Rankings & Analysis · January 2026 · 2 min read
Best National Parks to Visit in Winter
Where to go from December through February — the parks that are comfortable, open and gloriously empty in the cold months.
Winter is the most underrated season in the national parks. The desert Southwest is at its most comfortable, Florida and south Texas are in their prime, and even the snowbound northern parks offer a kind of solitude that is impossible in July.
We ranked parks by their average Best Time to Visit score across December, January and February — the ones that reward a cold-season trip most.
The best winter parks
Ranked by average Best Time to Visit score across December, January and February.
Averages 74/100 across the winter months, with January highs near 69°F. Quietest in December.
Averages 73/100 across the winter months, with January highs near 66°F. Quietest in September.
Averages 72/100 across the winter months, with January highs near 65°F. Quietest in December.
Averages 71/100 across the winter months, with January highs near 64°F. Quietest in January.
Averages 68/100 across the winter months, with January highs near 65°F. Quietest in November.
Averages 68/100 across the winter months, with January highs near 63°F. Quietest in January.
Averages 68/100 across the winter months, with January highs near 71°F. Quietest in October.
Averages 65/100 across the winter months, with January highs near 60°F. Quietest in December.
Averages 63/100 across the winter months, with January highs near 58°F. Quietest in January.
Averages 63/100 across the winter months, with January highs near 70°F. Quietest in December.
Averages 63/100 across the winter months, with January highs near 64°F. Quietest in January.
Averages 63/100 across the winter months, with January highs near 61°F. Quietest in January.
Averages 63/100 across the winter months, with January highs near 58°F. Quietest in January.
Averages 62/100 across the winter months, with January highs near 62°F. Quietest in September.
Averages 62/100 across the winter months, with January highs near 61°F. Quietest in January.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Padre Island, Cabrillo, Fort Matanzas lead our winter ranking — comfortable conditions and thin crowds from December through February.
Most stay open year-round, though some high-elevation roads and facilities close seasonally. Desert and southern parks are fully accessible; check each park page and the official NPS site for winter road status.
Parks in this guide
Keep reading
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics and NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Rankings and figures update as new NPS monthly data is released. Last updated 2026-10-11.