Thrill to the chill of national park prices

When is the best time of year to visit the nation’s national parks? I favor late autumn and early winter.

Though some of the bigger parks, such as Yellowstone, are closed or have limited operations that time of year, it is a pleasant period that offers big bargains. Lodging rates drop, lodge and cabin rooms are easier to reserve, and the summer throngs have vanished.

Here is a sampling:

* Grand Canyon National Park: This Arizona park is a spectacular sight that everyone ought to see at least once. In summer, you might have to book weeks or months in advance to get a room close to the rim. Not in the off-season. Double rooms at the park’s Maswik Lodge, a quarter-mile from the rim, start at $69 a night from Nov. 28 to Dec. 23 and from Jan. 2 to March 10. You can dine inexpensively at the lodge’s cafeteria; hike easy paths along the edge of the rim, east and west; or descend Bright Angel Trail deep into the canyon. But if there is ice on the trail, invest in an inexpensive set of cleats for your boots. For lodging information, call (888) 297-2757, www.grandcanyonlodges.com. For park information, see www.nps.gov/grca.

* Yosemite National Park: This Northern California park also remains open year-round. Snow closes the high-altitude backcountry, but roads into the Yosemite Valley, the park’s scenic hub, are kept open. In late fall and early winter, the valley quiets down, and you are more likely to see deer and coyotes in the meadows. Sheer granite cliffs tower overhead, their waterfalls transformed into gigantic ice sculptures frozen to the rocks.

Starting Nov. 1, a room for two at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls begins at $97 a night in winter. Hardy folks can rent a heated tent cabin (bathroom down the trail) at Curry Village for $67 a night. Lodging information, (559) 253-5635, www.yosemitepark.com. For park information, see www.nps.gov/yose/.

* Death Valley: This desert park received a pounding in August flash floods but is open. Visitors can see its austere but lovely beauty year-round, but its winter temperatures -- dry, sunny, mild -- are ideal for outdoor activities and sightseeing. Not surprisingly, very late fall and winter are the high season, but you can still stay reasonably inexpensively. A room for two at the lodge at Stovepipe Wells Village begins at $83 a night. For lodging information, call (760) 786-2387, www.stovepipewells.com.

Another option, closer to more park activities, is Furnace Creek Ranch. A cabin for two begins at $105 a night. For lodging information, call (760) 786-2345, www.furnancecreekresort.com. For park information, see www.nps.gov/deva.