Winter travel in Arizona usually means one of two things: either you’re looking to actively avoid the snow in our deserts or you’re hoping to catch a few flurries on your tongue in our high country. If your idea of winter fun involves the latter, then you’re in luck because we’re checking out a few reasons we think the Grand Canyon is the perfect spot to visit during this chilly time of year.
Please note, we’re focusing on the South Rim. The Grand Canyon’s North Rim closes every winter from December 1 to May 15 due to the extreme winter weather and muddy road conditions. Avoid possible disaster scenarios and stick with the popular South Rim until May!
- You’ll find that the most popular spots are much quieter.
Grand Canyon National Park/Flickr The Grand Canyon’s prime season is summer when most people are spending their summer vacation hours touring one of nature’s greatest treasures. In winter, you’ll find most of the famous vistas are pretty darned empty! The cold temperatures combined with winter storms tends to make this place a little less desirable to tourists.
- See the Grand Canyon turn into a winter wonderland with a soft coating of snow!
Grand Canyon National Park/Flickr Yup, it snows here in winter so you’ll get a chance to see snow up to several feet high.
- Create a snowman or snow angel in some freshly fallen snow.
Matt/Flickr When the snow is there, take the time to play in it! Build a snowman, make a snow angel, get into a snowball fight with friends, or just try to catch a few flurries with your tongue.
- Anticipate a surprise find: an inversion cloud.
Grand Canyon National Park/Flickr Looking like a magical ocean of clouds, a total cloud inversion occurs when warm and cold air interact to create a fog. But instead of just sitting on top of the land, these clouds fill the canyon and look simply unreal. You can find more information about this phenomenon and watch a timelapse video by clicking this link to a previous article.
- Enjoy easier to catch sunrises and sunsets.
Michael Matti/Flickr We may have fewer hours of sunlight in winter but, if you look at the bright side, getting a chance to catch sunrise and sunset is much easier.
- Experience picture perfect skies for stargazing.
Justin Kern/Flickr The sky in winter tends to appear clearer, thanks to less dust and haze in the air. On a good day, you should be able to see distant mountains 200 miles away and more stars than you thought imaginable at night.
- Enjoy a steaming cup of hot tea or cocoa by a roaring fire.
Grand Canyon National Park/Flickr Seriously, does anything sound more enjoyable than this after wandering around the cold landscape for a few hours?
- See your favorite lodges covered in some holly jolly decorations.
Grand Canyon Lodges, South Rim/Facebook Watch Christmas come to the Grand Canyon! The rustic lodges here are decorated in boughs, trees, and plenty of twinkling lights, making this feel like a winter wonderland.
Do you have a favorite winter activity you enjoy at the Grand Canyon? Share your thoughts with us!
Beau Rogers/Flickr
Another exciting way to enjoy the Grand Canyon? Via train! Check out what a typical trip looks like aboard the Grand Canyon Railway in The Day Trip Of A Lifetime You Can Only Take In Arizona.
Grand Canyon National Park/Flickr
The Grand Canyon’s prime season is summer when most people are spending their summer vacation hours touring one of nature’s greatest treasures. In winter, you’ll find most of the famous vistas are pretty darned empty! The cold temperatures combined with winter storms tends to make this place a little less desirable to tourists.
Yup, it snows here in winter so you’ll get a chance to see snow up to several feet high.
Matt/Flickr
When the snow is there, take the time to play in it! Build a snowman, make a snow angel, get into a snowball fight with friends, or just try to catch a few flurries with your tongue.
Looking like a magical ocean of clouds, a total cloud inversion occurs when warm and cold air interact to create a fog. But instead of just sitting on top of the land, these clouds fill the canyon and look simply unreal. You can find more information about this phenomenon and watch a timelapse video by clicking this link to a previous article.
Michael Matti/Flickr
We may have fewer hours of sunlight in winter but, if you look at the bright side, getting a chance to catch sunrise and sunset is much easier.
Justin Kern/Flickr
The sky in winter tends to appear clearer, thanks to less dust and haze in the air. On a good day, you should be able to see distant mountains 200 miles away and more stars than you thought imaginable at night.
Seriously, does anything sound more enjoyable than this after wandering around the cold landscape for a few hours?
Grand Canyon Lodges, South Rim/Facebook
Watch Christmas come to the Grand Canyon! The rustic lodges here are decorated in boughs, trees, and plenty of twinkling lights, making this feel like a winter wonderland.
Beau Rogers/Flickr
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