These Are the 7 Best National Parks for Hiking in January 2024

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If you’re looking to visit some of the best national parks for hiking in January, you’re in the right place. I’ve visited almost half of the national parks and have gone hiking in all of them!

While some of the other parks are also great for a January visit, these parks are specifically great for those looking to do some hiking.

From clear trails to beautiful views and warmer weather, these parks are sure to make your hiking heart happy and help you make the most of your time off this January.

Quick Look at the Best National Parks for Hiking in January:

Joshua Tree National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park
Olympic National Park
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Death Valley National Park
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Arches National Park

Best National Parks for Hiking in January

Several Joshua Trees during sunset in a national park for hiking in January.

1. Joshua Tree National Park

If you’re looking for a nice warm park to visit in January, then check out Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California.

While the temperatures here rage upwards of 100 degrees F and higher in the summer, they come down to a comfortable 60 degrees F in the winter, making it the perfect time to visit. Plus, it’s still usually sunny!

Joshua Tree is known for, of course, being one of the only places on the planet to find the unique Joshua Trees.

You can hike around the park on trails like the Ryan Mountain, Hidden Valley, and Arch Rock Trails, all of which are pretty easy and great for people of all skill levels.

Another reason to visit Joshua Tree in winter is because it’s much less busy during the summer, so you can have more of the park to yourself.

Snow capped mountains around a lake in Rocky Mountain National Park with clouds setting in over the mountains.

2. Rocky Mountain National Park

If you’re someone who loves snow-capped mountains the way that I do, then you’ll have a huge appreciation for Rocky Mountain National Park.

You will have to keep an eye on the status of the roads because they do sometimes close if there’s too much snow, but when they’re open, you can head in and do some of the most magical winter hikes around.

I would recommend hiking to Dream, Emerald, and Nymph Lakes. This is a really popular trail, but there are fewer people on it during winter. When I did it a few summers ago, there was still snow on the trail and it was just amazing.

So in the winter, it’s even better. The jagged mountains are capped with beautiful, white, glistening snow, and they look straight out of a fairytale.

Just make sure that you have the proper snow gear and stay off of the lakes if they aren’t solid ice. Although they do tend to freeze pretty well in the winter months.

Moss-covered trees towering above the moss-covered forest floor in Olympic National Park.

3. Olympic National Park

My personal favorite national park to hike at in January is Olympic National Park, because it’s just so stunning year-round, but it’s even better during the wet season.

Olympic is a rainforest on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. Thanks to its rainforest status, the park takes on a beautiful green color and it becomes even brighter during the rainy season, which falls into January.

There are dozens of hikes in the park, but a few of my favorites include Mount Storm King, the Hoh River Trail, and Marymere Falls. There are some of the best winter hikes in all of Washington.

There are also a few trails that lead along the Pacific coastline, such as the Hole in the Wall trail at Rialto Beach, which is one of my favorite coastal hikes in the PNW!

While you can visit the rainforest and the coast, most of the mountainous hikes are off-limits since they’re too covered in snow.

Hardened lava with molten lava simmering underneath the surface.

4. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

When in doubt, go to Hawaii. During January when other parts of the United States are cold, Hawaii has comfortable temperatures around 65 to 80 degrees F! Sounds like my kind of place!

This makes Hawaii Volcanoes National Park the perfect place to go for hiking in January! It’s also volcano awareness month for Hawaii in January, so it makes the perfect place to learn about the natural phenomena that is volcanoes.

There are quite a few trails to show you the diversity of this park, including many that showcase the unique volcanoes! My favorite is the Crater Rim Trail, which is long, but worth it since you’ll get to go around the summit caldera of one of the world’s most active volcanoes.

Other great options include Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube) and the Pu’u Loa Petroglyphs Trails.

The colorful Artists Palette at Death Valley National Park for hiking in January.

5. Death Valley National Park

If you’ve ever wanted to visit Death Valley, winter is the time to do it, since it just gets far too hot during the summer months. With summer temperatures reaching 115 degrees F, it’s much more comfortable at 65 in January.

This makes January the best time to go hiking here too, so you can have the best chance of seeing bright, beautiful colors on Artists Palette, which requires some moisture to bring out the colors.

There are dozens of trails around this California national park, but during my visit, my favorites were the Badwater Basin Salt Flats and Mosaic Canyon trails.

A bison walking in the snow with snow falling around him.

6. Theodore Roosevelt National Park

As someone who lives in Minnesota and visits North Dakota often, I can say that Theodore Roosevelt National Park is a thoroughly underrated park.

During the winter, it’s magical, with wild horses and rugged bison roaming the plains, covered in snow. My dream of seeing a bison with snow on its face finally came true during a stop at Theodore Roosevelt.

This park typically isn’t very busy, but when I visited in January last year, I didn’t see a single other person in the park. Not even a park ranger. It was pure bliss. Imagine having a national park to yourself! You have the chance of having that here.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park has quite a few hiking trails to see the Badlands of North Dakota, including the Wind Canyon, Painted Canyon, Boicourt Overlook, and the Buck Hill Trails.

An arch at Arches National Park at sunset where the sun is peeking out from behind the clouds.

7. Arches National Park

As one of the busiest national parks around, planning your trip to see the stunning arches of Arches National Park during the winter months is a smart move.

I’ve hiked almost every trail in this park during a few different seasons and can attest to the fact that winter is the best time to visit. It’s cooler, there are fewer crowds, and you can enjoy the arches in more solitude.

I would start your trip with a visit to Delicate Arch, which often has a line in front of it during the summer months, but is much less busy in winter.

My other favorites are Sand Dune Arch, Landscape Arch, and Double Arch. These trails are pretty easy and bring you right to some of the park’s famous arches.

FAQs

Which National Park to Go to in January?

There are tons of national parks to visit in January. If you want to hike, check out Hawaii Volcanoes, Olympic, Joshua Tree, or Rocky Mountain. If you just want to enjoy nature, be sure to visit Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Yosemite, or Yellowstone.

Can You Visit National Parks in the Winter?

Yes, you can, but not all of them. Certain parks (like Glacier and North Cascades) close down for winter due to snowfall. But other parks remain open. It’s important to check the National Park Service‘s website to see the road status.

Where Can I Hike in Winter in the USA?

All of the national parks listed on this list, including Olympic, Joshua Tree, and Hawaii Volcanoes are great places for hiking during winter. They have less snow, fewer people, and warmer temperatures.

Wrap-Up: National Parks in January

If you’re looking for the best national parks for hiking in January to get out and enjoy nature this year, these are the 7 places that I would recommend most.

My personal favorite is Olympic National Park because of how diverse it is, but all of them are just beautiful and so worth it!

Be sure to grab your America the Beautiful pass before visiting, and have a great time on the trails!