

Tallgrass prairie, and the history of homesteading in America, can be found at the Homestead National Monument of America in Nebraska/Mel Mann via NPS Tallgrass prairie, and the history of homesteading in America, can be found at the Homestead National Monument of America in Nebraska/Mel Mann via NPS

Mud season is here. In most national parks above the Mason-Dixon Line, and quite a few south of that line, it can be a messy time. Choosing a destination can be problematic due to the weather in general and the snow line specifically.

I'll never forget the year that I summited the Grand Teton. It was early July and I still had to wear winter outerwear. But there are plenty of places to go in the park system, even in Grand Teton National Park, where you can avoid most of the mud and muck and have a glorious experience.

Southern parks, like Everglades National Park, Padre Island National Seashore, and Jean Lafitte National Historical Park, are usually safe bets, weather-wise. So, too, are Cumberland Island National Seashore, Joshua Tree National Park, and Saguaro National Park.

Where to go? Here are some destinations that fit the calendar:



Peregrine chicks are banded by park staff at Acadia/NPS Peregrine chicks are banded by park staff at Acadia/NPS

Acadia National Park, Maine

Peregrine falcons start to nest in mid-to-late April, so May is a good time to look for them along the Precipice, East Face, and Jordan Cliffs trails. The trails are temporarily closed to hiking during the nesting and fledging periods until August, but you can get some good looks with a decent spotting scope or binoculars.



The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is a great place to go for a walk/NPS The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is a great place to go for a walk/NPS

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Got some free time the next four or five months? Then it's time to head to Springer Mountain in Georgia and start your 2,185-mile thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail. If you start your hike in late March, consider attending the Dahlonega Trail Fest, held March 27-29. Dahlonega, Georgia, is considered the southern terminus of the A.T., and has been recognized as an official AT Trail Community. Take in the festival, then hit the trail.



Sunsets are always gorgeous, and spring is always a great season, at Big Bend/Rebecca Latson Sunsets are always gorgeous, and spring is always a great season, at Big Bend/Rebecca Latson

Big Bend National Park, Texas

April is the perfect month to head to Big Bend. Not only are May and June the two hottest months of the year, but mid-June is the start of the rainy season, which hangs around until October. In April go in search of the Colima warbler, which flies north from Mexico to mate and nest in the park. Look for them while you hike the Pinnacles Trail, Boot Canyon, or the Laguna Meadows Trail.



White House Ruins are a main attraction at Canyon de Chelly National Monument, but there's lots more to see on a tour of the canyon floor/Kurt Repanshek White House Ruins are a main attraction at Canyon de Chelly National Monument, but there's lots more to see on a tour of the canyon floor/Kurt Repanshek

Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona

Navajo families traditionally head down into Canyon de Chelly in late-April to spend the summer months tending their livestock and growing their crops. Corn, squash, tomatoes, cherries, pears and apricots ripen during the summer, while cattle and horses mill about. Tour the national monument with a Navajo guide this spring and you can witness their arrival. Get a glimpse into the past via the cliff dwellings and pictographs. The monument's main attraction is White House Ruin, which you can spot from the White House Overlook, a 10-minute drive from the visitor center. Or hike down from the overlook. Better yet, spend a half-day, or entire day, touring the canyon floor with a guide.



Spring is a good time to explore the Little Greyfield Trail at Cumberland Island/NPS Spring is a good time to explore the Little Greyfield Trail at Cumberland Island/NPS

Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia

Spring is a good season (the bugs aren't fierce) to hike, camp, and backpack at Cumberland Island. If you don't already have a reservation for March, April or May, you might not be able to get one, but there's always next spring! Options range from the Sea Camp front-country area with its 16 sites, cold water showers, running water, and fire rings, or try the Stafford backcountry campground with toilets, non-potable water, and fire rings. Take a look at Brick Hill, Yankee Paradise, and Hickory Hill Wilderness campgrounds too.



White pelicans blend into the snowy background during spring at Grand Teton National Park/NPS White pelicans blend into the snowy background during spring at Grand Teton National Park/NPS

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Spring is a time of rebirth in the meadows and forests of Grand Teton. Elk migrate from their winter ranges into the park in April. Bison and moose are highly visible for some great photographs. Park roads typically are closed until mid-May (except for the North Entrance), as are campgrounds. But there're a lot of lodging options in Jackson that fit all budgets. Check with the park (307-739-3399) in April for ranger-led viewing of sage grouse strutting their finest. You might find time to squeeze in a late-season cross-country ski or snowshoe hike into the park when not photographing wildlife.



Ramsey Cascades is the tallest waterfall in Great Smoky Mountains National Park/NPS Ramsey Cascades is the tallest waterfall in Great Smoky Mountains National Park/NPS

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee/North Carolina

The months of March, April, and May are always great for a hike in the Smokies. The air is still somewhat cool (sometimes even cold in March, when snow storms aren't unheard of), trees are leafing out, the dogwoods are in bloom, and there are ornate wildflowers, such as the showy orchids and trilliums. (Watch for the annual Wildflower Pilgrimage this April 21-25). Migratory birds such as the scarlet tanager start to arrive in spring, too. Hike to Ramsey Cascades, the park's tallest waterfall at about 100 feet, and you'll pass beneath some of the largest tuliptrees in the park.



The Palmer-Epard Cabin under a blue sky at Homestead National Monument of America/Mel Mann via NPS The Palmer-Epard Cabin under a blue sky at Homestead National Monument of America/Mel Mann via NPS

Homestead National Monument of America, Nebraska

Plan a late-spring visit here and stroll the native prairie. The Park Service has restored 100 acres of tallgrass prairie, a small window into the 170 million acres of prairie that existed before North American settlement took full hold. A two-mile hike through this prairie shows off such natives as big bluestem, little bluestem, Indiangrass, switchgrass, goldenrod, field pussytoes, and leadplant. After your hike, tour the Homestead Heritage Center to better understand the homesteading of America.



Head to the Acadian Cultural Center on Mondays for some Cajun jam sessions/NPS Head to the Acadian Cultural Center on Mondays for some Cajun jam sessions/NPS

Jean Lafitte National Historical Park, Louisiana

Pirates and jazz are found deep in Louisiana at this historical park. Its name descends from a businessman-privateer-smuggler-pirate. Cruise Bayou Lafourche with a ranger, take a riverfront history stroll from the French Quarter Visitor Center, or catch a Cajun music jam (Mondays only) at the Acadian Cultural Center in Thibodaux.



The Cholla Cactus is a sight to see...as long as you don't get too close/Kurt Repanshek The Cholla Cactus is a sight to see...as long as you don't get too close/Kurt Repanshek

Joshua Tree National Park, California

Spring is definitely one of the best seasons to visit Joshua Tree. Summer, frankly, is just too darn hot. But in spring you can enjoy all of the blooms in the Cholla Cactus Garden 20 miles north of the park's Cottonwood Visitor Center, along the Pinto Basin Road. Though the trail loops just a quarter-mile, you'll see the Jumping Teddy Bear Cholla, as well as the Silver Cholla and the Pencil Cholla. Interspersed among these cacti are a number of other heat tolerant plants, such as Hedgehog cactus, Climbing milkweed, Jojoba, and Creosote bush. Fill the rest of the day with a ranger-led hike to the Keys Ranch, or check with the park staff to see when the annual butterfly count will be held (typically it's in late March).



Skunk cabbage blooms yellow in the spring...but you likely won't like to sniff its perfume/NPS Skunk cabbage blooms yellow in the spring...but you likely won't like to sniff its perfume/NPS

Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

The Rain Forest Nature Loop at Mount Rainier will give you a chance to visit this wonderful park and leave the crowds behind. That's because this third-of-a-mile trail is located in the Carbon River corner of the park, far from the main roads. There's no noticeable elevation gain, making it the perfect hike for youngsters, too. You'll walk beneath, and past, Western hemlocks, mosses, and skunk cabbage - an odiferous plant with a gorgeous yellow flower that blooms towards late April. Got more time? Continue on down the Boundary Trail that leads to a nice waterfall. If you have all day, hike up the Carbon River Entrance Road (which was closed to vehicles back in 2006 due to flooding problems), to Green Lake. You'll pass through some gorgeous old-growth forest and enjoy a pristine lakeside setting for lunch before heading back on this nearly 11-mile roundtrip.



Rock Spring is just 3 miles from the Colbert Ferry bicycle campground/NPS Rock Spring is just 3 miles from the Colbert Ferry bicycle campground/NPS

Natchez Trace Parkway, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee

The parkway caters to cyclists, with biker-only campgrounds in five locations: the Kosciusko Campground at Milepost 159, the Witch Dance Campground at Milepost 234, the Tupelo Campground at Milepost 266, the Colbert Ferry Campground at Milepost 327, and the Tennessee Highway 50 Campground at Milepost 408. With a little planning you can cycle a little...or a lot...of the parkway during your spring break. On your way to the Tennessee Highway 50 Campground take time at Milepost 391.9 for a short walk to the Fall Hollow waterfall.



The Cactus Garden is a great hike in April when the bloom is peaking/Marcelle Shoop The Cactus Garden is a great hike in April when the bloom is peaking/Marcelle Shoop

Saguaro National Park, Arizona

One of the most incredible spring blooms I've witnessed in the park system was at Saguaro one April. Hiking the Douglas Spring Trail through the Cactus Forest, my wife and I were surrounded by multiple yellows and orange hues, along with a smattering of fuchsias and blues and reds, displayed by Hedgehog cacti, Scorpionweed, ocotillo, and Fairy Dusters. And we even encountered a Gila monster; its mottled reptilian skin blended into the desert floor.

These are some good starters for your spring travelers. Explore your favorite park's website to see if there's something wonderful about spring there to visit.