Best National Parks To Visit in the Winter

Embrace the Quiet Beauty of America’s National Parks in Winter

A best-kept secret about National Parks is that many shine even brighter once the crowds have gone home for the winter. Crisp air, dustings of snow, and cozy lodges beckon. Wrap yourself in a down jacket, warm hat and gloves, and venture out to discover the majestic beauty of these parks transformed by winter’s embrace. Whether you are interested in privately guided adventure trips, train trips or a national park tour, there are a variety of vacation options available.

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Standing on the Grand Canyon National Park South Rim in winter, you can almost hear the silence of the sleeping North Rim across the chasm. The South Rim area remains open in winter, while the North Rim is closed. It is already one of the 7 Wonders of the World, but something about the snow-capped view is amazing. Snow outlines every crevice and cliff, making the canyon resemble a black-and-white photograph. As you peer over, clouds drift through the void below, swallowing some sections in misty oblivion. Elk tracks crisscross the paths, hinting at unseen inhabitants nearby. At sunset, pink and purple hues splash across the snow-dusted formations, revealing the true scale of this natural spectacle. Local Recommendation: The Arizona Room at Bright Angel Lodge serves Southwestern specialties incorporating Native American frybread. Winter Weather: Daytime highs average 40-50 degrees on the rims, with warmer temps down inside the canyon. Overnight lows range from 15-30 degrees Fahrenheit. Snow is common but rarely heavy. Backpackers can nab last-minute permits to camp at the storied Bright Angel Campground while enjoying the sunny weather near the Colorado River. Take in the panoramic views from the park’s south rim on the family-friendly Rim Trail that runs from South Kaibab to the stone ruins at Hermits Rest.

Death Valley National Park, California

What could be more alluring on a frosty day than imagining yourself lounging by a pool in the desert? In Death Valley, average February highs reach into the balmy 70s. Rise with the sun to catch the first warm rays sparkling over the Mesquite Flat salt flats. Wander through palm oases tucked into narrow canyons and climb high into the Panamint Mountains to gaze down on miles of rolling sand dunes. As the sinking sun streaks the stratified layers of rock in Zabriskie Point with golden hues, you’ll be grateful you escaped winter, if only for a few days. Local Recommendation: Date shakes are a Death Valley tradition. Sample one made from local dates at the Furnace Creek Resort Ranch. Winter Weather: Average high temps in the 60s and 70s, with pleasant overnight lows in the 30s and 40s. Rare winter rainstorms can cause road flooding. Budget Tip: Camp at the Furnace Creek campground for just $14-18 nightly to save on Death Valley lodging costs.

Joshua Tree National Park, California

Joshua Tree really comes alive in winter when temperatures cool off from the blazing summer heat. Days are warm and pleasant for hiking among the park’s signature prickly Joshua trees and towering piles of boulders, with highs reaching 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit. Crisp air accentuates the alien feel of otherworldly rock formations. Mornings dip down into the 40s, so pack layers. Grab a picnic table outside Natural Sisters Cafe to soak up the desert sun while fueling up on-date energy bites and turmeric lattes before hitting the trails. After dark, camp under clear night skies for amazing stargazing. Local Recommendation: Sample a date shake from dates grown in the California desert. Winter Weather: Average high temps of 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit with overnight lows of 35-45 degrees. Occasional winter rains can cause flash flooding.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Rocky Mountain National Park is a sight to behold in winter. Blanketed in snow, it transforms into a magical frosted forest. Herds of elk forage along plowed roads while adventurous travelers snowshoe to Emerald Lake, its frozen surface smooth as glass. The nearby mountain town of Estes Park is transformed into a romantic holiday village, complete with twinkling lights and quaint storefronts. The park offers many winter activities. Kids will love sledding in Hidden Valley, a former ski area now dedicated to sledding. Grownups can venture into the front country on a snowshoeing trip to Emerald Lake. Keep a lookout for elk and moose on the snowy hillsides and unwind with a glass of single malt at historic Stanley Hotel’s Whiskey Bar, and enjoy tender bison flank steak. Local Recommendation: Try Upslope Brewing Company’s citrusy Snowmelt Kölsch brewed in Boulder using Rocky Mountain snowmelt. Winter Weather: Frigid and snowy. High temperatures average 25-35 degrees Fahrenheit, with overnight lows from 0 to -25 degrees. Frequent snowstorms; heavy snowpack at higher elevations. Budget Tip: Get discounted lift tickets and rentals for major savings during early and late winter seasons.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is popular with snowbirds in search of winter sunshine. In Hawai’i Volcanoes, winter means cooler nights, fewer crowds, and lush rainforest erupting from volcanic plains. Crisp mornings give way to pleasant 60s under sunny skies. Walk through steaming blasts at Sulphur Banks as rare nēnē geese graze nearby. Sample macadamia nut pancakes at Volcano House under misty rainforest canopy, then view Kīlauea’s fiery glow from Jaggar Museum overlook as the sun sinks into the Pacific, tinting clouds pink and orange. The park experiences its peak season during winter, with its black sand beaches and rainforests booming with plant life. The park is ripe with adventure with the recent lava flows. Snooze at Volcano Rainforest Retreat, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering views of the lush foliage. Take a helicopter tour soaring over the national park for amazing views. Local Recommendation: Sip locally-grown estate Mehana Brewery beers like the Volcano Red Ale near Volcano Village. Winter Weather: Refreshing and mild. Average highs reach 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit, with comfortable overnight lows of 45-55 degrees. Expect some rain showers. Budget Tip: Save significantly by staying just outside the park gates near Volcano Village or Hilo.

Acadia National Park, Maine

Rugged Acadia National Park turns fairytale-like with a frosting of snow over vibrant evergreens, exposed granite peaks, and the crumbling Atlantic coastline. Follow Acadia National Park’s scenic Ocean Drive, which is plowed from Schooner Head to the Fabri Memorial. The Ocean Path’s stone steps, usually crowded in summer, are now yours alone to wander, patches of icy snow revealing footholds. Stop for hearty, soul-warming chowder loaded with clams, potatoes, and smoked seafood at Stewman’s Lobster Pound in nearby Bar Harbor. Only brave souls are willing to venture into frigid Maine winter. Local Recommendation: Sample wild blueberry pie made from tiny Maine wild blueberries. Winter Weather: Cold and snowy! Average highs are 30-38 degrees Fahrenheit, with 10-25 degrees lows. Frequent snowstorms can make roads treacherous. Budget Tip: Save on lodging costs by staying just outside the park in Winter Harbor, where rates are significantly lower.

Congaree National Park, South Carolina

Congaree National Park comes alive in winter when crowds thin out along the floodplain forest. With leaves fallen and temperatures ranging from 30s-60s Fahrenheit, it’s easier to spot the many birds that call this park home, including Prothonotary warblers, Belted Kingfishers, and Barred owls. Hit the 2.4-mile elevated Boardwalk Loop early to see bald eagles fishing along Cedar Creek. Stop at the Henry Bell Smokehouse in nearby Santee for authentic Southern barbecue, then cozy into your cabin bunk bed after days spent spotting otters, bobcats, and wild pigs roaming through the dormant gray hardwood swamps. Local Recommendation: Feast on fried catfish, hushpuppies, coleslaw, and sweet tea at local eateries. Winter Weather: typically 40-60 degrees Fahrenheit, with overnight freezes common. Light rain rather than heavy winter weather.

Big Bend National Park, Texas

Big Bend National Park is a natural wonder in this flat Lone Star State. It is named after a massive bend in the Rio Grande River that separates West Texas from Mexico. In Texas’s remote Big Bend, winter days in the Chisos Mountains feel like summer compared to the rest of the country, with temperatures averaging in the 60s. As you traverse high-elevation trails, take in views clear to Mexico and keep watch for grey jays and acorn woodpeckers fluttering oak to oak. After dark, soak tired muscles in steamy, sulfur-scented hot springs under the glow of starlight. Stay at the Chisis Mountains Lodge and marvel at high-elevation vistas of the craggy Window Formation as you hike through madrones and fragrant junipers. Soak in the hot springs as the sunset turns the famous Santa Elena Canyon a hundred shades of amber. Local Recommendation: Pair your campfire quesadillas with Edelweiss Isabella wine from Texas High Plains vineyards. Winter Weather: Mild and pleasant. Average highs reach the 60s, with overnight lows around freezing. Rare winter storms can cause temporary trail closures. Budget Tip: Tent camp at one of Big Bend’s many primitive campsites.

Arches & Canyonland National Park, Utah

In Southeast Utah, snow accentuates the fiery glow of Arches’ red rocks. As you crunch along trails, your cheeks tingling from the chill, spiderweb-like frost clings to the undersides of arches like Delicate Arch and Landscape Arch. Stop to warm up with a cup of hot cocoa topped with Caputo’s signature house-made honey marshmallows in nearby Moab. Snow outlines canyons and buttes in vast Canyonlands while the glistening Colorado and Green Rivers slice through the white landscape far below. In winter, the snow contrasts with the red rocks and blue skies to create some stunning photo ops. Local Recommendation: Sample one of Moab Brewery’s award-winning beers like Dead Horse Amber Ale. Winter Weather: Daytime highs of 40-55 degrees Fahrenheit, with lows of 10-30 degrees. Occasional snowstorms can make backroads impassable. Budget Tip: Save on lodging by camping at Arches for just $15-20 per night.

Zion National Park, Utah

In Zion National Park, snow drapes like icing over the famous sandstone cliffs. As you traverse tunnels and pass massive formations, sunlight filters through the clouds to cast an ethereal glow over the canyon walls. Stop at the Zion Lodge to sip hot chocolate, watch fat snowflakes drift past your window, or savor your morning coffee in a cozy western cabin at Xanterrs’s Zion Lodge. With the shuttle closed for winter, you can drive yourself through Zion Canyon, feeling pleasantly small against the towering monoliths all around. Zion’s main road is normally closed to vehicles and serviced by a shuttle, but in January, February, and parts of December, you can drive your own car all the way through Zion Canyon. Winter Weather: Daytime highs average 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit. Overnight lows drop to the 20s. Snow is common but rarely heavy in the valley.

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Crisp winter days in the rolling Blue Ridge mountains entice adventurous travelers to Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park for excellent off-season birding, stargazing, and storm-watching. Temperatures fluctuate between freezing nights and pleasant 40-degree Fahrenheit afternoons. Stop at the Skyland Resort perched on the mountaintop to sample warming drinks like boozy apple cider toddies with cinnamon schnapps and locally made blackberry wine. Sign up for one of the resort’s Saturday night astronomy programs to gaze through massive telescopes at glowing nebulae and distant galaxies. Hike to Rapidan Camp, the historic former presidential retreat, catching glimpses of white-tailed deer, raccoons, and birds flitting through icy hardwood forests along the way. Local Recommendation: Warm up with hot Virginia peanut soup loaded with peanuts, onions, and roasted peppers. Winter Weather: Average high temps around 40 degrees Fahrenheit, with lows below freezing. Frequent light snow showers; heavy storms less common.

Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Mount Rainier National Park has plenty of snow during the winter and is a great place for skiing, sledding, snowboarding, snowshoeing, climbing and camping. Over 25 glaciers cloak this sleeping volcanic giant in icy armor. As you snowshoe through snow-laden forests past cascading waterfalls, the only sound is the crunch of snow underfoot. Stop at Paradise Inn to warm up by a crackling fire, gingerbread latte in hand, as Mount Rainier’s summit fades in and out of view through swirling snowflakes. Local Recommendation: Sample microbrews from Railhead Brewing Company in nearby Eatonville. Winter Weather: Snowy, cold, and overcast. Average high temperatures are 30-40 degrees Fahrenheit, with lows of 15-25 degrees. Heavy snowfall is common. Budget Tip: Save on lodging by staying in nearby towns like Eatonville and Ashford.

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

In Yellowstone’s winter wonderland, skeleton-like lodgepole pine trees wear fluffy white coats of snow and eye-catching hoarfrost. Rising steam from thermal areas creates mysterious fog. Herds of bison shake powdery snow from their shaggy coats as they plod across the Lamar Valley, while trumpeter swans glide silently over frozen waterways. In the winter, skis, snowshoes, and snowmobiles can be seen everywhere as many roads close and rivers & lakes freeze over. One of the only roads that remain open is between Mammoth Hot Springs and the northeast entrance to the park. The only way to get to Old Faithful is by guided snowmobile or snowcoach, but it is worth the trip. Stay at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge, Mammoth Hotel, or Canyon Yurt Camp. Backdropped by the snow-covered Tetons, Old Faithful’s mighty bursts look especially brilliant against the serene white landscape. At night, sparkling stars in the clear skies appear close enough to pluck out with your mittens. Local Recommendation: Sip Wyoming Whiskey’s small-batch Bourye, made from corn and rye, is produced on-site near Cody. Winter Weather: Frigid! Average highs are 15-30 degrees Fahrenheit, with overnight lows from 0 degrees down to -15. Heavy snowfall is common in northern parts of the park. Budget Tip: Save on Yellowstone lodging by camping in Canyon Campground’s heated tents.

America’s national parks in winter offer limitless inspiration for intrepid travelers who wish to see these treasures transformed by ice and snow. As you marvel at smoking geysers in Yellowstone, black sand beaches in Hawaii Volcanoes, and the glowing North Rim of the Grand Canyon from across the icy chasm, you’ll understand why the off-season is truly the most wonderful time of the year. And by following savvy insider tips to save on park lodging, lift tickets, and more, you can enjoy magical winter moments in our national parks without breaking the bank. Just be sure to pack plenty of layers before escaping into the enchanting cold-weather beauty only accessible once the summer crowds have gone home.

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