Winter visitors to the United States' great National Parks know it's worth braving cold temperatures to explore these 15 magnificent natural wonders in the National Park Foundation's Winter Wonderlands guide. Yellowstone National Park, shown here, is just one stop that offers a great view.
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Acadia National Park, Maine —
Maine's Acadia National Park is the perfect spot for cross-country skiing, ice fishing, snowmobiling and hiking. It's a tad warmer here on the coast than in interior Maine -- although it's still plenty cold!
National Park Service
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah —
Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah knows how to celebrate winter, with a winter festival held over Presidents Day weekend in February and ranger-led snowshoe hikes from November through March.
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Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio —
Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio offers winter sports courses at its outdoor center, operates a scenic railroad and hosts full-moon hikes throughout winter.
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Glacier National Park, Montana —
It's no surprise that Glacier National Park in Montana gets lots of snow in winter. That's why you can enjoy ranger-led snowshoe hikes or explore the 10 miles of the Going-to-the-Sun Road that the park service maintains in winter.
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Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona —
No need to worry about crowds at Grand Canyon National Park in winter. While the North Rim at the Arizona park closes, the icy South Rim stays open year-round. Take a ride on the Grand Canyon Railway if you prefer to stay warm.
National Park Service
Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado —
Covered in snow, the magnificent dunes of Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado become a sledder's paradise in winter. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains are the perfect backdrop to this Western winter wonderland.
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Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming —
Some 15 miles of the inner road at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming closes to motorized traffic in winter, freeing up the way for cross-country skiers, snowshoers and hikers to explore the terrain. Want a tour? Sign up for a ranger-led showshoe walk.
National Park Service
Great Smoky Mountains National Park —
The fish are biting at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which straddles Tennessee and North Carolina, even in winter. Some campgrounds remain open on a first-come, first-served basis.
National Park Service
Lassen Volcanic National Park, California —
While the main road at Lassen Volcanic National Park in California closes down, the park is still open to snowshoers, cross-country skiers and those willing to camp in the snow.
National Park Service
Olympic National Park, Washington —
Explore the snowy mountains, otherworldly forests and breezy coast at Olympic National Park in Washington, and you'll find three different climates packed into one park.
National Park Service
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado —
Celebrate Rocky Mountain National Park's centennial birthday by exploring the east side's arctic conditions or the west side's calm and clear (but still snowy) terrain.
National Park Service
Sequoia National Park, California —
See the giant trees of Sequoia National Park dusted in snow, and you'll forget you're in California.
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Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota —
No doubt Voyageurs National Park will be cold in winter. You're in Minnesota after all. But in winter, the interconnected waterways of this park become an icy wonderland with cross-country skiing, hiking and ice fishing all available.
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Yellowstone National Park —
Cover a lot of ground in winter with a snowmobile tour of Yellowstone National Park, which is in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho.
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Yosemite National Park, California —
Yosemite National Park celebrates winter with ice-skating (through March), snowshoeing, snowboards and -- rare for a national park -- downhill skiing.
