Thus far the winter of 2017/2018 has been one of the coldest on record for the majority of the United States. Many areas are experiencing record low temperatures along with record snowfall. While it is debatable as to the causes for these shifts in weather, a phenomenon that is being witnessed is that when the rest of the country gets colder, the areas surrounding Las Vegas get warmer. As a result, while the rest of the country has been in a deep freeze this winter, Las Vegas and the national parks that surround it have been experiencing weather that is nearly perfect. Recent weekend temperatures in the Grand Canyon National Park have been in the mid-sixties, and temperatures in Bryce and Zion have also been in this same range. Combined with the fact that this timeframe is considered “off-season” and as a result tourism levels are at around 10% of what they are in the summer, and you can see the opportunities that are out there.
The time frame between December and February is considered “off season” at national parks in the southwestern portion of the United States. Parks like The Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion, Death Valley and protected regions like Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon all see significant reductions in the amount of tourists that visit their locations every day. While Zion has come as far as to experience overcrowding on peak days, with waits for parking and trams stretching into the multiple hours, off-season visits show a far better experience with people reporting that they “feel like they have the park to themselves.” The perception of colder temperatures on the day of your planned trip will generally reduce the numbers of people willing to risk a bad weather day, and as a result they opt for summer instead of winter.
There are many who actually say that winter is a far better time to visit national parks like The Grand Canyon and Zion Canyon, because the landscape will be transformed in a way that gives you a different viewpoint. Many also will not realize that summer temperatures in these parks can reach into the hundreds, making hiking and exploring less than comfortable. For these reasons, the winter times are actually more appropriate for these activities, with expectations of temperatures in the fifties most days. However this year is different, and the unbelievably mild winter temperatures have made it feel like springtime in the majority of the parks that can be reached with only a few hours drive from Las Vegas. These mid-sixties temperatures have made the parks absolutely perfect for hiking and exploration, and the expectations have reduced the amount of competing tourists down to a very low number. The result is a nearly private experience with perfect weather, which is rare in this day and age. The take away is that if you can arrange it, this is the perfect time to visit nearly any national park within driving distance of Las Vegas.
Martin Wynn
Nguyen An Tra My
