National parks’ coolest season

You may think winter is the time to hibernate. Instead, head outside. You’ll find more elbow-room in some national parks. And you won’t have to nudge someone for a view of Old Faithful. Below, some reserves suggested by the Tucson-based Coalition of National Park Service Retirees, which has a membership of 540 retired park service workers.

National Park: Apostle Islands

National Lakeshore, Wis.

(715) 779-3397

www.nps.gov/apis

No. of visitors in 2005: 176,299

Month with most visitors

August: 54,972

Month with fewest visitors

January: 1,879

Why go in winter: The park’s 154 miles of shoreline along Lake Superior is an ice wonderland, with curtains of frozen water over red sandstone, sculptured waterfalls and icicles hanging at odd angles from the roofs of sea caves.

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National Park: Big Bend National Park, Texas

(432) 477-2251

www.nps.gov/bibe

No. of visitors in 2005: 400,947

Month with most visitors

April: 56,814

Month with fewest visitors

October: 17,826

Why go in winter: Go for the birds. Says former park superintendent Rob Arnberger: “Big Bend is a great place to build those all-important life lists.” Among the native species: golden eagle, hooded orioles, peregrine falcons.

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National Park: Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida

(305) 242-7700

www.nps.gov/drto

No. of visitors in 2005: 64,817

Month with most visitors

March: 8,123

Month with fewest visitors

November: 1,125

Why go in winter: Pack a swimsuit and snorkeling gear. This tropical outpost in the Gulf of Mexico has an abundance of sea life, a military history and a fascinating connection to the Civil War. Ferry and seaplane service from Key West, Fla.

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National Park: Mt. Rainier National Park,

Wash.

(360) 569-2211

www.nps.gov/mora

No. of visitors in 2005: 1.76 million

Month with most visitors

August: 400,248

Month with fewest visitors

January: 21,728

Why go in winter: The road to Paradise is plowed in winter, opening up a playground in an area where snowfall can exceed 1,000 inches in some seasons. Take chains, then try cross-country skiing or free guided snowshoe walks.

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National Park: Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island

New York, New Jersey

(212) 363-3200

www.nps.gov/stli

No. of visitors in 2005: 4.23 million

Month with most visitors

July: 589,166

Month with fewest visitors

January: 130,879

Why go in winter: These two 19th century symbols of American democracy and immigration history in New York Harbor are fascinating any time of year. But lines are shorter and “visitation is way down” January through March, says Kevin Buckley, a former Statue of Liberty superintendent.

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National Park: Yellowstone National Park

Wyoming, Montana, Idaho

(307) 344-7381

www.nps.gov/yell

No. of visitors in 2005: 3.78 million

Month with most visitors

July: 905,639

Month with fewest visitors

February: 61,991

Why go in winter: Don Castleberry, retired Midwest regional director in the NPS, says every American should see the first national park in winter, because it is “one of the most stirring and uniquely American experiences that you can imagine.”

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National Park: Yosemite National Park, California

(209) 372-0200

www.nps.gov/yose

No. of visitors in 2005: 3.38 million

Month with most visitors

July: 568,700

Month with fewest visitors

January: 94,935

Why go in winter: Rick Smith, a former Yosemite ranger, recommends a stay at the basic but beautifully located Osterlander Ski Hut, a 1941 stone structure built for cross-country skiers. It sits at 8,500 feet, a 10-mile ski from Badger Pass.

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Sources: National Park Service, Coalition of National Park Service Retirees