US National Parks with Fair Winter Weather

Most of the protected areas of America's National Park System remain only partially open during the winter season, as even those areas that are not beset by deep snow see freezing temperatures that close visitor centers and reduce the range of activities available. Even in the great parks such as Yellowstone, snowshoeing replaces hiking and only a fraction of the park's campgrounds remain open. However, in some parts of the United States, winter brings with it fair weather that makes activities such as hiking, camping or kayaking more pleasant. These are America's wintertime, fair weather national parks.

Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park's southern border follows a full quarter of the American side of the Rio Grande, and the park's territory is comprised mostly of the arid terrain of the Chuhuahuan Desert. The result is that summertime is actually the off-season for Big Bend, as the brutal daytime temperatures drive away all but the hardiest outdoors enthusiasts. Winter, by contrast, is relatively mild and therefore more popular, with the week between Christmas and New Year's Eve ranking among the park's busiest periods. Big Bend offers fair weather for desert activities such as hiking, mountain biking, bird watching and off-roading, as well as rafting in the Rio Grande.

Everglades National Park
The same conditions that make Florida so attractive to snowbird migrants also make Everglades National Park a wintertime attraction. During the summer, the Everglades are so steamy and full of biting insects that some of the campground close due to lack of interest. Indeed, some parts of the park are closed in the summer months due to seasonal flooding. Not only is the park more hospitable in the winter months, but more of it is open to visitors to boot. The park's hiking, fishing and boating are all in full swing.

Mammoth Cave National Park
Although Kentucky sees plenty of freezing, icy weather in the winter months, the state's underground environment enjoys a relatively mild climate in the mid-50s throughout the year. Mammoth Cave National Park, which encloses the most extensive cave system in the world, conducts its full range of cave tours through the winter months. Although frigid temperatures might deter visitors from enjoying the park's hiking and boating opportunities, its underground adventure remains as inviting as ever.

National Park of American Samoa
In the minds of most Americans, a winter retreat to a tropical island paradise often conjures images of the Caribbean or Tahiti. However, one of America's most remote national parks, the National Park of American Samoa, offers the same lush tropical greenery, white sand beaches and warm waters. The park offers jungle hiking, beachwalking and snorkeling on offshore reefs, and all in a relatively remote and often overlooked setting.