They might also be America's Best Value, but we'll get to that later.

It's November, and most of the national parks will be accessible, to some degree, all winter. So the question: With Burns' images still fresh and powerful, which national parks would be the most attractive for seniors to visit in winter?

Our criteria:

1. Winter weather enhances the experience rather than detracts (or at least doesn't get in the way).

2. Lodging is available in the park or nearby.

3. You can get there from here, wherever your "here" is, despite sometimes challenging conditions.

I've reduced the list to five. Eliminated instantly were parks that rely heavily on deciduous trees for their scenic appeal (including Great Smoky Mountain, Shenandoah, and Cuyahoga Valley), the Alaska parks (too cold and way too dark for too long), Biscayne and Dry Tortugas (nice and warm, but no lodgings), and Hot Springs, which, whatever the weather, is a leading candidate for "America's Worst Idea for a National Park."

Here are the Top 5:

1. Grand Canyon National Park (South Rim). Bright Angel Trail, the park's most popular route into the canyon when the weather is decent, can be treacherous even for fit hikers in winter - ice, you know - though park personnel do what they can to keep it passable. But the major rim trails are flat, paved, and kept clear. The views are still sensational. Here's the clincher: After a fresh snow, the canyon is framed in glorious white, and some of that whiteness settles along ridges in its walls. And it's quiet. Bonus: The famous mule rides operate year-round, as does the iconic El Tovar Lodge. Just a few hours' drive from Phoenix (217 miles, mostly interstate), but check conditions before setting out. Amtrak can get you as close as Flagstaff, 81 miles south. The North Rim, by the way, closes in winter. Information: 928-638-7888,

www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm.

2. Everglades National Park. It's in Florida. No-brainer for winter, right? But this is one park that's at its absolute best when the snow flies up north. Gone are the summertime swarms of biting insects, the almost inevitable 4 p.m. thundershowers, and the truly miserable South Florida humidity we all know and hate. It's flat, of course - accessible by paved trails and boardwalks, or by airboats and charter fishing boats. And the birds are there in force - watching them fly into their roosting areas in late afternoon is a rare pleasure. The gators enjoy that, too. An easy (if unscenic) 90-minute drive from Miami. Information: 305-242-7700; www.nps.gov/ever/index.htm.

3. Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Caves are the domed stadiums of national parks. Wind Cave (South Dakota) and Mammoth Cave (Kentucky) need the surrounding countryside and attractions to buttress their meager appeal, while Carlsbad, in New Mexico, is spectacular on its own. Trails that involve descents might be uncomfortable for folks with limited maneuverability, but the Big Room Trail is accessible by elevator, and there are shortcuts. Bats, too. One of the more underappreciated of our parks, but not after you see it. The nearest real city is El Paso, Texas (150 miles, a fine drive). Information: 575-785-2232; www.nps.gov/cave/index.htm.

4. Yosemite National Park. The only thing that has kept this northern California wonder from being totally overrun is its distance from main highways. So winter, thankfully, is an especially peaceful season. National parks veterans rank it among the system's must-sees for the variety of terrain (the valley, the mountains) and its top-notch facilities, including the legendary Ahwahnee Hotel. Check the road conditions before heading out from San Francisco for the five-hour, 190-mile journey; snowstorms can block some entrances - but they leave a wintry residue of indescribable grandness. Information: 209-372-0200; www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm.

5. Olympic National Park. It's a rain forest. It's miles of temperate, sometimes isolated, driftwood-covered beach. It's a place of mists and intense greenery the likes of which aren't found anywhere in the country south of Alaska. There are mountains, of course. The Pacific keeps it reasonably comfortable and accessible in the winter. This is a national park that folks outside northwest Washington state discover late and then embrace as their own. When the weather gets nasty, hang out in Seattle with a cup or two of coffee and try again the next day. The rewards are there, and the park can be done as a one-day car trip. But you'll want to walk at least a little - the trails are that good. Information: 360-565-3130;

www.nps.gov/olym/index.htm.

Now for the value part. Fees vary, but Yosemite charges $20 a carload for up to seven days, and that's toward the high end. That's good.

But for those of us past 62 (and speaking of Best Ideas), there's the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass - Senior Pass, a long name for a $10 lifetime admission to everything, plus discounts on some amenities. That's for a carload. Some restrictions apply. (Gone is the familiar Golden Age Pass, but this one is pretty good.)

Check www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htm, or call any of the parks - they'll explain it all.

One final point: You own these parks - you might as well enjoy them.

Senior Traveler: On This Page

Next Sunday: Online Traveler

Nov. 15: Game Traveler

Nov. 22: Travel Deals