Fall & Winter Parks

TOP 10 THINGS TO DO

Fall & Winter Parks

Cuyahoga Valley

Erie & Kaskaskia Native Lands

Cuyahoga Valley’s Scenic Railroad (CVSR) offers fantastic viewing opportunities of the park’s beautiful landscape and fall foliage in autumn; in winter, CVSR offers a festive caboose ride featuring a wood-burning stove, a hot cocoa bar, and cookies for passengers to enjoy. 

New River Gorge

Moneton, Yuchi, Shawanwaki/Shawnee & Tutelo Native Lands

Fall is a great time to visit one of the United States’ newest national parks: New River Gorge. The spectacular views of fall foliage can be enjoyed while hiking the trails, climbing one of the park’s 1,400 established rock-climbs, or walking the New River Gorge bridge!

Great Smoky Mountains

Cherokee, Yuchi & Miccosukee Native Lands

Great Smoky Mountains offers a phenomenal display of fall colors in mid-October and early November. Fall foliage can be best admired while hiking Clingmans Dome, driving along Blue Ridge Parkway, or horseback riding along the park’s scenic trails.

Acadia

Passamaquoddy, Dawnland Confederacy, Abenaki/Abenaquis & Penobscot Native Lands

Acadia national park is a great place to view fall foliage, constellations, and sunrises. The park is home to Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the eastern seaboard of the United States, which offers the first view of the sunrise in the U.S. from October to early March! 

Capitol Reef

Southern Paiute & Ute Native Lands

Fall is the perfect time to pay a visit to Capitol Reef’s historic U-Pick orchards! Peaches and pears can be harvested through early September, and apples can be harvested through mid-October.

Voyageurs

Anishinabewaki & Ochethi Sakowin Native Lands

While autumn promises spectacular views of fall foliage in Voyageurs national park, winter holds potential for a wonderful view of the northern lights! Check out the Alaska Geophysical Institute’s Aurora Forecast to predict aurora activity while planning your trip! 

Death Valley

Western Shoshone Native Lands

Fall and winter are the perfect time to check Death Valley off your bucket list. In addition to its lower temperatures during these seasons, Death Valley is also one of the best locations for stargazing in the United States thanks to the park’s remarkably dark skies! The park holds an annual Dark Sky Festival, which offers guided hikes, astronomy lectures, and astrophotography workshops!

Mt. Rainier

Cowlitz, Muckleshoot, Nisqually, Puyallup, Squaxin Island, Yakama, & Coast Salish Native Lands

In addition to its beautiful winter scenery, which can be enjoyed while partaking in a ranger-guided snowshoe walk, Mt. Rainier’s landscape and abundant snowfall makes it the perfect location for skiing, snowboarding, and sledding.

Glacier

Blackfeet, Salish, Pend D'oreille, & Kootenai Native Lands

The alpine meadows and valleys of Glacier National Park become a winter wonderland during the chilly portion of the year. The park’s landscape can be enjoyed while hiking, skiing, or snowshoeing, and its lakes offer plentiful opportunities for ice-fishing!

Crater Lake

Molalla, Klamath, Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, & Confederate Tribes of Siletz Indians Native Lands

Fall and winter are perfect for visiting the deepest lake in the United States: Crater Lake. During fall, the park offers colorful leaf displays, which can be admired while cycling or driving along Rim Drive; during winter, the park’s scenery can be enjoyed through ranger-led snowshoe walk, skiing, snowboarding, or sledding! 

Parks Project Team

Location:
Los Angeles

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