Amazing Shots of National Parks at Night

When the sun goes down, America's parks take on an otherworldly splendor.

National Parks at Night

Over the last five years, there have been more than 1.5 billion visits to America's grand national parks. Of course, the vast majority of these jaunts have taken place during the day, when lakes, mountains, canyons and wildlife are easy to explore. But in many ways, the real wonder begins once the sun has set.

Many of the northern parks, like Denali in Alaska and Yellowstone in Wyoming, feature spectacular northern lights displays. Iconic sights like erupting geysers and snow-capped peaks take on new beauty under the silvery light of the moon. And desolate parks like the Badlands and Death Valley can appear downright spooky...in a completely thrilling way.

Those who want to see what happens after dark can book camping trips, or enjoy special nighttime tours — including astronomy treks in Utah's Bryce Canyon, Milky Way jaunts in California's Joshua Tree, and twilight journeys to watch bats take flight in New Mexico's Carlsbad Caverns. There are even workshops for teaching national park night photography.

In other words: Forget the sunshine. Check out these spectacular images to see for yourself why nighttime is the best time for exploring national parks.

Yosemite National Park, California

Everglades National Park, Florida

Saguaro National Park, Arizona

Death Valley National Park, California and Nevada

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Death Valley, California

Mesquite Tree At Night — A mesquite tree is framed by the night sky.

Lassen National Park, California

Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Badlands at Night — Badlands' striking geologic deposits contain one of the world’s richest fossil beds

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Glacier National Park, Montana

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Mt. Rainier National Park, Washington

Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Joshua Tree National Park, California

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico

Saguaro National Park

Kings Canyon National Park, California

Arches National Park, Utah

Denali National Park, Alaska

Olympic National Park, Washington

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

North Cascades National Park, Washington

Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

Haleakala National Park, Hawaii

Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Devils Tower, Wyoming

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Night Sky — A camper find solitude among the trees.

Great Basin National Park, Nevada

Glacier National Park. Montana

Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

Mount Rainier, Washington State

Mount Rainier at Night — Star trails rain over staggering Mount Rainier.

Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado

Everglades National Park, Florida

Everglades at Night — Big Cypress National Park Scenic Drive casts an eerie spell.

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Sequoia National Forest, California

Big Bend National Park, Texas

Big Bend National Park Sunset — The entire Chisos mountain range and a large swath of the Chihuahuan Desert help comprise this park, brilliantly lit at sunset.