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Crowd calendar · February

The best national parks to visit in February

Last verified 10 parks in shoulder season
February puts 10 national parks in shoulder season: open, past or before the peak, and quieter for it. 5 others are at full tilt. Here’s the whole picture, ranked from five years of National Park Service visitor counts.

Big names in shoulder season

The % badge is February’s visitors as a share of the park’s busiest month.

Shoulder season · 10 parks

Our February picks, quietest first

Each park in a month that borders its busy season, ranked by how far below its own peak it runs. Open for business, without the crush. Parks right at the start or end of their season come last.
  • Quiet · under 40% of peak
  • Moderate · 40–69%
  • Busy · 70–89%
  • Peak · 90%+
  • Near-zero visits (likely closed)
  1. 1

    1. Carlsbad Caverns National ParkNew MexicoIts quiet month

    Carlsbad Caverns averages 19,778 visits in February, 39% of its July peak. Crowds are building: 38% in January, 92% in March. By our rule, this is Carlsbad Caverns' quiet shoulder month.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 38, Feb 39, Mar 92, Apr 73, May 67, Jun 88, Jul 100, Aug 62, Sep 53, Oct 55, Nov 55, Dec 63.
    February 2025: 22,343
  2. 2

    2. White Sands National ParkNew MexicoIts quiet month

    White Sands averages 41,885 visits in February, 42% of its March peak. January runs 43% and March 100%. By our rule, this is White Sands' quiet shoulder month.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 43, Feb 42, Mar 100, Apr 78, May 71, Jun 63, Jul 67, Aug 47, Sep 47, Oct 54, Nov 52, Dec 58.
    February 2025: 43,146
  3. 3

    3. Guadalupe Mountains National ParkTexasIts quiet month

    Guadalupe Mountains averages 16,306 visits in February, 46% of its March peak. Crowds are building: 34% in January, 100% in March. By our rule, this is Guadalupe Mountains' quiet shoulder month.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 34, Feb 46, Mar 100, Apr 79, May 56, Jun 37, Jul 38, Aug 28, Sep 35, Oct 63, Nov 55, Dec 67.
    February 2025: 16,664
  4. 4

    4. Big Bend National ParkTexasIts quiet month

    Big Bend averages 48,002 visits in February, 52% of its March peak. Crowds are building: 50% in January, 100% in March. By our rule, this is Big Bend's quiet shoulder month.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 50, Feb 52, Mar 100, Apr 71, May 46, Jun 26, Jul 22, Aug 18, Sep 26, Oct 51, Nov 63, Dec 63.
    February 2025: 52,227
  5. 5

    5. Congaree National ParkSouth CarolinaIts quiet month

    Congaree averages 15,995 visits in February, 55% of its May peak. Crowds are building: 48% in January, 98% in March. By our rule, this is Congaree's quiet shoulder month.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 48, Feb 55, Mar 98, Apr 85, May 100, Jun 71, Jul 59, Aug 47, Sep 58, Oct 73, Nov 72, Dec 59.
    February 2025: 17,865
  6. 6

    6. Pinnacles National ParkCaliforniaIts quiet month

    Pinnacles averages 26,157 visits in February, 67% of its April peak. Crowds are building: 60% in January, 97% in March. By our rule, this is Pinnacles' quiet shoulder month.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 60, Feb 67, Mar 97, Apr 100, May 95, Jun 78, Jul 72, Aug 56, Sep 51, Oct 55, Nov 63, Dec 59.
    February 2025: 26,892
  7. 7

    7. Joshua Tree National ParkCalifornia

    Joshua Tree averages 294,966 visits in February, 72% of its March peak. Crowds are building: 64% in January, 100% in March.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 64, Feb 72, Mar 100, Apr 89, May 62, Jun 43, Jul 33, Aug 34, Sep 39, Oct 51, Nov 76, Dec 83.
    February 2025: 298,792
  8. 8

    8. Death Valley National ParkCalifornia · Nevada

    Death Valley averages 118,305 visits in February, 73% of its March peak. Crowds are building: 58% in January, 100% in March.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 58, Feb 73, Mar 100, Apr 88, May 66, Jun 46, Jul 51, Aug 47, Sep 38, Oct 55, Nov 68, Dec 72.
    February 2025: 119,257
  9. 9

    9. Haleakalā National ParkHawaiiIts quiet month

    Haleakalā averages 60,634 visits in February, 74% of its July peak. January runs 76% and March 88%. By our rule, this is Haleakalā's quiet shoulder month.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 76, Feb 74, Mar 88, Apr 88, May 97, Jun 99, Jul 100, Aug 86, Sep 85, Oct 86, Nov 82, Dec 94.
    February 2025: 60,141
  10. 10

    10. Dry Tortugas National ParkFlorida

    Dry Tortugas averages 6,443 visits in February, 75% of its May peak. January runs 81% and March 91%. No road in: you arrive by boat or plane, per NPS.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 81, Feb 75, Mar 91, Apr 91, May 100, Jun 94, Jul 86, Aug 74, Sep 67, Oct 57, Nov 74, Dec 84.
    February 2025: 7,349

Low season · 7 parks

Quiet in February, often for a reason

These parks still draw at least 30% of their peak, but the month sits away from their busy season. Low season can mean heat, cold, rain or partial closures, so check the park's nps.gov page before planning around it.

  1. Great Smoky Mountains National ParkNorth Carolina · Tennessee

    Great Smoky Mountains averages 485,531 visits in February, 30% of its October peak. Crowds are building: 26% in January, 55% in March.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 26, Feb 30, Mar 55, Apr 64, May 77, Jun 91, Jul 96, Aug 76, Sep 74, Oct 100, Nov 62, Dec 47.
    February 2025: 409,449

  2. Kobuk Valley National ParkAlaska

    Kobuk Valley averages 586 visits in February, 32% of its July peak. January runs 49% and March 39%. No road in: you arrive by boat or plane, per NPS.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 49, Feb 32, Mar 39, Apr 37, May 38, Jun 77, Jul 100, Aug 93, Sep 84, Oct 91, Nov 72, Dec 75.
    February 2025: 80

  3. Petrified Forest National ParkArizona

    Petrified Forest averages 21,056 visits in February, 33% of its June peak. January runs 37% and March 74%.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 37, Feb 33, Mar 74, Apr 66, May 91, Jun 100, Jul 84, Aug 66, Sep 67, Oct 70, Nov 45, Dec 46.
    February 2025: 11,158

  4. Grand Canyon National ParkArizona

    Grand Canyon averages 180,693 visits in February, 34% of its July peak. Crowds are building: 32% in January, 67% in March.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 32, Feb 34, Mar 67, Apr 85, May 95, Jun 94, Jul 100, Aug 90, Sep 81, Oct 83, Nov 62, Dec 56.
    February 2025: 206,935

  5. Channel Islands National ParkCalifornia

    Channel Islands averages 16,402 visits in February, 46% of its July peak. Crowds are building: 35% in January, 60% in March. No road in: you arrive by boat or plane, per NPS.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 35, Feb 46, Mar 60, Apr 69, May 72, Jun 89, Jul 100, Aug 85, Sep 77, Oct 71, Nov 64, Dec 46.
    February 2025: 13,046

  6. Hot Springs National ParkArkansas

    Hot Springs averages 204,533 visits in February, 59% of its June peak. Crowds are building: 37% in January, 72% in March.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 37, Feb 59, Mar 72, Apr 68, May 66, Jun 100, Jul 83, Aug 62, Sep 37, Oct 43, Nov 43, Dec 39.
    February 2025: 231,464

  7. National Park of American SamoaAmerican Samoa

    American Samoa averages 1,923 visits in February, 62% of its April peak. January runs 35% and March 50%.

    Crowd index by month: Jan 35, Feb 62, Mar 50, Apr 100, May 32, Jun 14, Jul 76, Aug 24, Sep 78, Oct 45, Nov 35, Dec 17.
    February 2025: 6,056

Peak season · 5

Expect crowds in February

Deep off-season

Under 30% of the peak: few visitors, and services may be limited.

Likely closed · 8

Near-zero visits

These parks average almost no recreation visits in February. That usually means a seasonal closure or no way in, but it’s our inference from the numbers, not an NPS notice. Check before you go:

How we rank

Crowds, not weather

Every number here is National Park Service recreation visits, averaged by calendar month over 2021–2025. A park’s crowd index compares each month with its own busiest month (100). Peak season is 80 or above; shoulder months border the peak and still reach 30. We rank shoulder months quietest first.

We don’t score weather, and a quiet month can be quiet because of it. The crowd calendar has the full method and every park’s twelve months side by side; each park page links to its nps.gov conditions.

February 2025 at a glance

The small figure on each row is the park’s actual February 2025 count from NPS Visitor Use Statistics. Unusual months are kept as reported and flagged in the text.

FAQ

National parks in February, answered

What are the best national parks to visit in February?
For fewer crowds without the off-season, look at the parks in shoulder season in February: Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands, Guadalupe Mountains, Big Bend, Congaree and Pinnacles, and 4 more. They're ranked quietest first on this page, from NPS visitor counts for 2021–2025.
Which national parks are busiest in February?
5 parks are in peak season in February, led by Everglades, Virgin Islands, Saguaro and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes. For Everglades, February is the busiest month of the year.
Which national parks are closed in February?
We can't say for certain from visitor counts, but Gates of the Arctic, Glacier Bay, Isle Royale, Katmai, Kenai Fjords, Lake Clark, North Cascades and Wrangell–St. Elias average almost no visits in February, which usually means a seasonal closure or no way in. Check each park's nps.gov page.
Is February a busy month in the national parks?
Across all 63 parks combined, February averages about 3,248,941 recreation visits, the 11th busiest month of the year (2021–2025 average).

Sources · 2

  1. 1.NPS Visitor Use Statistics — monthly recreation visits, 2021–2025 (IRMA stats REST service) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior) — Visitor Use Statistics Program
  2. 2.NPS Visitor Use Statistics Definitions · National Park Service

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