Winter is the quiet season in Sedona, and it is a good one. From December through February the town, at about 4,400 feet, sees daytime highs near 60 degrees, nights in the mid 30s, and a few light snowfalls most years that whiten the red rocks for a morning and are gone from town by afternoon. Trailheads have parking, restaurants take walk-ins, and lodging rates hit their low point of the year. For the month by month picture see Sedona weather by month, and for how winter compares to the rest of the year see best time to visit Sedona.
Weather and What to Pack
These are National Weather Service 30 year normals (1991 to 2020) for the Sedona station.
- December: high 58, low 33, 1.5 inches of rain. Red rocks dusted white some mornings.
- January: high 58, low 34, 2.0 inches of rain. Occasional snow that melts by afternoon.
- February: high 61, low 36, 2.2 inches of rain.
Snow falls a few times most winters, usually between December and February, and in town it is a light dusting that melts off the rocks by afternoon. Oak Creek Canyon and the higher, shaded trails hold it longer. The swing from a 34 degree dawn to a 58 degree afternoon is the packing problem: a warm layer for mornings and evenings, a shell for the occasional storm day, sunglasses and sunscreen (the sun is strong at this elevation even in January), and shoes with real traction.
Hiking in Winter
Winter hiking here is about timing and aspect. Sunny, south facing trails on the valley floor dry out within a day or two of a storm. Shaded sections, north facing slopes and anything in Oak Creek Canyon hold snow and ice for days or weeks; the Forest Service’s own West Fork Trail page notes winter icicles on the overhangs and snow persisting in the cool shadows. Start mid morning after the frost softens, carry traction spikes if a storm has passed through in the last week, and be off the trail before dusk.
- Bell Rock Pathway and Courthouse Butte Loop: open, sunny and nearly flat, the best bet the day after snow.
- Doe Mountain and Fay Canyon: short, west of town, quick to dry out.
- Cathedral Rock and Devil’s Bridge: fine on dry days, but the slickrock scramble on Cathedral Rock and the final approach to Devil’s Bridge are not places to meet ice. Wait for a dry spell.
- West Fork of Oak Creek: the classic winter walk when it is open. The Coconino National Forest closed the West Fork drainage and Trail 108 on September 26, 2026 for rockfall and flood debris risk after the Pocket Fire; the order runs through October 31, 2026 unless rescinded. Check the forest’s alerts page first. The Call of the Canyon trailhead charges its own day fee ($15 per vehicle, up to five people) and honors the Coconino Pass.
- Red Rock State Park: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., last entry 4:30, visitor center 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., $10 per adult and $5 for ages 7 to 13. Guided bird walks Wednesdays and Saturdays (9 a.m. in December, 8 a.m. otherwise) and a guided nature hike daily at 10 a.m.
- Slide Rock State Park: winter hours November 21 through January 30 are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with entry and the swim area closing at 4 p.m. Admission is $20 per vehicle for up to four people through April 2027.
Most trailheads around Sedona require a Red Rock Pass to park, and the free Sedona Shuttle serves the busiest ones. Our full rundown is in best Sedona hikes.
Holiday Lights and Events
These dates are published by the organizers for 2026.
- Tlaquepaque Tree Lighting: Friday, December 4, 2026, 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. at Tlaquepaque North. Free, with a 26 foot tree, Santa, hot chocolate and local holiday performers; co-sponsored with the Sedona Chamber.
- Breakfast with Santa: Saturday, December 5, 2026, 8:00 to 10:00 a.m., a City of Sedona Parks and Recreation event.
- Sweet Stroll at Tlaquepaque: Saturday, December 19, 2026, 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. Shops and galleries stay open late, Dickens style carolers perform, Santa poses for photos, and at 5:00 p.m. guests help light the luminarias along the walkways and courtyards.
- Sedona International Film Festival: the 33rd annual festival runs February 20 to 28, 2027.
Tlaquepaque’s Festival of Lights, the evening when about 6,000 luminarias were lit at the tolling of the bell tower, has been the village’s signature December event for decades. As of October 2026 Tlaquepaque has not published a 2026 Festival of Lights date; this year’s luminaria lighting on the calendar is part of the December 19 Sweet Stroll. A menorah lighting is also listed at Tlaquepaque without a date yet. The Red Rock Fantasy of Lights at Los Abrigados does not appear on any 2026 calendar we could find, so do not plan a trip around it. For everything else this winter, check Sedona events.
Day Trips: Snow at Flagstaff
When you want real snow, drive north. Flagstaff is about an hour up Oak Creek Canyon on SR 89A, and Arizona Snowbowl sits above it on the San Francisco Peaks at 9300 N. Snowbowl Road. The resort is scheduled to open the 2026 to 2027 season on Friday, November 20, 2026 at 9 a.m., and snowmaking began in mid October. The mountain: base elevation 9,200 feet, lift served terrain to 11,500 feet, 2,800 feet of vertical, 777 skiable acres, 61 runs with the longest about two miles, and an average of 260 inches of snow a year. The season typically runs mid November into May. A free shuttle runs from Flagstaff late December through February; check the resort’s snow report for road conditions before heading up.
Where to Stay in Winter
Winter brings the lowest rates of the year at Sedona’s resorts and inns, and a room with a fireplace or a creekside casita suits the season. Start with where to stay in Sedona for the neighborhoods, then our Sedona resorts guide for the properties themselves.
Good to Know
- The warm window for hiking and patios is roughly 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; mornings are cold and sunset comes early.
- Both state parks close on Christmas Day and close at 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.
- Check the Coconino National Forest alerts page before hiking in Oak Creek Canyon; post fire closures in the West Fork area were still in effect in October 2026.
- Christmas week and New Year’s are the one busy stretch; book lodging and restaurants ahead for those dates.
Facts checked October 2026.
