In many national parks, winter snow brings road closures and limited park access. But these quieter times create opportunities for visitors to try different types of winter sports in the changed seasonal landscape. You might have to drive a little further to stay at a home base KOA that’s open year-round, and you might have to pack more equipment to keep warm while you play in the snow, but it will be worth it.
1. Dog Sled Mushing in Denali National Park, Alaska
Enjoy Alaska’s precious few hours of crisp winter daylight to the max with an exhilarating dog-powered sled ride. Mushing is a traditional mode of winter transportation through Denali National Park’s snow-covered tundra and mountain forests. Visitors can bring their own team of working dogs into the park, or they can book a guided tour with Denali Dog Sled Expeditions. Sled by moose and caribou herds, spot grazing Dall sheep, and join your dog team’s howl chorus with the local wolves. It might turn dark quickly, but the spectacular Northern Lights show playing over the night skies is an awesome consolation prize.
Nearby KOA
Palmer / Anchorage North KOA Journey
2. Snowshoeing in Lassen Volcanic National Park, California
Strap on snowshoes over your boots and go for a winter walk in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Snowshoes help you balance and stay on top of icy snow pack so you can get around on foot. Access to the park is limited to two routes in winter: steep hikes around the Kohm-Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center and gentler slopes and snowshoe loops around Manzanita Lake. Rent snowshoes and ski poles before you get to the park, then suit up and explore nature’s winter wonderland.
Nearby KOA
3. Snowmobiling at Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
Zip through the Mount Rainier wilderness on unplowed snow-covered roads for an epic snowmobiling trip. Carve a path through towering evergreens and wind around rocky outcroppings. Westside Road, between the main park road and Round Pass, is a 6.5-mile stretch where visitors can explore via snowmobile. Be on the lookout for animal tracks in the snow, as evidence of wolverines and foxes scampering through the forest.
Nearby KOA
4. Ice Skating in Yosemite National Park, California
How awesome would it be to ice skate at the foot of Yosemite National Park’s iconic granite landmark, Half Dome? Get this awesome view at Curry Village’s outdoor ice skating rink, which offers affordable two-hour skate sessions. Rent skates at the rink, or bring your own. Twirl on the ice in Yosemite Valley’s peaceful alpine setting.
Nearby KOA
5. Sledding in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Plan a day of family fun sledding inside Rocky Mountain National Park. Bring your sleds (without metal runners), plastic saucers, and inner tubes to the park’s only designated sled area, Hidden Valley. You’ll have to tote your snow conveyance up the hill for each joyful, slippery slide down. Be sure to dress warmly as the valley gets downright frigid. On your trek up and down the hill, be on the look out for wildlife like snowshoe hares and Bald eagles.
Nearby KOA
Fort Collins / Lakeside KOA Holiday
6. Cross-Country Skiing in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Explore the beauty of winter cross-country skiing through Grand Teton National Park. Glide past frosty alpine lakes and get ever closer to the base of jagged Signal Mountain along Teton Park Road. The main route is closed to automobiles in winter, but its 14-mile road is groomed for skiing and snowshoe fun. Take a leisurely cross-country jaunt through the pines, open valley, and lakesides for awe-inspiring views.
Nearby KOAs
Lava Hot Springs West KOA Holiday
Lava Hot Springs East KOA Holiday
Eva Barrows is a San Francisco Bay Area freelance writer. Eva writes about local places, people and events on her website www.evabarrows.com. She founded the online literary journal Imitation Fruit in 2007 and has enjoyed promoting fellow writers and artists ever since.
