Redwood National and State Parks

Located in Northern California is the Redwood National Forest where you’ll find Redwood National and State Parks. Coast Redwoods are some of the tallest trees in the world and pictures certainly don’t do these giants justice. The location has a lot to do with their size, as they cannot grow anywhere else and the cool ocean air provides their perfect haven. It also keeps the winters rather mild, which also proves well for the Roosevelt Elk that inhabit the region. Another draw to the area are the scenic routes, as it sits at the southern base of Highway 101, following the Redwood Highway and into the Southern Oregon coastline.

Dry Tortugas National Park

Winter brings its share of solitude and you can find that in Dry Tortugas National Park. The Florida Keys are the closest you can get by car to this southeastern national park; not a bad national park gateway town! It then takes another 75-mile ferry ride or 45-minute seaplane flight to this Gulf of Mexico gem. Upon arrival, I was mind-blown by the sheer fact that this place exists and how much history you can find here. Enjoy the park’s trails through and around Fort Jefferson while getting expansive ocean views. You can always bring your swim trunks and snorkel in the surrounding waters, too!

Joshua Tree and Death Valley National Parks

Next, we’ll venture down to Southern California where the winter isn’t as harsh as anywhere north. Unlike most parks, it’s recommended to visit in the winter for temperatures within reason. Here, there are two parks that offer loads of adventure.

Joshua Tree National Park is one of my favorites to date because, well, look at those crazy trees! This choose-your-own-adventure park gives visitors the freedom to venture out into the desert in search of whatever you please. Desert critters are abundant like rattlesnakes and the elusive desert tortoise.

90 miles northwest, you’ll find the largest park in the lower 48. Death Valley was once an ancient ocean, with the remains of wild sedimentary features. I had an absolute blast at the Sand Dunes and Badwater Basin, which is located nearly 300 feet below sea level. Even the rock structures like those at Zabriskie Point are something to marvel at, and plenty more to admire within 3.4 million acres of Death Valley National Park. While there is much to see at your feet, these parks hold firm on SoCal’s ever gorgeous golden hour – those sunrises and sunsets are unmissable. 

Yosemite National Park

Lovers of this granite wonderland will tell you that you haven’t seen Yosemite until you’ve seen it in the wintertime. After spending a winter there, I see what they mean! When the cool air rolls in and cold temperatures follow, the park turns more mystical than ever.

Winter in Yosemite begins with fog that rolls into Yosemite Valley, providing a surreal scene. Not to mention, the giant majestic sequoias are eventually buried under snow. A lot of popular trails remain open like the Mist Trail and Four Mile Trail, two of my all-time favorites.

By this time of year, a region itching for precipitation not only receives it but produces magic along with it. The Merced River can freeze and create frazil ice and, later in the season, visitors flock back for the infamous Firefall, when the Horsetail Waterfall becomes backlit by the sun. My winter season was a rather dry one, which provided lots more time on trails but other years have contrasted that, providing beauty of the powerful waterfalls around the park.