Visiting Sedona In December: 10 Things You Need To Know

We spent 8 genuinely unforgettable days in Sedona just before Christmas in December 2021, and honestly it remains one of our favorite travel experiences to date. It was the beginning of Sedona’s winter season, which gave us a perfect balance between costs, crowds and weather. In return for putting up with cold mornings and evenings, we were rewarded with fewer people on trails and cheaper hotel rates. And neither of those things should be underestimated in a place this popular.

We spent our days taking sunrise and sunset photos, driving jeep trails, visiting ancient ruins, and hiking through the immense red rock landscape to stunning viewpoints and striking caves. Reading about other people’s negative experiences in spring and fall made us feel vindicated for planning our trip to Sedona in December. Even in the winter we had issues parking at hiking trailheads, so we can only imagine what it would be like in peak season.

Hi, we’re Mark and Kristen Morgan. We left our scientific careers in 2018 to become travel writers and photographers. Our expert guides have helped millions of travel planners take better trips. Read more about the Morgans.

Why trust us with your Sedona plans? We personally spent 8 days exploring Sedona’s top highlights in December, so we know what it’s like to visit in the colder, quieter winter months. As always, every photo in this guide is ours.

This guide explains the most important things we learned from our trip. Our goal is to help you decide if December is a good time to visit Sedona based on your travel style and goals. We walk you through crucial planning tips so you know exactly what to expect from weather, crowds, expenses and the truth about hiking in the early winter. Let’s dive in!

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