National parks to visit in December
4 of 60 national parks average mild weather in December.
How to read this Weather words come from each park's 1991–2020 average high: mild is 55–80°F without above-normal rain. Crowds compare December with the park's own busiest month (National Park Service visits, 2023–2025).
Mild weather in December 4 parks
| Park | State | High / low °F | Precip., in | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biscayne | Florida | 80° / 66° | 2.2 | Busy |
| Big Bend | Texas | 62° / 38° | 0.5 | Busy |
| Carlsbad Caverns | New Mexico | 57° / 35° | 0.6 | Busy |
| Everglades | Florida | 78° / 61° | 1.7 | Busy |
Mild, wetter than usual in December 10 parks
| Park | State | High / low °F | Precip., in | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Islands | California | 66° / 46° | 3.1 | Moderate |
| Congaree | South Carolina | 61° / 37° | 3.9 | Busy |
| White Sands | New Mexico | 57° / 22° | 0.7 | Busy |
| Pinnacles | California | 62° / 33° | 3.1 | Busy |
| Saguaro | Arizona | 64° / 29° | 1.1 | Busy |
| Death Valley | California and Nevada | 66° / 41° | 0.3 | Busy |
| Dry Tortugas | Florida | 76° / 67° | 2.4 | Busy |
| Joshua Tree | California | 62° / 40° | 0.6 | Very busy |
| Haleakala | Hawaii | 61° / 45° | 5.3 | Very busy |
| Hawai'i Volcanoes | Hawaii | 68° / 52° | 11.4 | Very busy |
Hot in December 1 park
| Park | State | High / low °F | Precip., in | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin Islands | US Virgin Islands | 85° / 75° | 2.9 | Very busy |
Cool in December 16 parks
| Park | State | High / low °F | Precip., in | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shenandoah | Virginia | 47° / 28° | 3.1 | Quiet |
| Canyonlands | Utah | 42° / 18° | 0.6 | Quiet |
| Capitol Reef | Utah | 40° / 21° | 0.4 | Quiet |
| Olympic | Washington | 41° / 33° | 9.9 | Quiet |
| New River Gorge | West Virginia | 45° / 27° | 3.9 | Quiet |
| Redwood | California | 54° / 38° | 15.3 | Quiet |
| Gateway Arch | Missouri | 44° / 29° | 2.3 | Quiet |
| Arches | Utah | 42° / 24° | 0.6 | Quiet |
| Yosemite | California | 46° / 28° | 5.6 | Quiet |
| Mammoth Cave | Kentucky | 51° / 33° | 4.8 | Moderate |
| Hot Springs | Arkansas | 53° / 35° | 5.0 | Moderate |
| Zion | Utah | 53° / 29° | 1.6 | Moderate |
| Great Smoky Mountains | Tennessee and North Carolina | 50° / 29° | 4.9 | Moderate |
| Petrified Forest | Arizona | 47° / 22° | 0.8 | Moderate |
| Grand Canyon | Arizona | 43° / 18° | 1.3 | Busy |
| Guadalupe Mountains | Texas | 53° / 33° | 0.5 | Busy |
Cold in December 17 parks
| Park | State | High / low °F | Precip., in | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellowstone | Montana and Wyoming | 23° / 3° | 2.4 | Quiet |
| Crater Lake | Oregon | 33° / 19° | 11.3 | Quiet |
| Mount Rainier | Washington | 33° / 22° | 18.9 | Quiet |
| Badlands | South Dakota | 37° / 12° | 0.3 | Quiet |
| Grand Teton | Wyoming | 24° / 4° | 3.1 | Quiet |
| Lassen Volcanic | California | 40° / 22° | 6.5 | Quiet |
| Great Basin | Nevada | 40° / 20° | 1.0 | Quiet |
| Black Canyon of the Gunnison | Colorado | 36° / 13° | 1.5 | Quiet |
| Mesa Verde | Colorado | 40° / 20° | 1.5 | Quiet |
| Great Sand Dunes | Colorado | 34° / 12° | 0.5 | Quiet |
| Wind Cave | South Dakota | 39° / 15° | 0.5 | Quiet |
| Rocky Mountain | Colorado | 30° / 5° | 1.5 | Quiet |
| Kings Canyon | California | 37° / 17° | 6.9 | Quiet |
| Bryce Canyon | Utah | 37° / 17° | 1.3 | Quiet |
| Indiana Dunes | Indiana | 37° / 24° | 2.3 | Quiet |
| Sequoia | California | 37° / 17° | 6.9 | Quiet |
| Cuyahoga Valley | Ohio | 39° / 24° | 3.1 | Moderate |
Few or no visits (may be closed) in December 12 parks
| Park | State | High / low °F | Precip., in | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia | Maine | 38° / 22° | 5.7 | Few or no visits |
| Denali | Alaska | 15° / -6° | 1.2 | Few or no visits |
| Glacier Bay | Alaska | 33° / 27° | 8.9 | Few or no visits |
| Glacier | Montana | 29° / 20° | 3.2 | Few or no visits |
| Isle Royale | Michigan | 26° / 9° | 1.7 | Few or no visits |
| Katmai | Alaska | 27° / 12° | 2.1 | Few or no visits |
| Kenai Fjords | Alaska | 33° / 23° | 8.2 | Few or no visits |
| Lake Clark | Alaska | 27° / 17° | 5.2 | Few or no visits |
| North Cascades | Washington | 40° / 33° | 11.7 | Few or no visits |
| Theodore Roosevelt | North Dakota | 31° / 7° | 0.6 | Few or no visits |
| Voyageurs | Minnesota | 21° / 2° | 1.1 | Few or no visits |
| Wrangell-St. Elias | Alaska | 10° / -7° | 1.4 | Few or no visits |