Sedona in Winter

Winter in Sedona means red rocks in low, clear light, trails with room to stop and look, and afternoons mild enough for a hike in a light jacket. Afternoon highs average 58 degrees in December and January and 61 in February, by NOAA's 1991-2020 normals, and most winter afternoons, about 25 or more a month, reach 50 degrees or warmer. Evenings are crisp and clear, the right weather for a fire table and a hot soak on the deck.

A good winter trip mixes three kinds of days. Most are sunny and dry: a hike from late morning to mid-afternoon, lunch in town, and back to the house for sunset. A few times each winter a light snow falls overnight, and the morning after is the time to grab a camera and see white on the red rocks. And whenever the group wants deep snow, Flagstaff sits about an hour up the road at 7,000 feet, with ski runs, groomed cross-country trails and a tubing hill.

Sedona Pickler is set up for a winter group. The house sleeps eight in four bedrooms, all on a single level, which makes it easy for grandparents, and it sits about 10 to 15 minutes from the restaurants and shops in town. A private indoor pickleball court has its own steel building on the property, heated and lit, so a game works at 7 a.m. on a crisp morning or at 9 p.m. after dinner. Paddles and balls are provided; bring court shoes. The covered deck has a gas fire table and two freestanding soaking tubs with plenty of hot water, which is where most winter evenings end.

For one month at a time, see our guides to Sedona in December, Sedona in January and Sedona in February. The holiday weeks, from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day, have their own guide, Thanksgiving to New Year's in Sedona.

Sedona sits about 4,350 feet up, so winter here is a real season, with crisp mornings and sunny, mild afternoons. In January, Phoenix averages a high of 68 and a low of 46, while Sedona averages 58 and 34. Guests from Tucson, where January averages 67 and 41, will find the same bright sky with fresher air.

The table below has the NOAA 1991-2020 normals for the Sedona weather station. Most days are dry, about 22 to 27 in each winter month, and most winter afternoons, about 25 or more a month, reach 50 degrees or warmer.

Read those numbers as a daily rhythm. Mornings are crisp, with frost on the juniper at sunrise, and the trails are warm and dry by about 10. From about 11 to 3 the air is at its warmest, which is the window for a hike, a patio lunch or a scenic drive with stops. Plan to be back at the car around 4:30, with time to catch the sunset, and home in time for a soak.

February warms a little each week, with highs averaging 61, and by March the average afternoon reaches 68. The sun is strong at this altitude even in January, so pack sunglasses, sunscreen and lip balm along with the warm hat. A typical winter outfit here is a T-shirt or light base layer, a fleece, and a warm jacket that comes off by late morning, with a hat and gloves in the pocket for the evening. Jeans or hiking pants work for most days, and a pair of shoes with good grip covers the trails and the town.

Our best time to visit guide sets winter beside the other seasons, and our guide to rainy and snowy days has ideas for the occasional gray one.

A morning with snow on the red rocks is one of our favorite sights in Sedona: white snow on red sandstone, green juniper below and a deep blue sky behind. A winter stay gives you a chance at it, so keep an eye on the forecast and be ready to go out early.

A few times each winter, a light snow falls overnight in town, and the morning after is the time to see white on the red rocks. It comes as a dusting and seldom stays long on sunny ground, so the morning is the show. Up the hill in Flagstaff, at 7,000 feet, the snow runs much deeper, which is why a snow day there fits so well into a Sedona winter trip.

When snow is in the overnight forecast, set an alarm. Sunrise comes at about 7:30 in late December and January, and the first hour of light is the time to be out. Our picks: the Airport Mesa Loop, which looks out across the valley to the red rocks and to snowy peaks in the distance; the Bell Rock Pathway, a wide, easy trail with snowy red rock all around; and a slow drive on the Red Rock Scenic Byway, State Route 179, with stops at the pullouts. Up in Oak Creek Canyon, icicles hang along the creek's edges on the West Fork trail.

Oak Creek itself is lovely in a winter morning's light. The photo at the top of this page shows it on a winter day, with snow along its red banks and an angler wading the clear water, and our Oak Creek Canyon drive guide covers the stops along the canyon road. For photos, keep the low sun behind you so the rock glows red against the white, and frame a snowy butte against blue sky once the clouds clear. Lay out warm gloves, a thermos of coffee and a charged phone or camera the night before. Then come home to a hot breakfast and a game on the heated court while the snow melts in town.

Winter light is one of the best reasons to come. The sun stays low in the southern sky all day, so the red rocks take long shadows and warm color from morning to late afternoon, and in the last hour before sunset the cliffs turn deep orange and then pink. In December that hour starts around 4:20, and by the end of February it starts near 5:20. Plan a viewpoint for it on at least one evening of the trip. The pullouts on the Red Rock Scenic Byway and the Airport Mesa Loop both work well, and on the way home the sky over the hills often keeps its pink for a few minutes after the sun is down.

The table has sunrise and sunset in West Sedona through the season. The days lengthen steadily after December 21, and by Presidents' Day, February 15, the day is more than an hour longer than in late December, with sunset at 6:10.

The sky stays light for about half an hour after sunset, and Arizona keeps Mountain Standard Time all year, so there is no clock change to plan around. Guests from the East Coast may find their body clocks waking them early, which suits a winter morning: coffee on the deck at first light, then out the door.

Here is the rhythm we suggest. Have breakfast around 8 and reach the trailhead by 9:30 or 10, when the trails are warm and dry. Eat lunch in town around 1, then take a shorter afternoon outing, such as the galleries and fountain courtyards of Tlaquepaque, a scenic drive or a tasting room in the Verde Valley. Be home by 4:30 to fill the soaking tubs before sunset, and save the evening for dinner, the fire table, a game on the indoor court and the stars.

Day trips work the same way. For the Grand Canyon or a ski day in Flagstaff, leave after an early breakfast and plan to be home in time for a soak. A group that likes to split up can do both: the early risers take the day trip, and everyone else takes a slow morning, a short hike and the court, with dinner together at the round table.

Winter is a fine season for hiking in Sedona. The air is cool, the low sun warms the rock, and a midday hike in a fleece is comfortable. Start around 9:30 or 10, when the trails are warm and dry, and you will have the warmest hours of the day on the trail.

Start with the easy ones. The Bell Rock Pathway is wide and gentle, with the big red butte right beside you, and it suits a mixed group: grandparents and small kids stay on the path while the keen hikers climb a little way up the rock. The Airport Mesa Loop circles the mesa between West Sedona and Uptown with views in every direction; walk part of it late in the day for the sunset, around 5:20 in December. For a longer day, our guide to the best hikes in Sedona covers Cathedral Rock, Devil's Bridge, Boynton Canyon and the rest, and our easy hikes guide lists short, level trails for little legs.

The free Sedona Shuttle runs Thursday through Sunday all year, roughly from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. depending on the line, to the Mescal, Dry Creek Vista, Soldier Pass, Cathedral Rock and Little Horse trailheads. The stop at the high school park-and-ride is about a mile from the house, so you can leave the car there and let the shuttle handle the trailhead parking. If you drive to a forest trailhead, many need a Red Rock Pass in the car; our getting around guide explains the passes and the shuttle.

“Leave the house and drive a mile or so on 89A to a free shuttle at the high school to take us on hikes.”

Mark, a guest in May 2026

A few winter habits keep a hike comfortable. Dress in layers and expect to carry the jacket by 11. Bring water, since the air is dry at 4,350 feet. Choose a trail that fits the afternoon, and plan to be back at the car around 4:30 in December and January, with the sunset still ahead of you and the soaking tubs after that.

The two state parks near the house are open all winter, and each makes an easy half day. Red Rock State Park, at 4050 Red Rock Loop Road and about 15 minutes from the house, protects a stretch of Oak Creek with short trails, a visitor center and red-rock scenery all around. The park is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last entry at 4:30, and the visitor center from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Entry is $10 for adults 14 and over, $5 for youth 7 to 13 and free for children 6 and under, as listed in October 2026.

Join one of the park's guided walks. It leads a nature hike every day at 10 a.m., and bird walks set off on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 8 a.m., or 9 a.m. in December. A guided walk suits a group of mixed ages: the guide sets the pace and points out the birds and plants along the creek. Bring your own water bottle, and binoculars if you have them.

Slide Rock State Park, about 25 minutes north of the house in Oak Creek Canyon, is open all winter too, and in this season it is a quiet creekside walk. The water runs clear over red sandstone, the canyon walls rise above the old apple orchard, and you can walk the rock shelves and take photos at an easy pace; the natural water slide that gives the park its name is the summer draw. From November 21 to January 30 the park is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and from January 31 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Entry is $20 per vehicle for up to four people, plus $5 for each extra person, and children under 6 are free.

Pair Slide Rock with lunch in Uptown and a drive up the canyon; our Slide Rock guide covers the park, and the canyon drive guide covers the road. Red Rock State Park pairs well with a morning on the court and an afternoon at Tlaquepaque, and on a Wednesday or Saturday the bird walk makes an early start worth it.

South and west of Sedona, the Verde Valley makes a good sunny-day loop in winter, with short walks, ancient sites and a lunch town in the middle. Montezuma Castle National Monument, about 40 minutes from the house, protects a cliff dwelling of the Sinagua people set high in a pale limestone cliff. Montezuma Well, a separate part of the same monument about 11 miles away, is a sinkhole of green water ringed by a rim trail of about half a mile, with overlooks across to more cliff dwellings, and it charges no entrance fee.

Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well are open from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., and Tuzigoot National Monument, the hilltop pueblo near Clarkdale, keeps the same hours; plan to reach the Castle by mid-afternoon. All three are open every day of the winter except Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Our Montezuma Castle guide covers the visit.

Old Town Cottonwood, about 20 minutes from the house, is the lunch stop: a walkable main street with restaurants and wine-tasting rooms. Jerome, the old mining town on the hill above, is about 40 to 45 minutes away, with galleries, shops and views across the valley, and the winding drive up is best enjoyed in afternoon light. Our guides to Old Town Cottonwood, a Jerome day trip and the Verde Valley wineries cover each stop.

Our pick for a winter loop is the timeline below. It is a gentle day with short walks, good for grandparents and kids alike, and a nice change of scenery from the red-rock trails. If the group would rather taste wine than see ruins, swap Tuzigoot for a tasting room in Old Town, with one of you happy to drive.

1. 9:30 a.m.Montezuma Castle
2. 11 a.m.Montezuma Well
3. 12:30 p.m.Lunch in Old Town Cottonwood
4. 2:30 p.m.Tuzigoot National Monument
5. 4:30 p.m.Home for the soaking tubs before sunset

Spend a day on the slopes and be back at the house for a soak at sunset. Arizona Snowbowl, on the San Francisco Peaks above Flagstaff, is about 1 hour 20 minutes from the house, and its scheduled opening day for the 2026-27 season is Friday, November 20. Lifts run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily in season.

The mountain gets real snow. Snowbowl averages about 260 inches a year, and its runs drop 2,300 feet, from 11,500 feet at the top to 9,200 at the base. For families, the best deal on its site is the Power Kids Pass: kids 12 and younger ski free with it once you register them. Snowbowl also sells $9 lift tickets on select dates this season, each with $10 in Snowbowl Cash to spend at the mountain, as listed in October 2026. Buy tickets online before you go.

The plan we suggest: leave the house by 7:45, be on the first chair at 9, ski until about 2:30, and be home in time for a soak. Pack lunches or plan to eat at the mountain. The base sits at 9,200 feet, more than twice the altitude of the house, so drink plenty of water, take the first runs easy and keep an eye on the kids. The sun on fresh snow is bright at that height, so pack goggles or dark sunglasses and sunscreen, and dress in layers you can open on the lift and close on the way down.

For a mixed group of skiers, put the beginners on the morning, when they are fresh, and save the last hour for everyone to ride together. Non-skiers can spend the day tubing and playing in the snow at Fort Tuthill and Flagstaff Snow Park, covered in the next chapter, or exploring downtown Flagstaff, and everyone meets for an early dinner in town or back at the house. Our Flagstaff day trip guide covers the town, and our Flagstaff page has more for visitors coming from there.

For kids, a snow day means tubes and snowballs, and Flagstaff has good places for both. Flagstaff Snow Park, at Fort Tuthill County Park about an hour from the house, has six tubing runs and a kiddie hill with gentle rides for little ones, with full-day, half-day and night passes. Buy tickets online two to five days ahead, as soon as they go on sale, since they often sell out. Everyone who enters needs a ticket and an electronically signed waiver; sign it when you buy.

Last season the snow park opened on December 20, and it can stay open into early March, so a snow-park day fits anywhere from late December through February. Pick the day, buy the tickets as soon as they appear, and pack the snow bag the night before.

Fort Tuthill County Park itself welcomes snow play from dawn to dusk, and it is the place to bring the sleds, since Snowbowl and Flagstaff's city parks don't allow sledding. The park sits two miles south of Flagstaff on the west side of Interstate 17, an easy stop on the way up. Arizona Nordic Village, on Highway 180 north of Flagstaff, keeps a small snowplay area beside its main parking lot and grooms 25 miles of cross-country ski trails at an average elevation of 8,300 feet. Day passes are $30 for skiing and $25 for snowshoeing, and children 12 and under are free, as listed in October 2026. Bring your own skis or snowshoes, since the lodge sells passes but does not rent gear on site.

Downtown Flagstaff makes a warm lunch stop between the morning on the snow and an afternoon round of tubing or snowshoeing. Park in the lots at each snow-play spot, play until mid-afternoon, and come home for hot showers and cocoa at the fire table. The washer and dryer at the house will have the snow pants dry by morning.

Most visitors fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor and drive about two hours north on Interstate 17 and State Route 179 to Sedona. Every major rental company operates at Sky Harbor, and a car or minivan from the airport also gives you the wheels for Flagstaff, the Grand Canyon and the Verde Valley. If you would rather not drive from the airport, Groome Transportation runs a shuttle from Sky Harbor to a West Sedona stop at the Aiden by Best Western on 89A. Our guide to getting to Sedona compares the airports and the drive, and our pages for guests driving in from Las Vegas, Albuquerque and Tucson cover those road trips.

Most winter days the roads are dry and the drives are easy. From West Sedona, Flagstaff is about an hour away, Arizona Snowbowl about 1 hour 20 minutes and Grand Canyon Village about 2 hours 15 minutes. The road through Oak Creek Canyon on 89A is the scenic way to Flagstaff, winding up the canyon past the creek and the red walls to the pine forest at the top, and it is a lovely drive on a dry, sunny day.

After a snowfall, check az511.gov, Arizona's road-conditions map, before you head north; I-17, the four-lane interstate, is the easy way up after snow. The driveway fits four cars, so a group of eight travels well in two or three, and one car can head up to the snow while the other stays for the trails and the court.

In town, the free Sedona Shuttle covers the trailheads from Thursday through Sunday, and the restaurants and shops are about 10 to 15 minutes from the house. Here is how we would run a snow day in Flagstaff from the house.

The South Rim is the winter trip, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and it is one of our favorite winter days out. Grand Canyon Village is about 2 hours 15 minutes from the house: leave after an early breakfast, reach the rim by about 10, give yourselves four or five hours along the rim, and be home for a late soak. The entrance fee is $35 per private vehicle and covers seven days, as listed in October 2026. Guests visiting from outside the United States pay an added $100 nonresident fee for each person 16 and older, unless they hold an annual pass.

Winter is the season to drive Hermit Road yourself. The scenic road west from Grand Canyon Village to Hermits Rest is open to private vehicles under 22 feet only in December, January and February, so you can stop at Hopi Point and the other overlooks at your own pace. From March through November it is served by the park's free shuttle instead. Desert View Drive, east toward the Desert View Watchtower, is open all year too.

Dress warmer than in Sedona: boots with good grip, gloves, a warm hat and a waterproof layer, since the rim can have snow on the ground on winter days. Look at the park's website the night before for the day's road and facility notes. The North Rim closes for the winter, so the South Rim is the one to plan.

A simple rim day starts at Mather Point, near the main visitor center, with a walk along the paved Rim Trail to Yavapai Point, a little over half a mile. After lunch, drive Hermit Road west, stopping at Hopi Point and the overlooks beyond, and turn around at Hermits Rest. If the group wants one more view on the way home, Desert View Drive leads east to the Watchtower, whose painted interior is in the photo below.

Lunch from the house kitchen saves time: sandwiches in a cooler, fruit, and a thermos of coffee for the drivers. Our Grand Canyon day trip guide covers the routes, viewpoints and timing in more detail. If part of the group would rather stay close to home, split up: the canyon crew leaves after an early breakfast, and everyone else takes the court, a short trail and a slow lunch, with dinner together at 6.

Ride the Verde Canyon Railroad on a sunny winter day and watch for eagles from the train. The railroad leaves from its depot at 300 N. Broadway in Clarkdale, about 35 minutes from the house, for a four-hour round trip along the Verde River from Clarkdale to Perkinsville and back.

Winter is eagle season. The railroad's Eagle Watch runs from January through March, when bald and golden eagles can be seen along the river, and with the leaves off the trees the canyon's rock walls show more clearly from the train. Bring binoculars, and step out to an open-air viewing car for the best look. A warm hat and gloves make the open car comfortable on a winter afternoon, and a seat inside the coach is there when you want to warm up.

Fares for most 2026 departures are $139 for every rider 1 year and older, with infants under 1 free on an adult's lap, as listed in October 2026. From November 27 to December 24, 2026, the railroad also runs a one-hour Christmas train from the Clarkdale depot to Santa's North Pole, at $60 for adults and $40 for children 2 to 10, or $70 and $50 on Christmas Eve.

In February the railroad holds its Chocolate Lovers' Festival on board. In 2026 it ran from February 12 to 15, around Valentine's Day, at $175 per person, with a charcuterie box, a sparkling toast, chocolate pastries and candies, and a drink from a Valentine's cocktail menu; expect it around Valentine's weekend again in 2027. Our Verde Canyon Railroad guide covers the ride.

The train pairs well with Tuzigoot National Monument, the hilltop pueblo near Clarkdale, which is open from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and makes a short stop before or after the ride. Old Town Cottonwood, a few minutes from the depot, is the place for dinner afterward.

Winter nights in Sedona are long, dark and clear, good conditions for stargazing. In August 2014 Sedona became the eighth International Dark Sky Community in the world, and the town keeps its outdoor lighting low. By about 6 p.m. in December the sky is dark, and the night runs until about 7 the next morning.

Pick your nights by the moon. The darkest weeks center on the new moons of December 8, January 7 and February 6, when faint stars show best. On the full-moon evenings of December 23, January 21 and February 20, the moon rises near sunset and lights the red rocks for an evening walk instead. Two meteor showers fall in the season. The Geminids peak on the night of December 13 to 14, 2026, with the moon only 15 percent lit, and the Quadrantids peak on the night of January 3 to 4, 2027, with about 25 meteors an hour under dark skies and an 18 percent moon.

You don't have to leave the house to watch. Step into the yard, away from the deck lights and out from under the pergola, and give your eyes about 20 minutes to adjust; keep phones on their dimmest setting, or switch the screen to red. A soak in the tubs first warms everyone up for an hour outside. Bring a blanket for each person and a thermos of cocoa, and on January and February evenings look to the southeast and south for Orion and the three stars of its belt. A pair of binoculars shows the Pleiades, the small, tight cluster of stars higher in the sky, and the craters along the edge of a half moon.

On the full-moon evenings, fill the tubs around sunset, then step into the yard to watch the moon come up over the hills. For a guided night, our stargazing guide covers Sedona's night-sky tours and the darkest spots near town. Dress for a night tour as for a snow day: boots, a warm hat, gloves and layers under a heavy coat.

Two three-day weekends make winter easy for families and friends with jobs and school calendars. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday, January 18, 2027, so that long weekend runs from Saturday, January 16, to Monday, January 18. Presidents' Day is Monday, February 15, 2027, and its weekend, Saturday, February 13, to Monday, February 15, has Valentine's Day on the Sunday in the middle.

These are popular weekends in Sedona, so book the house as soon as your group agrees on dates, and make dinner reservations early. A Friday-to-Monday stay works well: check-in is after 4 p.m. on Friday, which gets you settled for the evening, and checkout is before 10 a.m. on Monday, which leaves the rest of the holiday for an easy drive home.

On the weekend, take the free shuttle from the high school park-and-ride, which runs on Saturday and Sunday as part of its Thursday-to-Sunday schedule, and start hiking around 10, when the trails are warm and dry. If a snow day is in the plan, buy Flagstaff Snow Park tickets online two to five days ahead, as soon as they go on sale.

The season's sights are open on both holiday Mondays. Montezuma Castle, Montezuma Well and Tuzigoot are open every day of the winter except Christmas Day and New Year's Day, Red Rock State Park and Slide Rock are open daily, the Grand Canyon's South Rim is open every day, and Snowbowl's lifts run daily in season. Sunset on Martin Luther King Jr. Day is at 5:42 and on Presidents' Day at 6:10. Our Sedona events guide for 2026 and 2027 and the Sedona events calendar list what else is on.

Here is a plan for either long weekend.

1. Friday after 4 p.m.Check in, groceries and a soak at sunset
2. SaturdayA snow day in Flagstaff or a drive to the Grand Canyon
3. SundayThe slow day, and Valentine's Day on the Presidents' Day weekend, with a late breakfast, the Bell Rock Pathway at 10 and Tlaquepaque in the afternoon
4. Sunday eveningDinner at the house, game night and the fire table
5. Monday morningPickleball, breakfast and checkout before 10

Valentine's Day 2027 falls on a Sunday inside the Presidents' Day weekend, so couples, and groups of couples, have three days to celebrate it. Sunset on February 14 is at 6:09 p.m.

Start the weekend outdoors. On Saturday, February 13, Red Rock State Park's bird walk sets off at 8 a.m., and the daily guided nature hike follows at 10, an easy, unhurried way to spend a morning together before lunch in town. Make Sunday the slow day: sleep in, have a late breakfast, play a friendly doubles match on the court, and save the late afternoon for the sunset.

At the house, the two freestanding soaking tubs are on the covered deck, the fire table is a few steps away, and the kitchen has wine glasses and everything needed for a dinner for two or for eight. A group of three couples fits well: the king room with its own bath, the second king and the queen room, with the bunk game room left for a friend or two, or for the snacks and the foosball table. If you stay in for dinner, the grill and the full kitchen handle a proper meal: steaks or salmon off the grill, a salad and a bottle opened at the round table under the chandelier, then dessert by the fire table.

“The deck bathtubs were a fun addition and the house was in a great location for various activities around Sedona.”

Victoria from Corona, California, June 2026

To go out, book early, because Valentine's tables at the better restaurants fill ahead of the weekend. Our guides to special-occasion dining and restaurants with views list the tables worth reserving, and our spas and wellness guide covers a massage or a spa morning before dinner. A late-afternoon walk on the Airport Mesa Loop puts you in place for the 6:09 sunset, and chocolate lovers can book the Verde Canyon Railroad's chocolate festival train from the railroad chapter above.

February brings two of Sedona's best-known events. RunSedona, a half marathon, 10K, 5K and 5K walk, is on Saturday, February 6, 2027. The half marathon starts at 8 a.m., the 10K at 8:10 and the 5K and walk at 8:20, Arizona time. The start, the finish and the Wellness Expo are in West Sedona, behind Verde Valley Medical Center at 3700 West State Route 89A, on the same side of town as the house.

Registration prices go up on November 29, January 3 and February 5, so register early. A runners' weekend at the house works well: a pasta dinner from the full kitchen on Friday, an early night, a short drive to the start, and the soaking tubs for tired legs in the afternoon. Race day is also the new moon, so Saturday night is a fine one for stars from the yard. Friends who are not running can cheer at the finish and have the court to themselves.

The Sedona International Film Festival holds its 33rd edition from Saturday, February 20, to Sunday, February 28, 2027: nine days and more than 150 films, including features, documentaries, shorts and animation. Buy passes as soon as they go on sale, since popular screenings sell out, and check the schedule and venues on the festival's site before you settle on your days. Our Sedona film festival guide covers passes and planning.

A festival week suits a group of friends who love film. The house is about 10 to 15 minutes from town, the kitchen makes quick dinners between screenings easy, and a morning game on the court keeps everyone moving through a week of sitting in theaters. The full moon rises on February 20, the festival's opening day, for a moonlit drive home.

The private indoor court is the part of a winter stay that works every day, whatever the sky is doing. It has its own steel building on the property, heated in winter, air-conditioned in summer and lit for any hour, so you can play at 7 a.m. while frost is still on the juniper, or at 6 p.m. after the sun has set. Paddles and balls are provided, and everyone needs a pair of court shoes.

Winter days fit around it nicely. Play an hour before a midday hike, come back for a match while dinner is in the oven, and finish the night with a late game. On a snowy morning, drive out at sunrise to see the white on the rocks, then come back for breakfast and a game on the court.

For a group of eight on one court, a round-robin gives everyone a fair afternoon. Number the players 1 to 8 and play seven rounds, each with two doubles games back to back: four people play while the other four rest, keep score and refill the cocoa, then they switch. That makes 14 games, with a new partner for everyone in every round. Our guide to running a round-robin for 8 players has the rotation.

New players learn the basics in a few minutes from our rules page. Teach them the dink first. It is a soft shot that drops into the kitchen, the no-volley zone next to the net, and it keeps rallies going between a teenager and a grandparent. Keen players can use the quiet mornings for practice, and our drills for a private court make the most of an hour.

On a crisp morning, warm up before the first hard game: a few minutes of easy rallies and side steps, then dinks, then volleys. Our warm-up guide has a short routine. At 4,350 feet the ball carries a little farther than at sea level, and our guide to pickleball at altitude covers the small adjustments. Plan a family final for the last night, with bragging rights for the drive home.

“For our family, the highlight was the indoor air conditioned pickleball court. Our family had so much fun being able to play whenever we wanted to.”

Karen from Mesa, Arizona, August 2026

Most winter evenings at the house end on the covered deck. It has a pergola overhead, a gas fire table at the center and two freestanding soaking tubs with plenty of hot water, and on a clear, crisp night it is our favorite place on the property.

Set up a cocoa station on the kitchen counter in the afternoon, with mugs, cocoa, marshmallows and a thermos for the deck, so nobody has to hunt for anything once the evening starts. Here is the routine we suggest. Come home before sunset, fill the tubs while someone puts the kettle on, and be in the water as the sky turns pink and orange over the hills, with a mug of cocoa within reach. After the soak, move to the fire table in a warm sweater with a blanket over your knees, and stay as long as the conversation lasts.

“After hiking or pickleball, the outdoor tubs and firepit remain big hits.”

Hannah from La Grange, Kentucky, May 2026

With younger kids, a soak, pajamas and a story by the fire table make an easy bedtime routine, and the grown-ups can stay out later with a deck of cards and a cheese board from the refrigerator. Pack swimsuits for everyone, and a pair of slip-on shoes makes the few steps between the tubs and the door easy on a crisp night.

“The fire pit on the patio was also enjoyable to gather and visit.”

Karen from Mesa, Arizona, August 2026

On the nights near a new moon, finish with a few minutes in the yard, away from the deck lights, for the stars; the stargazing chapter above has the best dates. Then head inside to the sectional for a movie, or back out to the court for one more game before bed.

Some winter days are for staying in, and the house is set up for them. The bunk game room has twin-over-twin bunks, a foosball table and a TV, the living room has a big sectional, and there are board games for the round dining table. Wi-Fi covers anyone checking in with work.

A foosball bracket in the bunk room fills the hour before dinner: pair up, play best of three, and let the winners play the winners until one pair is left. The board games come out after dinner, and the court is lit for anyone who would rather settle a score with paddles.

“The kids loved "movie night" in the bunkroom while we watched our stuff in the living room.”

Hannah from La Grange, Kentucky, May 2026

The full kitchen makes a slow day easy: a pot of chili on the stove, cornbread in the oven, coffee from the coffee maker, and the BBQ grill outside for a sunny lunch at the picnic table in the fenced yard. There is a washer and dryer, which matters in winter, when snow pants and wet gloves come home from Flagstaff and need to be dry by morning.

Three easy dinners carry a group of eight through a winter week. Make chili and cornbread on the snow day, in the morning, so it is ready when everyone walks in from the cold. Grill tacos or burgers on a sunny evening and eat at the round table. Cook a big pasta night before the Grand Canyon, with leftovers for the cooler. Put the cooks on a rotation so everyone gets a night off.

Plan the bedrooms before anyone packs. Bedroom one has a king bed and its own bath, bedroom two has a second king, bedroom three has a queen, and the bunk game room has twin-over-twin bunks: five beds and two baths on one level, for up to eight guests. Two families of four fit, as do three generations of one family, or a group of friends with three couples in the bedrooms and two friends in the bunks. Type names into the planner below and share it with the group.

Longer winter stays are welcome too, including stays of 28 nights or more, for anyone who wants a month of sun and a heated court; our snowbird guide covers wintering here. The person booking needs to be 25 or older, and the house is smoke-free, pet-free and hosts no parties or events.

“The house was so comfortable for all 8 of us.”

Erin, a guest in July 2026

Here is the plan we would follow for a group of eight arriving on a Saturday for a week in January or February, with a mix of red rocks, snow, the canyon, the stars and time at the house.

Do the big shop on arrival day at the grocery stores along 89A in West Sedona: Safeway at 2300 West Highway 89A is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, Whole Foods Market at 1420 West State Route 89A from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and Natural Grocers at 1915 West State Route 89A from about 8:30 most mornings. Buy for the chili night, the trail snacks and the Grand Canyon sandwiches in one trip, and the rest of the week is free for the plan.

Short on days? Keep the long-weekend plan from the holiday chapter: a snow or canyon day, a slow day and a morning at the house. Staying longer? Add a second snow day, a Verde Canyon Railroad ride in eagle season and a quiet day for the court and the bunk room.

Swap days to follow the weather. If snow falls overnight, make the next morning your sunrise drive and move the Flagstaff day to the day after, for fresh snow up the hill. On a gray day, the court, the bunk room and a long lunch in town make a full day.

The calendar below has the winter's dates in one place: Snowbowl's opening day, the meteor showers, the new and full moons, the long weekends and February's events. Pick your arrival and departure and the dates inside your stay light up. Then check the house calendar for your winter dates; Sedona Pickler is on Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com and its own site, all reached from the Book Now button.