National parks in the United States are among the most popular tourist destinations in the country, attracting millions of visitors every year. According to the National Park Service, in 2022, over 311 million people visited national parks across the United States, with the peak months being June, July, and August.

In January 2023, I embarked on a journey exploring the diverse and awe-inspiring national parks across California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. Despite most people considering summer as the ideal time to visit these national treasures, I opted to brave the harsh winter season with its biting cold and snow-covered trails. Winter offered an intimate and unique experience, free from the crowds of tourists that flock during the summer months, allowing me to appreciate the beauty of the parks almost entirely on my own. The villages that have developed around the parks, with their souvenir shops, motels, and restaurants, were all but deserted. In the city of Hatch, near Bryce Canyon National Park, where I stopped for a brief respite, a woman mentioned that “nothing is open in this town” during the winter. All the activities remain closed from November to April, with only a few brave locals remaining to brave the cold weather. The desolate and almost otherworldly atmosphere of the winter season gave an eerie yet enchanting quality to the landscapes.

In contrast to the summer months, when many of the animal species that populate these parks can be elusive or hidden, the winter season provided a more intimate experience with the wildlife. Against the backdrop of snow-covered mountains and rock formations in contrasting hues, the scenery took on an almost surreal quality.

@ireartu