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Escape the Holidays: The Best Nature Getaways for Winter Break

Extreme Terrain Staff
By: 

Extreme Terrain Staff

 / Nov 26 2025
Escape the Holidays: The Best Nature Getaways for Winter Break

Escape the Holidays: The Best Nature Getaways for Winter Break

If holiday crowds aren't your thing, a winter escape in nature might be exactly what you need. Across the country, dozens of warm-weather destinations offer quiet trails, mild temps, and wide-open spaces to reset and explore. To find the best getaways for hiking and camping, we compared 61 U.S. cities that stay comfortable through the winter and offer easy access to outdoor adventure.

The ranking pulled together several key factors that shape a great winter nature trip. We looked at average winter temperatures, trail access, trail quality, how busy each area feels based on review volume, and nearby campground availability. By combining these data points, we identified the destinations that deliver the most rewarding mix of sunshine, peace, and trail-ready terrain.

Key Takeaways

  • Tucson, AZ, ranks as the No. 1 destination for a winter break nature getaway, offering exceptional trail accessibility and high-quality hikes.
  • San Diego and Santa Barbara, CA, rank just behind, combining scenic coastal trails with consistently warm winter weather.
  • Sedona and Tucson, AZ, offer the greatest number of trails, at 269 and 262, respectively.
  • Everglades City, FL, earns top marks for trail quality (4.7 out of 5 stars) and low crowds, making it an appealing destination for those seeking quieter exploration.
Contents
  1. Top Warm-Weather Cities for Winter Adventures
  2. Warm Weather, Wide Horizons
  3. Methodology

Top Warm-Weather Cities for Winter Adventures

  • Tucson, AZ, tops the list, with excellent trail access and highly rated hikes, making it the No. 1 winter destination for a nature-focused getaway.
  • San Diego and Santa Barbara, CA, rank just behind, combining scenic coastal trails with consistently warm winter weather.
  • St. Petersburg is the best-ranked city in Florida, offering mild temperatures and easy outdoor access without heavy crowds.

Warm Weather, Wide Horizons

Mild temperatures can transform a winter hike from a chore into a much-needed escape. Here's a closer look at the warmest cities and how they compare across trail access, trail quality, and crowd levels.

  • Best for warmth: Key West, Everglades City, and Punta Gorda, FL, top the list with winter averages around 77°F.
  • Cooler getaways: Silver City, NM, Beaufort, NC, and Sedona, AZ, have the chilliest winter averages, with temps near 56°F.
  • Most trails: Sedona and Tucson, AZ, and San Diego, CA, offer the most trails for winter hikers — well over 200 per location.
  • Least crowded trails: Islamorada (30), Everglades City (33), and Anna Maria (88) in Florida had the fewest trail reviews, making them ideal for solitude seekers.
  • Most crowded trails: Based on the number of reviews, Sedona (420,817), Tucson (175,015), and San Diego (136,321) trails are the most traveled.
  • Most campgrounds: You'll find the most options for camping in Northern California, where there are 974 campground sites. Texas ranks second (714), and Florida is third (642).

Whether you’re chasing warm weather or quiet trails, practicing Leave No Trace principles keeps these destinations beautiful. Programs like the Clean Trail Initiative can help hikers take small steps toward preserving the places they love.

Methodology

We evaluated 61 U.S. cities with moderate to warm winter climates to identify destinations that offer the best opportunities for hiking and camping adventures. Each city was scored across five weighted factors using publicly available data sources.

Categories and weights:

  • Average winter temperatures in December, January, and February (25%): Temperature data was sourced from NOAA Climate Normals.

  • Accessibility to trails (25%): Trail access counts were collected from AllTrails.

  • Average trail rating (20%): Quality scores for local trails were taken from AllTrails user reviews.

  • Number of trail reviews (20%): Review volume on AllTrails was used as a proxy for crowd levels. Fewer reviews indicated a less crowded experience.

  • Number of campgrounds per state (10%): State-level campground counts from Camping USA were included to reflect available outdoor lodging options. California state data was split into Northern California and Southern California.

Limitations: Trail review volume may spike during peak tourism seasons and may not reflect year-round crowd levels. AllTrails listings vary by region, and some trails may be underrepresented in the platform's database. Data may be updated regularly. State-level campground counts do not measure the condition or availability of individual campgrounds.NOAA climate normals represent long-term averages and may not reflect recent temperature fluctuations.

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