America’s public lands are beautiful any time of year, but winter brings out their true beauty without the crowds.
Why you should go: you’ve never seen a more beautiful color spectrum.
"When winter hits, the dusting of snow creates the illusion of powdered sugar on a freshly baked cake . What’s truly wonderful about the Park is you can view its extraordinary marvels right from the comfort of your car with dozens of lookouts along the road." Sarah Lamagna
Why you should go: wildlife is just as abundant (if not more so) in the winter.
"One can’t have a list of the best national parks to visit in December without mentioning Yellowstone National Park. What makes the Park so special in December is that most roads are closed so there are limited amounts of people." Sarah Lamagna
Why you should go: the mild weather compared to the scorching heat in the summer.
"December marks the beginning of the dry season which brings low humidity and relatively clear skies. Temperatures are mild with typical highs in 70s and lows in the 50s (we’re talking Fahrenheit, of course)." Sarah Lamagna
Why you should go: you won’t have anyone in your photo of Delicate Arch.
"You can climb the 1.5-mile hike to Delicate Arch in relative peace and snap some photos without any people in it — which is nearly impossible to do any other time of year. Or you can check out other hikes that will be void of most tourists during this time of year." Sarah Lamagna
Why you should go: a lesser-known park that becomes even less crowded.
"You can climb the 1.5-mile hike to Delicate Arch in relative peace and snap some photos without any people in it — which is nearly impossible to do any other time of year. Or you can check out other hikes that will be void of most tourists during this time of year." Sarah Lamagna