As the pandemic drags on, Americans looking to get outside are taking refuge in the nation’s national parks. Millions of tourists visit the park, but if you plan ahead, it’s surprisingly easy to have the place to yourself. Or at least it’s easy to feel that way.
Most people don’t have a strategy for visiting, but that’s a big mistake. If you plan your trip carefully, you can enjoy the park as the peaceful respite it is meant to be, rather than getting stuck in traffic or resenting some obnoxious tourist who just happens to be there at the same time. .
I’m a national park enthusiast. Here are my top tips for escaping the masses and having the park all to yourself.
Get there first or get there last
If you have the opportunity to enter the park at the beginning or end, take advantage of it. Depending on the time of year, you may need a permit to see the sunrise atop Cadillac Mountain in Haleakala National Park or Acadia National Park. So when you go, stay still until the sun starts to come out each day. ”It may be nice to enjoy the solitude while admiring the scenery.
Flight to Dry Tortugas National Park in the Florida Keys © Melissa McGibbon / Lonely Planet
If you’re heading to Dry Tortugas National Park in the Florida Keys, take the first seaplane of the day instead of the ferry. Spend a wonderful hour and a half touring Fort Jefferson, playing on the beach, and snorkeling in the turquoise waters until the ferry arrives with hundreds of passengers.
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Afternoon visit
Most people want to go and see the park’s popular attractions between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. But tour groups and school field trips typically fill up by mid-afternoon, leaving the park noticeably sparse. Many parks are open 24 hours a day, so you can take your time and set out, enjoying a rare sight or two along the way.
Cycling through Sentinel Meadow in Yosemite National Park © OLOS / Shutterstock
go by bicycle
Some national parks, such as Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park, allow bicycling on major paved roads when public vehicles are closed to traffic around the end of the summer season. many people don’t know.
Cyclists can ride these roads without public transportation for only a few weeks in the spring and fall, depending on snowfall and road plowing. You can ride your road bike or electric bike anywhere bicycles are allowed, but you must still follow all normal traffic rules.
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Just add (pour) water
If you can, spread the word and explore the park’s waters on your own by kayak, paddleboard, canoe, or other human-powered vessel.
Better yet, take a dive. Scuba diving is allowed in some U.S. national parks. Biscayne National Park in Florida is 95% water, so the best way to experience it is by going diving. Certified divers have the advantage of being able to dive through 86 surface dwellers and explore the realm of Poseidon with only their diving companions and the aquatic creatures that accompany them.
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Devil’s Tower after a recent snowfall © Melissa McGibbon / Lonely Planet
Visit in winter or the park’s off-season
Many people seem to forget that the United States’ national parks exist during the winter as well. Granted, some parks are even better when it snows. If you can brave some bad weather and dress well, you’ll find it’s very easy to pretend you’re the only one there.
Snow may cover the hiking trails in places like Badlands National Park, Devils Tower National Monument, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but just throw some ice spikes on your hiking boots, layer up properly, and voila! . Of course, reduced daylight hours and storms can limit park availability, so checking the weather forecast and planning ahead is a big deal.
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Low season in Everglades National Park © GagliardiImages / Shutterstock
take advantage of an unusual situation
There are benefits to visiting national parks when no one else wants to go. Gateway Arch National Park is sparsely crowded on Super Bowl Sunday. The same goes for Everglades National Park, which is in the middle of hurricane season. Just to be clear, if there is indeed a hurricane approaching, the park will be closed. But by going when the world thinks a hurricane might be coming, you’ll be able to spend some quality time with the alligators.
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