Winter time is approaching rapidly here in Ohio and the leaves are already starting to change for the fall. The end of the year brings colder weather along with numerous holidays. This is the time of year when the sun starts to go down early so “cabin fever” becomes a real issue. The solution for many people experiencing this problem coupled with the constant socialization of the holidays is to go on a trip. For me specifically I work in an industry that winter is the off season so I am able to take a couple weeks off of work to travel during the wintertime. The places I put on this list are all places I have been within the past two years either in the month of January or February. If you’re obsessed with visiting The National Parks this list will be helpful because there are not a lot of parks to visit this time of year that aren’t encapsulated in snow.
1.) Big Bend National Park, Texas
Big Bend is a remote park in Western Texas right along the Mexican border. I have been to 14 national parks and Big Bend is my favorite of all of them. This park does not have cell phone service. The main draw to Big Bend for me is the amazing geology and hiking. This park is huge and offers a lot of different terrain to explore. Main highlights of Big Bend include; The Rio Grande River, Desert hiking and scenic driving, Canyons, The Chisos Mountains (this is exclusive to Big Bend), an opportunity to cross over into Mexico using a border crossing within the park, and one of the most underrated areas is a portion of the park where you can see and hike around Volcanic deposits. While visiting in the winter I saw free roaming horses and cattle, javelinas, deer, and even a single barbary sheep.
2.) Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
Hot Springs is a perfect little weekend getaway especially in the wintertime. This park is unique for its blend of the city and nature. Hot springs got its name from thermal spring water that flows in the area. A row of bathhouses were built as a therapeutic destination. This park is full of history that ranges from famous American gangsters to major league baseball stars. While here you can tour an old bathhouse free of charge that has been turned into a museum and is run by the National Parks service. Other activities include; getting a bath at a historic bathhouse, visiting the brewery, shopping along the main street, or hiking the trails of the surrounding mountains. This park is different than others I have been to because it is a city destination but it is a city that has been built to thrive around a natural resource that is unique to the area.
3.) Saguaro National Park, Arizona
Saguaro is a National park that is situated around Tucson Arizona. Saguaro National Park is essentially split in half by the city of Tucson which makes this an easy place to visit. Saguaro’s main draw is the Saguaro cactus. This is the iconic cactus that has arms protruding from its body. There are thousands of these cacti across the park. Hiking and scenic driving is available when visiting. Since there are two portions of the park I would recommend setting aside at least two days to visit. The hiking in the “mountain district” is more strenuous than the other portion of the park. This is a very good park to visit in the winter since the summer months really get up there in temperature. Aside from the endless possibilities with hiking this is also a park that I would think a photographer would love.
4.) Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
Carlsbad Caverns is other worldly. This cave system is the most unique that I have ever been in, and I’ve been in and toured about 10 caves up to this point. This is considered a highly active cave so there are formations everywhere. To visit the cave in this park you need to get tickets to enter. A self-guided tour is offered here and if you’re up for it its magical. The self-guided tour allows for you to stop and really take in the formations. This tour takes about two hours if you hike down through the natural entrance. The natural entrance is a bit strenuous it is a downhill hike but there is an option to take an elevator to the bottom instead. This park is a perfect one to visit in the winter because the cave underground stays the same throughout the year. The only activity that is not available in the winter is the opportunity to see the bats fly out of the natural entrance at sunset since they only do that in the summer time.
5.) Joshua Tree National Park, California
Joshua Tree is located about two hours from Los Angeles California. This park is a very large park compared to the others. Due to its close proximity to Los Angeles Joshua Tree is a very popular park to visit. To camp within the park it is difficult to get campground reservations unless done ahead of time, although there are some first come first serve sites that can be battled for. The wintertime is peak season for this park and it is a favorite park to many. The Joshua Trees are vast and such a beautiful site to see. Another draw to this park is the fun of rock scrambling or climbing. If you’re into photography this may easily become a favorite as well since the sunrises here offered some of the best pictures I’ve taken. This is a park I would recommend staying at for at least 3 full days and if possible try to stay during the week to avoid the larger crowds. This park has plenty to offer and see and is a huge contender for a favorite for many National Parks travelers.
Loved visiting Saguaro NP when I was travel nursing in AZ! It’s definitely perfect for winter because it’s way too hot in Summer!
Great ideas as we’re finishing our travel plans for this winter, and a few we haven’t made it to yet, thanks!
These are great recommendations! And depending where someone’s located, I’d add Everglades National Park in Florida to the list. It’s the only subtropical wilderness in the United States.