Back to the full Top 10
#7 on this list
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
North Carolina / Tennessee
Bare-tree views, frozen waterfalls, and near-empty trails.
- Price
- Check current price
- Reader rating
- No reader votes yet
- How we assessed it
- Specification researched
#8 on this list
Moab
Utah
Arches and Canyonlands with snow on the La Sals and few visitors.
- Price
- Check current price
- Reader rating
- No reader votes yet
- How we assessed it
- Specification researched
Specs side by side
| Spec | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | Moab |
|---|---|---|
| Location | North Carolina and Tennessee border | — |
| Elevation Range | 875 to 6,643 feet | — |
| February Temperatures | 25°F to 55°F valleys; 15°F to 35°F high peaks | — |
| Primary Gateways | Gatlinburg, TN and Cherokee, NC | — |
| Access Requirement | Daily or annual parkwide parking tag required | — |
| Major Hazard | Sudden black ice and high-elevation road closures | — |
| Primary Access | — | US Route 191 via Interstate 70 |
| Average High / Low | — | 45°F / 22°F (-7°C to 7°C) |
| Peak Season Status | — | Low season with minimal vehicle traffic |
| Timed Entry | — | Not required at Arches in February |
| Key Hazards | — | Black ice on slickrock, sub-freezing nights |
| Base Elevation | — | 4,026 feet (1,227 m) in town |
What our reviewers liked and didn't
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Bare hardwood canopy provides unobstructed long-distance mountain views
- Iconic trails and parking areas are free from peak-season crowds
- Spectacular frozen waterfall formations and dripping ice bluffs
- High elk visibility in open valleys like Cataloochee and Oconaluftee
- Frequent, sudden closures of Newfound Gap Road disrupt travel plans
- Trail surfaces frequently alternate between deep mud and hardpack ice
- High-elevation roads like Clingmans Dome are closed to motor vehicles
Moab
- No timed-entry vehicle reservations needed for Arches National Park
- World-class scenery without summer heat, dust, and suffocating crowds
- Deep lodging discounts and open first-come, first-served park campsites
- Dramatic visual contrast of white snow against vibrant red sandstone
- North-facing trails and slickrock slopes harbor dangerous hidden ice
- Freezing nights and early sunsets significantly shorten trail days
- Many local outfitters, tours, and town restaurants operate on winter hiatus
Prices change constantly — the figure shown is the last verified catalog price, and the buy buttons always go to the current listing.