The U.S. boasts a wide variety of stunning natural landscapes, but there’s none more iconic than Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park. The red rock rift, which was carved over millions of years by the Colorado River, is as picturesque as it is massive; the Grand Canyon spans over 250 miles (402 kms) in length, extends 18 miles (29 kms) at its maximum width, and plunges around 6,000 feet (1,829 meters) at its lowest depth.
Along with its size, the canyon is also notorious for its sweltering summer climate. Temperatures regularly soar to well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (~38 degrees Celsius) in the warmer months, and heat-related emergencies are routinely reported along the canyon’s trail system.
But what about the cold season? As my video from my January visit to Grand Canyon South Rim shows, it’s an entirely different story during winter: Snow blanketed multiple sections of the canyon walls, and a storm system moving north from the Mexican border was imminently approaching out of the frame. By the time the evening sun clipped the canyon rim, the sky had darkened and flurries filled the air.
Although my night drive through the storm to Phoenix was hair-raising, I recommend visiting Grand Canyon National Park in the winter; the snow adds a wonderful visual element to the red rock landscape. Standard entrance passes range in price from $20 USD per person to $35 USD per private vehicle. The park also has several fee-free days, including Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 15), the first day of National Park Week (April), Juneteenth (June 19), the anniversary celebration of the 2020 passage of the Great American Outdoors Act (August 4), National Public Lands Day (fourth Saturday in September), and Veterans Day (November 11).
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– Click to read my short story “Spirit in the Sky” about a life-changing encounter with a hawk in the forests of North Alabama.