National parks are for more than just summer hiking. Break out of your cold weather hibernation and visit these seven parks that are at their best in winter. Number 7. Yosemite National Park Enjoy a side of history with your skiing at Yosemite's ski and snowboard area. California's oldest downhill skiing area. Located off of the park's glacier point road, lifts here serve 10 runs, and there are also more than 90 miles of marked trails for cross-country skiing or snow-shoeing. For an unforgettable winter experience, you can even cross-country ski a 10.5 mile trail to glacier point, which overlooks Yosemite Valley, Half-Dome, and Yosemite Falls. Famous for its spectacular towering granite formations, Yosemite is the nation's fourth most popular park. Number 6. Olympic National Park Olympic National Park on Washington's eponymous peninsula is one of only three national parks that has a full ski area in winter. The hurricane-rich skiing snowboard area has one lift and two rope toes, and operates from mid-December through March depending on conditions. Skie here and you'll be able to brag, ice skied in the Olympics without technically lying. At just shy of 1 million acres, Olympic National Park sprawls over three types of ecosystems, Pacific Shoreline, Glacier Cloud Mountains, and Ornested Valley. The 73 mile coastline is the longest undeveloped stretch in the lower 48, and just one of the reasons that the UN declared it both a world heritage site in 1981 and an international biosphere reserve. At its heart is the 7,979 foot Mount Olympus, the highest peak in the Olympic range. Snowmilt from Olympus and its surrounding peaks need 11 major wild, whitewater rivers, often described as radiating out like spokes on a wagon wheel. Spend a morning walking through the trails in the Ho in Quinald rainforests and taking the beauty of moss-covered trees and bright green plants. Despite its proximity to the metropolitan Seattle area, most of the park has seen very little human intrusion. Roads only skirt its exterior, while the vast interior is roadless and perfect for backcountry exploring by hiking or kayak. 5. Death Valley Death Valley is the hottest and driest place in North America, and has set the world record for the highest air temperature with a whopping 134 degrees Fahrenheit. It is the largest national park outside of Alaska, and at 282 feet below sea level, includes the lowest point on the continent. Unsurprisingly, it's not a place you want to visit in the summer. In the winter, you'll get mild temperatures that rarely drop below freezing, plus smaller crowds. The weeks after Thanksgiving and before Christmas are the least busy times of the year according to the National Park Service. The park's geography is as foreboding as it is mesmerizing. Sand dunes roll for miles as naked mountains tower in the distance. Sedimentary badlands, volcanic craters and cinder cones appear seemingly out of nowhere. Many of the park's features bear morbid monocles, such as coffin peak, bad water, and furnace creek. But the names belay and ecosystem that has adapted and managed to thrive in this hostile environment. 4. The Everglades Winter is the best time of year to visit Everglades National Park, as December through April is the dry season. Spanning 1.5 million acres of southern Florida, Everglades is the third largest national park in the continental United States, behind death valley and yellowstone respectively, protecting what is left of a crucial wetlands that was once nearly four times its current size, but that has been lost to development. You'll usually have temperatures in the upper 70s with low humidity, the biting insects that can be prevalent in the summer are gone, and lower water levels make it easier to spot wildlife. This so-called river grass is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an international biosphere reserve, and a wetland of international importance. One of just three areas in the world holding all three distinctions. It is home to more than 70 endangered and threatened species, and is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles coexist. 3. The Grand Canyon While the canyon itself was formed as recently as 5 million years ago, the walls of the canyon eroded over millennia by the Colorado River, reveal a layered timetable of rock that at the bottom is nearly 2 million years old. Though damp from above and below, the Colorado River runs uninterrupted for 277 miles throughout the park. Approximately 5 million people visit the Grand Canyon every year, but only about 10% of visitors come during the winter. Although the North Rim is closed in the winter, the South Rim is completely open year-round, and the shorter days bring a soft, beautiful light to the canyon. Certain roads that are closed to personal vehicles in the summer reopen, weather dependent for the winter, allowing you to explore at your own pace. Temperatures on the South Rim are generally cold, but if you venture to the canyon's floor, the weather is much warmer, reaching up to 60 degrees during a winter day. Whether you hike deep into the canyon or simply snap some photos, travelers agree that the Grand Canyon is a must-see that will leave you speechless. 2. Big Bench National Park Big Bench National Park serves as a border between the United States and Mexico, and offers a unique way to cross between the two countries. Visitors can pay $5 to be ferryed across the real Grande on a small boat, or you can walk across for free, at your own risk, and only at designated areas where the water levels are low. Winter is one of the best times to visit Big Bench National Park, as the temperature is average around 60 to 70 degrees during the day, whereas in the summer it can get dangerously hot. And finally, number 1. Mount Rainier National Park Embrace winter at Mount Rainier National Park, which has a designated snow play area where you can go sledding or tubing. Ranger guided snowshoe walks are also available, as are plenty of trails for cross-country skiing. Mount Rainer, an active volcano that is surrounded by glaciers, rises majestically above the park, at times wearing a shroud of mist around its peak. Visitors can enjoy the many trails and scenic drives the park offers. According to one trip advisor traveler, the scenery is absolutely breathtaking. Even if you just drive through the park and stop at the lookout, you will be amazed at the views. Who knew these seven national parks could double at winter wonderlands? Comment down below which part you'd like to visit this winter, and if you liked this video, don't forget to give it a thumbs up and subscribe to Smarter Travel on YouTube.