Yosemite National Park
California
"The wildly popular Loop Road is clogged with traffic in summer, but it's not plowed in winter, and thus mostly untouched," Howard says. "Snowshoe the 8-mile loop through the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias, including one that's 2,700 years old. The red bark is stunning against the white backdrop." 209-372-0200; nps.gov/yose

Camel's Hump State Park
Near South Burlington, Vt.
"Two options for this idyllic swath of the northern Green Mountains: Tackle the eponymous 4,083-foot summit via the Burrows Trail (4.8 miles) or bring the kids and take the Camel's Hump View Trail (about 1 mile)," Howard says. "The former is above treeline and exposed to winds that lash one of the state's most prominent features, so know the forecast." 802-241-3655; www.vtstateparks.com/htm/camels

Olympic National Park
Port Angeles, Wash.
"The 6-mile hike to Hurricane Ridge is probably the premier Olympic snowshoe experience: It features massive alpine meadows with undulating snowdrifts, ice-coated evergreens and classic Mount Olympus panoramas," Howard says. "Not everyone will reach the hilltop, because the 6-mile route follows the crest of a sometimes icy ridge, but the views are great throughout." 360-565-3000; nps.gov/olym

Timms Hill Park
Price County, Wis.
"Reaching the state's high point (1,951 feet) isn't quite as daunting as it sounds, since the trek from the parking area is only a couple hundred feet in elevation gain," Howard says. "Follow the Green Trail, and then follow the steep switchbacks up to the observation tower for sweeping vistas." 800-269-4505; www.pricecountywi.net

White Grass Touring Center
Davis, W. Va.
"Surprisingly, this little chunk of the High Alleghenies averages 150 inches of snow a year," Howard says. "Cross-country skiers are limited to groomed trails, but snowshoers can plunge off in any direction, up to the nearest elevated ridgeline or over to the nearby Canaan Valley." 304-866-4114; whitegrass.com

The Adirondacks
Upstate New York
"The High Peaks region offers some of the most eye-popping scenery in the East," Howard says. "Head for the 4,580-foot summit of Wright Peak, a reasonably challenging, but doable, 6.5-mile snowshoe trek which delivers powerful views of the range's bigger peaks, including Algonquin. Bring crampons for the last section before the summit, which can get a bit icy." 518-897-1200; www.dec.state.ny.us/website/reg5/hptrails.html

San Francisco Peaks
Coconino National Forest, Ariz.
"Yep, Arizona. Park at Arizona Snowbowl, the Flagstaff ski area, and follow the Kachina Trail, which follows beautiful rolling terrain through several small meadows and stands of aspen and ponderosa, with sweet views of red-rock desert on the horizon," says Howard. "The trail goes 5 miles out, but you can walk as far as you feel like before turning back." 928-779-1951; arizonasnowbowl.com

Mount Greylock
North Berkshire County, Mass.
"The Berkshires are loaded with day trips, and Greylock is the alpha — it takes about 8 miles to get up there and back via the Hopper Trail to the Appalachian Trail," Howard says. "The view is epic; see into five states from the 3,491-foot peak." 413-499-4262; mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/mgry.htm

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park Gunnison, Colo.

"Think Ansel Adams in this black-and-white landscape that evokes his classic images," Howard says. "Snowshoe 3 miles out to Devil's Lookout, a spectacular rim perched atop 2,000-foot-high walls of volcanic schist." 970-641-2337; www.nps.gov/blca

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
Superior National Forest, Minn.
"When the lakes freeze up, this wilderness is largely devoid of human life, which allows snowshoers to follow wildlife tracks through otherwise untouched backcountry," Howard says. "The Big Foot Trail unfurls across Flour Lake, through stands of balsam and spruce and over glacial remnants." 218-626-4300;www.bwcaw.org

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