Say Hello to Spring as the Snow Melts

Winter’s grip keeps a tight hold on many of our national parks well into spring, but with warmer weather on the way, signs of spring are starting to show.

 As the flowers start to bloom and the snow begins to melt away into a distant memory, be sure to head outdoors this season and watch our parks come to life!

Spring in the Mountains

To call the weather at Glacier National Park unpredictable would be a serious understatement. Straddling the Continental Divide, this park is the arena for clashes between the warm, wet Pacific air from the west, and the cold, dry Arctic air from the northeast. The winter may dump multiple feet of snow a day, piling a snowpack that can be taller than a two-story building. Record highs and lows for the month of May range from 13 to 90 degrees. Because the weather can be so variable year-to-year, when planning your spring trip to this beautiful park, make sure you check the current status of the roads inside and those leading into the park.

Catch a Moonbow

The period immediately following the spring snow melt in Yosemite National Park brings a unique phenomenon that can only be experienced in a few places at certain times. The event in question is known as a moonbow — a lunar rainbow that appears when moonlight is refracted though rain or mist. Moonbows occur  in the spray from Yosemite’s waterfalls during spring, usually when the moon is full and low in the sky. There’s a catch, however. Moonbows are not typically visible to the naked eye, but they appear in long-exposure photographs.

Gradual Change in the Mountains

The dynamic landscapes of mountains, lakes, valleys, forests, and more, at Grand Teton National Park lends itself to unpredictable seasons and variable conditions. In the spring time, some pedestrian paths may be cleared in some locations, while prime cross-country skiing conditions may exist in other areas in the park. Be sure to check for road closures and snow conditions before heading out!

Wildlife Wakes Up

This year’s unpredictable weather, with its early warming spells followed by surprise April blizzards, was hard on visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park, but it was also tough on the park’s year-round residents. Fortunately, the plants and animals that call the Rockies home are well-equipped to deal with such challenges, and now that spring is here to stay (hopefully), you can see signs of life everywhere. Wildflowers continue to bloom at increasingly high elevations as the season progresses, and a new generation of wildlife is beginning to emerge, from baby birds to coyote pups.

Spring is arguably the best time of year to spend some time in the great outdoors, and with hundreds of National Park Service units across the country, you shouldn’t have much trouble finding a sunny spot to enjoy the season.