The Springtime National Parks Tour
If you have intended to make a trip to a southwestern US national park, now is the time to do it. Spring is considered by most experts to be the best time of year to visit most of the parks in the regions that encompass Utah, Nevada, California and Arizona, due to the fact that these areas see rather extreme weather during other times of the year. Summers in Nevada and Arizona can be quite hot, and even though Utah and California will not generally see the extreme heat that the others do, they also tend to become uncomfortable during the summer months. Winters can be quite cold, and also see snow in national parks like the Grand Canyon, making visitation more challenging than at other times of year. Spring and early fall will see temperatures in the 70s and 80s in most areas, along with ample sunshine and little rain to potentially spoil your visit.
Another aspect of visiting southwestern national parks in the spring is the wildflowers. Dormant seeds will sit below the surface of the desert floor in these areas for months or even years, and provided enough rainfall is received the warming temperatures will bring forth a burst of colors not seen at most other times of year. You will see increased animal activity during these times, as food becomes more abundant. All of these conditions generally come together to provide ideal conditions for hiking and photography, if not just strolling or other activities. Camping outdoors also becomes more pleasant as the nights do not have the chill that they would see at other times of year.
Areas like Antelope Canyon actually have a more special reason to tour in the springtime, as the sunbeams are able to be observed from early spring until October. During this timeframe, the sun is appropriately positioned directly above the walls of the slot canyon that makes up Antelope Canyon, which causes sunbeams to drop from the opening at the top to the floor of the canyon. This is a favorite among photographers, who test their skills photographing the phenomenon, going as far as to have an assistant throw handfuls of sand from the floor into the beams in order to provide more contrast. It is a difficult scene to expose properly, as the contrast between dark and light is so strong that a camera lens will have difficulty providing the correct amounts of light. Nonetheless, patience and a little bit of photographic skill can result in a picture that is impossible to get anywhere else at any other time of year.
Book your tours of Bryce Canyon, Zion Canyon, The Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon and any of the other fantastic parks of the American southwest today, and take advantage of perfect weather and a visual landscape that is bursting with life. Anyone who has visited the parks in the springtime will tell you it is the best time, so what are you waiting for?