Top 5: National Parks and Forests to Visit During Winter

While many national parks are closed during the winter months, those that remain open offer a great opportunity for visitors. Parks are usually less crowded and often offer a whole different type of fun. Check out these five top parks to visit to make the most of the winter season.

Yosemite National Park
Yosemite is home to some national treasures like El Capitan, the largest block of exposed granite in the world. It is a site to see any time of year but especially during a snowy winter. The park is also ideal for outdoor winter sports like downhill and cross-country skiing, snow tubing and snowshoeing.

Lake Tahoe National Forest
Lake Tahoe National Forest has no shortage of things to do during any season, but in the winter months there is ample opportunity for world-class skiing and snowboarding. There are plenty of great places to stay within a variety of budgets.

Joshua Tree National Park
This park, deep in the California desert, can be brutally hot during the summer months with temperatures soaring well past 100 degrees. During the winter months temperatures certainly dip. so bring some warm clothes, but the cold season is the ideal time to visit the park’s unique desert vegetation and incredible rock formations.

Bridger-Teton National Forest
This beautiful park in Wyoming is transformed into a winter wonderland during the winter months when the log cabins make for a picturesque wintertime getaway. Visitors can enjoy snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Everglades National Park
During the winter month,s Everglades National Park experiences its dry season, making it more crowded than other times of the year but also making it more pleasant to visit. While winter is the park’s busy season, temperatures and humidity are at a low, making it a pleasant visit despite the crowds.