Grab a trail map, gear up and get on the trails in the off-season. Here are the reason we enjoy off-season hiking so much.

1. No crowds – Even at the most popular spots you’ll probably only see a few people.
2. Better parking – Easy to find parking spots any time of day.
3. Fewer bugs – Most ticks, gnats, mosquitoes, etc don’t like the cold and go dormant in cold weather.
4. No spider webs in the face – Yes, they have an important place in the ecosystem but nobody likes a web in the face.
5. More views – With the leaves off the trees you can often get a view that might otherwise be covered by foliage.
6. Park Fees – Some park fees are reduced or eliminated in the off season.
7. Less likely to have a dangerous animal encounter – Bears hibernate, reptiles and alligators brumate (when temperatures drop they undergo phases of dormancy and hide).