There are so many amazing national parks to visit — 63 to be precise, and 425 if you include all the national historic sites, national monuments, national seashores, and others. Some are very well known, like Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, while others keep a lower profile. For most, if not all national parks, summer tends to be the most popular time to visit and, as a result, also the busiest. Some national parks are closed or inaccessible during the winter months, which may lead to the impression that colder months aren’t a good time for a national park adventure.

While this view may be true for some parks, it’s patently false for many others. There are plenty of national parks that are open year-round, and several that winter is considered the optimal time to explore. Read on for ten amazing national parks to explore during the winter and fall months and some additional information about each to help you plan your visit.

Named after the giant cactus that is native to the area, Saguaro National Park is a 92,000-acre park near Tucson, Arizona. The saguaro, which can live 200 years and grow three stories tall, fill the plains of the park with the same cactus that is featured on the Arizona license plate. The park is home to more than 450 archaeological sites, including ancient petroglyphs from the park’s original indigenous inhabitants, and more than 60 historic structures, including old mining cabins and homesteads. Saguaro National Park is divided into two sections: the western section, known as the Tucson Mountain District, and the eastern section, which is the Rincon Mountain District. Average temps in the 100s during the summer months make hiking treacherous, but the lower temps of the fall and winter months are perfect for hiking and exploring the park’s 165 miles of trails. Make sure to cruise the Cactus Forest Drive — an 8-mile loop through the eastern section that offers lookouts aplenty, with stunning views of the park.

Reservations: There are no reservations required to access Saguaro National Park. A permit is required for overnight camping, hiking, or riding on horseback.

Where To Stay: Club Wyndham Starr Pass Golf Suites, Club Wyndham Rancho Vistoso

East of the Salinas Valley in Central California you’ll find Pinnacles National Park, a mountainous area full of unique rock formations (called pinnacles). It’s a newer park, only receiving the national park designation in 2013, but it has long been a popular spot for hikers, rock climbers, and picnickers. At 26,000 acres and 30 miles of hiking trails, Pinnacles is a small park (at least by California standards). The pinnacles attract rock climbers, as do the park’s unique talus caves, which are home to several endangered bat species. The park’s unique rock formations were created by seismic activity from the San Andreas fault, which lies four miles away, and two smaller fault lines that run right through the park. The rock formations, aka pinnacles, attract rock climbers year round, but the park’s triple-digit temps in summer are a natural deterrent — visit in fall or winter, when temps are cool and crowds are low. Since there are no roads running through Pinnacles, you’ll have to enjoy the park on foot. Make sure to trek the 6-mile High Peaks Trail for a panoramic view of the park.

Reservations: There are no reservations required to access Pinnacles National Park. Reservations are encouraged for the park’s Pinnacles Campground.

Where To Stay: WorldMark Marina Dunes (Club Pass), WorldMark Pismo Beach (Club Pass)

In the Mojave Desert straddling southeastern California and Nevada sits Death Valley National Park, just a two-hour drive from Las Vegas. At more than three million acres, it’s the largest national park in the contiguous U.S. — not to mention the hottest, driest, and lowest elevation of anywhere else in the nation. It’s one of the lowest points in the western hemisphere, dropping to 282 feet below sea level at its lowest point. The park is full of awesome hikes, unique wildlife, and scenic vistas galore, just make sure not to visit during the summer months. The hottest temperature ever recorded anywhere in the world is 134 degrees Fahrenheit, which was recorded in Death Valley in the early 20th century. In the summer, daily temps of 120 or higher are common, and the temps during fall and winter are much more reasonable, allowing visitors to hike, mountain bike, or just explore on foot. In 2013, Death Valley National Park was designated a dark sky park by the International Dark Sky Association, meaning it’s got awesome stargazing. In addition to stargazing, sunset watching is a popular activity in Death Valley. Take a drive up to Zabriskie Point for a view of one of the best sunsets to be found anywhere around.

Reservations: There are no reservations required to access Death Valley National Park.

Where To Stay: Club Wyndham Grand Desert, Club Wyndham Desert Blue, Club Wyndham Desert Rose Resort, Club Wyndham Tropicana, Margaritaville Vacation Club by Wyndham – Desert Blue

Located in south-central Colorado, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is an adventure in the sand. The park is home to the tallest sand dunes in North America, the tallest reaching the stunning height of 750 feet! It’s on the small side, at just 150,000 acres, and in addition to the dunes, Great Sand Dunes is home to alpine lakes and forests, as well as high-altitude mountain peaks and grasslands. Sand trekking, sandboarding, and sand sledding are popular activities, and equipment can be rented nearby. In 2019, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve was designated a dark sky park by the International Dark Sky Association. Temperature in the summer often hits the 80s and 90s in the park, but the sun heats the sand, making it as hot as 150 degrees, and burns are common. Cooler winter temps and low precipitation make this a fall/winter winner.

Reservations: There are no reservations required to access Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Reservations are required for the Piñon Flats Campground and the South Ramada picnic area. Permits are required for overnight backpacking.

Where To Stay: Club Wyndham Pagosa, Club Wyndham Taos

Located in south-central Kentucky near Bowling Green, Mammoth Cave National Park is home to the longest cave system in the world, running more than 400 miles under the earth’s surface. In addition to its national park status, the park’s 52,000 acres were named a World Heritage Site in 1981, an International Biosphere Reserve in 1990, and an International Dark Sky Park in 2021. Underground you’ll see the remains of historic saltpeter mines, archaeological sites, and a crumbling 19th-century tuberculosis ward. Above ground you’ll experience pristine rolling hills, thick green forests, and verdant river valleys, all of which are perfect for hiking and biking. On the surface, the temperatures in the summer often climb into the triple digits, so the cooler weather of the fall and winter are a better time to visit for hiking and exploring above ground. Underground, the cave’s temperature stays constant year round at 54 degrees Fahrenheit, but you’ll avoid the peak crowding of summer if you visit later in the year. Cave tours are a popular activity, and there are many to choose from. Make sure to visit the cave’s Rotunda Room — it’s big enough to hold a Boeing 737 aircraft!

Reservations: There are no reservations required to access Mammoth Cave National Park. Advanced reservations are encouraged for camping and cave tours.

Where To Stay: Club Wyndham Nashville, Margaritaville Vacation Club by Wyndham – Nashville

Situated in southern Oregon, Crater Lake National Park is the only national park in the state of Oregon. Several thousand years ago, Crater Lake was formed in the caldera of the towering Mount Mazama, a now-extinct volcano. At nearly 2,000 feet deep, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the U.S. The park itself is inclusive of 183,000 acres, of which 50,000 acres are old growth forest. Unlike some of the other parks on this list, Crater Lake is a great place to visit during the summer months, because the temperatures are manageable and the park is fully open (and you can swim in the lake’s stunning blue waters). By mid-October, however, much of the park is closed to vehicle traffic due to the average 43 feet of snowfall they get every year. But that snowfall is the real reason why Crater Lake National Park is an amazing winter destination — in the winter, park activities include Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, downhill skiing and snowboarding, sledding, ranger-led snowshoe walks, and snowmobiling. For all of those activities, you can rent the necessary equipment just outside the park. Make sure to visit the Steel Visitor Center in Rim Village — it’s one of the only things open during the winter months and you can sit and enjoy a cup of hot cocoa and watch the snow fall.

Reservations: There are no reservations required to access Crater Lake National Park. Reservations are encouraged for ranger-led snowshoe walks. Permits are required for overnight backpacking.

Where To Stay: WorldMark Running Y (Club Pass)

Named after Ebenezer Bryce, a Mormon pioneer who originally settled the area, Bryce Canyon National Park is situated in southwestern Utah not far from Zion National Park. Bryce Canyon is well-known for its infamous hoodoos — unique stone spires formed over thousands of years due to a geological process known as ice wedging. The park’s beauty is found in its multicolored rock, in various shades of red, orange, pink, and white. Bryce Canyon National Park is 35,000 acres, making it the smallest of Utah’s Mighty Five (Bryce Canyon plus Canyonlands, Arches, Capitol Reef, and Zion national parks). Summer at Bryce Canyon brings high heat and larger crowds, but the cooler months of fall and winter are perfect for hiking and exploring, even if there is the occasional dusting of snow on the ground. No matter the season, make sure to hike the Mossy Cave Trail, a 1-mile hike along a stream to a natural grotto featuring impressive icicles during the winter months.

Reservations: There are no reservations required to access Bryce Canyon National Park. Reservations are required for the park’s Sunset Campground and can be made up to six months in advance.

Where To Stay: WorldMark St. George (Club Pass), WorldMark Estancia (Club Pass)

Located in northern Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains just 75 miles from Washington D.C., Shenandoah National Park is a natural paradise. Of its nearly 197,000 acres, 80,000 are designated wilderness, making for a true off-the-beaten-path experience. The park is home to many large waterfalls, all of which are accessible by trail. There are more than 500 miles of hiking trails at Shenandoah, plus several scenic drives as well. The park is divided into three geographic districts: North, Central, and South districts, all of which are worthy of a full days’ exploration. The park’s famous basalt columns are well worth seeking out, and don’t forget to take a scenic cruise down Skyline Drive by car for 105 miles of unforgettable views of the mountains throughout the park. Although accessible year round, the cooler temperatures and lower crowds of fall and winter make this park a perfect off-season destination.

Reservations: There are no reservations required to access Shenandoah National Park. Hiking on Old Rag Mountain requires a special day-use pass, and permits are required for overnight backpacking.

Where To Stay: Club Wyndham Old Town Alexandria, Club Wyndham National Harbor

Less than two hours’ drive south of Seattle in northwestern Washington sits Mount Rainier, a 14,410-foot snow-capped stratovolcano that dominates the skyline of the Pacific Northwest. The mountain is the centerpiece of Mount Rainier National Park, 236,000 acres of pristine forests, grasslands, meadows, and waterfalls. The park is popular for mountaineering, with thousands of climbers attempting to summit the mountain each year. It’s also a point of historic interest — Mount Rainier National Park is home to 42 buildings that are on the National Register of Historic Places, as well as four National Historic Landmarks. This park is great for spring and summer visits, but when summer dies down and fall arrives, the crowds disappear and the trails open up, making fall the perfect time for hiking in the park. Winter brings closure to certain areas, but opens up snow activities like downhill skiing and snowboarding, Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, and ranger-led snowshoe walks to educate you on the ecology and geology of Mount Rainier.

Reservations: There are no reservations required to access Mount Rainier National Park. Reservations are required for the park’s multiple campgrounds, and permits are required for overnight backpacking.

Where To Stay: WorldMark The Camlin (Club Pass)