February is the desert month. The southern parks sit in the sixties and seventies, the summer heat that makes them unwalkable is still four months away, and the crowds that arrive for spring break have not turned up yet. Everything north of Utah is snowed in, so this list goes south and stays there.
1. Death Valley National Park, California
The hottest place on earth is pleasant in February. Highs in the low seventies on the valley floor, cold clear nights, and the light on the Mesquite Flat dunes at sunrise is the reason people come back.
It is also the one month you can walk Golden Canyon at midday without thinking about it. Come July that same walk is genuinely dangerous.
Our 3 days itinerary: Death Valley Winter Hiking: A 3-Day Itinerary. Day by day, with where to sleep and what to book.
2. Big Bend National Park, Texas
February in Big Bend is close to perfect: seventies in the desert, cool in the Chisos, and the Rio Grande running clear. It is far enough from any airport that even in a good month it never feels busy.
The Chisos Basin lodge and campground are the two beds everyone wants and they book out first. Reserve before you drive.
Our 4 days itinerary: Hiking in Big Bend National Park: 4-Day Texas Itinerary. Day by day, with where to sleep and what to book.
3. Everglades National Park, Florida
Dry season, which in the Everglades means the mosquitoes are tolerable and the wildlife concentrates around whatever water is left. That concentration is the whole point: February is when you actually see things.
Paddle it rather than drive it. The chickee platforms out in the backcountry are the version of this park worth the trip.
Our 3 days itinerary: Everglades Kayaking Weekend: 3-Day Chickee Camping Route. Day by day, with where to sleep and what to book.
4. Saguaro National Park, Arizona
Tucson in February is seventies and dry, and the saguaro forest is walkable all day. The cacti are not flowering yet, that comes in May, but the trails are empty and the light is long.
Two districts either side of the city, both worth a day. The Rincon side is quieter and the climbing is real.
Our 3 days itinerary: Saguaro National Park Hikes: 3-Day Best Hikes Itinerary. Day by day, with where to sleep and what to book.
5. Joshua Tree National Park, California
Cold nights, mild days and the clearest skies of the year. February is climbing season here for a reason, and it is the last quiet month before spring break arrives in March.
Bring a proper sleeping bag. It drops below freezing at night more often than people expect.
Our 3 days itinerary: Hikes in Joshua Tree: A 3-Day Best-of Itinerary. Day by day, with where to sleep and what to book.
6. White Sands National Park, New Mexico
Sixty degrees, no wind if you are lucky, and gypsum dunes that stay cool underfoot all day. The backcountry camping loop is the only way to see the dunes empty, and February nights are cold enough to keep most people away from it.
The park sits inside a missile range and closes for tests. Check before you drive out.
Our 2 days itinerary: White Sands National Park: A Backcountry Weekend Itinerary. Day by day, with where to sleep and what to book.
More trips that work in February
- Guadalupe Mountains Hiking: A 2-Day Texas Itinerary 2 Days · West Texas
- Chiricahua National Monument: A 2-Day Hiking Itinerary 2 Days · Southeast Arizona
- What to Do in Congaree National Park: A 2-Day Itinerary 2 Days · Central South Carolina
- Things to Do in Las Vegas Besides Partying: A 3-Day Outdoor Itinerary 3 Days · Southern Nevada
