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.
***
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.
***
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.
***
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.
***
National Park: Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island
New York, New Jersey
(212) 363-3200
www.nps.gov/stli
