Winter Parks Day
Feast of Saint Thomas Becket
A Day Set Aside for Winter Hiking in National or State Parks
About Winter Parks Day
Winter Parks Day invites us to step outside and experience the wintry beauty of one of America’s national or state parks. This time of year offers a completely different sensory experience: the crisp air, the hush of snow muffling the world, and the chance to spot wildlife thriving in colder climates. The serenity of a snow-blanketed forest or frost-tipped prairie provides a stark contrast to the normal bustle of domestic life. Even if your hike requires extra layers, the reward of reconnecting with nature is worth the effort. When you return, sore but exhilarated, your fireside respite will feel all the more earned. (The genius planners among you will have already gifted proper winter clothing at Christmas, eliminating at least one excuse for ducking out.)
Ways to observe
(A) Low effort
Take a leisurely stroll in your nearest park and snap a few photos of the winter landscape. Don’t forget a thermos of hot cocoa for the walk!
(B) Recommended
Visit a less crowded state park or natural reserve near you. Enjoy a brisk hike and take time to learn about the unique flora and fauna that thrive in winter conditions. Wrap up the day with a hearty bowl of soup at a local diner or a picnic in the park.
(C) High effort
Plan an all-day winter adventure in a national or state park. Map out a challenging trail, pack a hearty lunch, and bring binoculars for spotting wildlife. End your day with a bonfire or fireplace at a cozy cabin nearby.
Inspiration
First, the good news: you’ll have the park to yourself. And it’s gorgeous. There’s something stirring about winter landscapes. Fir trees draped in snow, animal tracks vanishing into the woods, the low winter sun slanting through bare branches. After days of indoor coziness, stepping outside into a snow-hushed world feels almost mythic. Here’s the bad news: for much of the U.S., it’s really, really cold. You’ll need industrial-grade winter gear just to get out of the car. (Within five minutes of hiking, you’ll be sweating through eight layers and wondering if this was all a mistake. It’s not.) Winter Parks Day requires a certain mindset. Think arctic explorer, not Sunday stroller. Pack well, plan ahead, and approach
Yuletide (12 Days of Christmas) the day like a citizen scientist or a low-stakes expedition leader. You’ll know you’ve done it right if (a) some of your Christmas gifts were trail-related, (b) you’ve talked it up enough that the rest of the family is on board, and (c) you’re already planning to go again this month. National parks across the U.S. transform into surreal, snow-blanketed cathedrals this time of year. Yosemite turns contemplative in winter: cliffs iced in white, frozen creeks, and the occasional sound of snow falling from high branches. State parks deliver much of the same wonder with fewer crowds. In New Hampshire, Franconia Notch is all frozen waterfalls and snowshoe trails. Indiana Dunes State Park offers striking views of Lake Michigan glazed in ice. And in the Smokies, the mountains take on a frosted, almost haunted stillness. Mist curling off branches, vast valleys holding their breath. It’s wildly beautiful, and it’s all yours.
Adornments
Watch
Never Cry Wolf (1983)
A solitary biologist ventures into the Arctic to study wolves and confronts his own assumptions about wilderness and survival.
Better Off Dead (1985)
A cult comedy set in a snow-blanketed suburb, where a heartbroken teen endures bizarre challenges— including a ski race, talking food, and a paperboy demanding two dollars. The surreal winter setting adds an offbeat twist to a day spent wandering through frozen woods.
Listen
Winter Wonderland by Bing Crosby
This holiday classic evokes horse-drawn sleighs, building snowmen, and the charm of wintry woods. Crosby’s smooth delivery makes it a timeless companion to a peaceful winter hike.
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! by Performed by Vaughn Monroe
A big-band standard that celebrates the contrast between blizzards and coziness.
Read
The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen
In 1973, Matthiessen joined a zoologist’s expedition to the Himalayas in search of the elusive snow leopard. The resulting memoir blends detailed observations of the stark, beautiful landscape with a meditative reflection on grief and impermanence.
Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod by Gary Paulsen
After deciding on a whim to run the Iditarod, Paulsen trains a team of unruly sled dogs through the frozen wilds of Minnesota and Alaska. What follows is a breathless account of triumph and sheer lunacy.