One of joys of the holiday season is spending time with loved ones soaking up the dreamy wintery scenery. While most visions of a white winter are usually in deep forests or lush greenery, there is something truly transcendent about winter in the Southwest. Witness the transformation of the warm dry southwest desert into an enchanting winter wonderland during the holiday season this year. Here are five of our favorite winter wonderland locations from the Southwest to inspire you this season.
The bright orange sandstone formations that Bryce Canyon National Park is famous for are even more beautiful when they are capped with snow. It’s a side of Bryce Canyon that most visitors don’t get to see. Be sure to pack your camera so you can capture images just like these.
Just 17 miles west of the Strip, you’ll find the enormous Red Rock Conservation Area, 195,000-plus acres with 30 miles of hiking trails, rock climbing, and mountain biking. Now imagine seeing this gorgeous red rock covered in pillows of white velvety snow.
A winter sunset is a truly an inspiring and rewarding experience as you watch the setting sun. Imagine a brilliant changing of colors as the sun slowly descends behind the beautiful canyons of red rock. The array of color reflecting off the snow magnifies the already astounding beauty of the canyon. Here are some of our favorite images from The Grand Canyon during the winter.
Seeing Sedona red rock and vegetation blanketed with multi-inches of snow is literally breathtaking. When the sun heats Sedona the day following a snowstorm, the effect is unforgettable. Melting snow causes clouds of water vapor to rise up through the red rocks creating an almost mystical scene with starkly contrasting color and unusual visual effects.
With perfect winter weather, varied terrain, excellent accommodations, and wide variety of leisure activities, Tucson has it all; especially gorgeous snowy wintery views of the rich luscious desert.
