Devil’s Garden
• Hike to Delicate Arch for sunset

For a more complete guide to Arches, check out my Arches National Park – One Day Itinerary.

11. Biscayne

Biscayne National Park is one of the few coastal parks in the United States with over 95% covered in water. In this marine national park, you can’t simply drive around and stop at overlooks or hiking trails like you would in Yellowstone. Other than walking the Point Jetty Trail and stopping by the Visitor Center, you’ll need to rent a boat or book a boat tour through Biscayne National Park Institute in order to visit the park. I highly recommend the Boca Chita Key Heritage Cruise (departs daily) or Deering Estate Lighthouses (one Saturday a month). Both of these stop by the Boca Chita lighthouse and historic Stiltsville.

Best things to do:

• Visit Boca Chita Key and climb the lighthouse
• Snorkel near Fowey Rocks Lighthouse
• Historic Stiltsville

For a more complete guide to the South Florida national parks, check out my 7-Day South Florida Itinerary.

12. Everglades

Everglades National Park is a huge collection of marshlands that covers virtually all of south Florida and part of the Gulf of Mexico all the way to the Florida Keys.

I was astonished at the amount of wildlife we saw in Everglades National Park. I was expecting to see alligators and the occasional bird in the distance, but I was not expecting to see anhingas and manatees up close, turtles feeding off lily pad flowers, or young hawks resting in their nest. If you enjoy photographing wildlife, I highly recommend bringing a telephoto lens on your trip to Everglades. I kept mine on the entire time we drove and hiked through Everglades National Park.

Best things to do:

• Walk the Anhinga Trail (0.8 mi/ 1.3 km)
• Watch for wildlife (alligators, birds, turtles, manatees…)
• Go kayaking or paddling

For a more complete itinerary, check out the Best Things to Do in Everglades National Park.

13. Dry Tortugas

Our journey to Dry Tortugas was one of my favorite things we did in South Florida. There are only two ways to reach this remote marine park: by ferry or seaplane. We took the seaplane, and I cannot recommend it enough. The views of the shallow turquoise waters surrounding the fort were nothing short of breathtaking. The experience is not cheap, but if you can afford it, it is worth every penny in our opinion. We always travel on a budget and purposely spend less on accommodations to prioritize this kind of experience.

Once at the Fort, it takes about an hour to walk around the structure and admire the various viewpoints. Afterwards, I recommend getting in the water to enjoy a nice swim and snorkel. Snorkeling gear is provided by both the seaplane and ferry companies.

Winter is a prime time to visit the South Florida national parks. That time of year in the Gulf of Mexico translates into higher winds and slightly lower temperatures rather than snow storms.

Best things to do:

• Ride the seaplane
• Tour Fort Jefferson
• Snorkel

14. Haleakalā

Haleakalā National Park is located on the island of Maui. Like Saguaro, it is divided into two separate areas: Mount Haleakalā in the center of the island and the Kīpahulu District on the southern coast. Most people visit the top of Mount Haleakalā for sunrise or sunset. Reservations are necessary and can be made on recreation.gov.

The Kīpahulu is a popular destination on the Road to Hana. While Mt Haleakalā is very arid and Martian like, the Kīpahulu District is located in Maui’s tropical forest. We stopped at the southern district on a rainy Sunday morning and loved hiking through the bamboo forest and along the stream to the towering Waimoku Falls.

Best things to do:

• Watch the sunrise from the top of Haleakalā
• Hike down Sliding Sands Trail into the crater
• Ride bicycles down Mt Haleakalā
• Hike the Oheo Gulch and Pipiwai Trail (Kīpahulu District)

For more information on Haleakalā National Park, check out The Perfect 5-Day Maui Itinerary.

15. Hawai’i Volcanoes

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is one of only two national parks in the islands of Hawaii. With the exception of Alaska, it is the only national park in the United States with volcanic activity viewable from the surface. It is located on the Big Island of Hawaii and home to Kilauea Volcano, the most active volcano on Earth. With almost nonstop eruptions since 1983, Volcanoes National Park is one of the best places to watch lava flow.

Thanks to its geographical location, Hawaii Volcanoes is one of the best national parks to visit in the winter. However, rain and clouds can be quite frequent.

During our visit to the Big Island, we were taken aback by the contrast between the sunny volcanic beaches of Kona and the lush green rainforest of Hilo. Hawaii Volcanoes is a mix of both with a volcanic forest featuring many unique plants you won’t find anywhere else in the United States.

Best things to do:

• Watch lava flow
• Hike the Kilauea Iki Trail
• Walk through Thurston Lava Tube
• See the petroglyphs
• Drive down Chain of Craters Road to Holei Sea Arch

For the ultimate guide to Hawaii Volcanoes, check out One Day in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

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