BEST NATIONAL PARKS TO VISIT IN FEBRUARY

ARCHES NATIONAL PARK

LOCATION: Utah
TEMPERATURES: 49°F / 25°F
TOP REASON TO VISIT IN FEBRUARY: Crowd free; Great photo opportunities as a result from the contrast between the blue skies and the red rocks and white snow.
OTHER TOP THINGS TO SEE & DO: Hiking; Camping; Stargazing
LENGTH OF VISIT: 1-2 Days

JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK

LOCATION: California
WEATHER: 61°F / 37°F with low chance of rain.
SUNRISE/SUNSET: 6:30AM / 5:30 PM
TOP REASON TO VISIT IN FEBRUARY: Mild weather which is perfect for hiking and rock climbing; Photography especially if you’re lucky enough to catch the desert with a dusting of snow. Just remember to start early to avoid the crowd which is on the rise in February.
OTHER TOP THINGS TO SEE & DO: The main thing to do here is mainly rock climbing and scrabbling. Other activities include, hiking (Arch Rock, Cholla Cactus Garden, Halls of Horror, Skull Rock), scenic drives, stargazing, horseback riding, camping and backpacking.
LENGTH OF VISIT: 1-3 days (especially if you are rock climbing enthusiast)

DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

LOCATION: California
TEMPERATURES: 75°F / 47°F
SUNRISE/SUNSET: 6:40 AM / 5:30 PM
TOP REASON TO VISIT IN FEBRUARY: The comfortable weather makes it quite pleasant to venture Death Valley’s out-of- this- world landscape in February. However, since it is a desert and temperatures are unpredictable, bring layers since it could get very chilly at night.
OTHER TOP THINGS TO SEE & DO: Hiking (Twenty Mule; Gutch); Sightseeing (Zabriske Point; Badwater Basin; Dante’s View especially at sunrise/sunset); Scenic Drive; Photography; Backpacking.
LENGTH OF VISIT: 1-3 days

WHITE SANDS NATIONAL PARK

LOCATION: New Mexico
WEATHER: 63°F / 28°F
SUNRISE/SUNSET: 7:00 AM / 5:50 PM
TOP REASON TO VISIT IN FEBRUARY: Low crowd and pleasant weather.
OTHER TOP THINGS TO SEE & DO: Hiking (Dune Life Nature Trail or the more adventurous Alkali Flat Trail); Bicycling; Backcountry Camping; Photography; Stargazing; Sledding in the gypsum dunes (You may obtain plastic sleds from the visitor center, and don’t forget to get wax too); Drive the 8-mile scenic Dunes Drive; Have picnics; Take ranger guided hike (eg. Sunset Stroll)
LENGTH OF VISIT: 1 DAY; (To hike, sled and take a ranger guided hike)

EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK

LOCATION: Florida
WEATHER: 80°F / 58°F with low chance of rain.
SUNRISE/SUNSET: 7:00 AM / 6:20 PM
TOP REASON TO VISIT IN FEBRUARY: Cool weather; Least mosquitoes; Crowd is still tolerable.
OTHER TOP THINGS TO SEE & DO: Walk the boardwalk trail at Mahogany Hammock, and the Anhinga Trail; Bike through Shark Valley; Take kayaking tour; Visit the Flamingo Visitor Center and look out for crocodiles and manatees.
LENGTH OF VISIT: 1 DAY

CARLSBAD CAVERNS NATIONAL PARK

LOCATION: New Mexico
WEATHER: 61°F / 37°F with low chance of rain.
SUNRISE/SUNSET: 6:40 AM / 5:40 PM
TOP REASON TO VISIT IN FEBRUARY: Good weather; Low crowd;
OTHER TOP THINGS TO SEE & DO: Venture the caverns by yourself or take a ranger guided tour; Go for a scenic drive; Hike surface trail; Go Stargazing.
LENGTH OF VISIT: 1/2 to 1 DAY

BISCAYNE NATIONAL PARK

LOCATION: Florida
WEATHER: 79°F / 62°F
TOP REASON TO VISIT IN FEBRUARY: A good addition to your Florida Keys Road Trip
OTHER TOP THINGS TO SEE & DO: Swimming & Snorkeling (please be aware that the water temperature is at its lowest at this period of time which makes it too chilly to swim or snorkle); Boating or Kayaking to the Park’s islands such as Elliott Key (the park’s largest island) which offers overnight camping, picnicking, swimming, and hiking; Fishing.
LENGTH OF VISIT: 1 DAY

DRY TORTUGAS NATIONAL PARK

LOCATION: Florida
WEATHER: Average high temperature is 75°F and low chance of rain.
TOP REASON TO VISIT IN FEBRUARY: Pleasant weather and a great addition to your Florida national parks visits. Although be aware of high winds here and there which could cause difficulty in doing water sports such as snorkeling and kayaking, and could also impact ferries to cancel. Plus, water temperatures might be a bit cool for some, so if you plan on snorkeling, you might want to bring a wetsuit or rent one on-site.
OTHER TOP THINGS TO SEE & DO: Explore Fort Jefferson; Snorkeling; Kayaking.
LENGTH OF VISIT: 1 DAY

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

LOCATION: California
TEMPERATURES: 53°F / 28°F
SUNRISE/SUNSET: 6:40 AM / 5:43 PM
TOP REASON TO VISIT IN FEBRUARY: To see Firefall lights up like fire; as a caution be prepared for high crowd, closed road and tire chains requirement during this popular time. And, you need reservation to visit in the weekend during this period of time. VISIT HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
OTHER TOP THINGS TO SEE & DO: Snowshoeing to explore the park trails; Snowboarding, cross country skiing and snow tubing at Badger Pass Ski Area of Yosemite; Ice Skating at Curry Village; Tours; Photography; Scenic Drives; Hiking, but make sure to check current conditions and openings before you head out.
LENGTH OF VISIT: 2-4 DAYS

ROCKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK

LOCATION: Colorado
WEATHER: 32°F / 14°F. One of the highest month for snoawfalls frequency.
SUNRISE/SUNSET: 7:10 AM / 5:35 PM
TOP REASON TO VISIT IN FEBRUARY: Low crowd; Lots of snow for winter activities;
OTHER TOP THINGS TO SEE & DO: Backcountry Skiing; Snowshoeing (Ranger guided tour is available. DETAILS HERE); Sledding; Wildlife Viewing; Scenic Drives; Stargazing; Hiking.
LENGTH OF VISIT: 2-4 DAYS

VIRGIN ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK

LOCATION: US Virgin Islands
WEATHER: 82°F / 72°F and with low chance of rain.
SUNRISE/SUNSET: 6:40AM/6:25PM
TOP REASON TO VISIT IN FEBRUARY: To escape winter chill elsewhere. NOTE: The crowd is high at this park during this period.
OTHER TOP THINGS TO SEE & DO: Visit the beaches (eg. Trunk Bay, Honeymoon Beach, Maho Beach where you might spot sea turtles, and beaches along the north shore of St. John); Snorkeling at Trunk Bay and Watermelon Bay; Kayaking; Visit the overlooks at North Shore Road; Hiking/Walk Leinster Bay Trail
LENGTH OF VISIT: 3 DAYS

MAMMOTH CAVE NATIONAL PARK

LOCATION: Kentucky
WEATHER: 51°F / 30°F. The temperature in the cave remain the same throughout the year (54° F (12 °C)), but, in February, outside is chilly with chance of snow. Pack layers if you are planning to hike the trails outside the cave.
SUNRISE/SUNSET: 6:34 AM / 5:23 PM
TOP REASON TO VISIT IN FEBRUARY: Low crowds so you can explore the cave in smaller group;
OTHER TOP THINGS TO SEE & DO: Ranger-guided cave tours (range from 30mins-6 hours (eg. Wild Cave Tour). Note that types of Cave Tours are offered by season. MORE INFO HERE & TICKETS HERE); Hiking; Bicycling; Kayaking
LENGTH OF VISIT: 1 DAY

GATEWAYS ARCH NATIONAL PARK

LOCATION: MISSOURI
WEATHER: 46°F / 28°F with low chance of snow
SUNRISE/SUNSET: 6:45 AM / 5:35 PM
TOP REASON TO VISIT IN FEBRUARY: Lower crowds
OTHER TOP THINGS TO SEE & DO: Ride the tram to the top of the arch for views out over St.Louis GET TICKET HERE; Visit Old Courthouse; Observe the Old Cathedral.
LENGTH OF VISIT: Half a day

MAP OF BEST NATIONAL PARKS TO VISIT IN FEBRUARY

Using This Map: To access the layers (driving routes and places to go), click the tab located in the upper left corner of the map. To reveal or conceal layers, click the checkboxes. You may learn more about each point of interest on the map by clicking on the icons. This map will be added to your Google Maps account if you click the star next to the map’s title. Open Google Maps on your computer or phone, select “Your Places” from the menu, then click Maps. This map will appear on your list.

FEBRUARY NATIONAL PARKS ROAD TRIP SUGGESTIONS

CALIFORNIA & NEVADA DESERTS ROAD TRIP

HIGHLIGHTS: Las Vegas, Valley of Fire, Red Rock State Park, Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Anzo-Barenggo State Park, Mojave Desert State Park and San Diego.

ITINERARIES:

NEW MEXICO ROAD TRIP (Coming Soon)

HIGHLIGHTS: Santa Fe, Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands.

ITINERARY:

FLORIDA KEYS ROAD TRIP (Coming Soon)

HIGHLIGHTS: Everglades, Dry Tortugas, Biscayne, Miami.

ITINERARY:

BEST NATIONAL PARKS TO VISIT IN FEBRUARY

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