Take advantage of smaller winter crowds at top Arizona sites

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) – Arizona’s most famous sites attract tourists worldwide, but the large crowds can be turnoffs for those of us who live here. The cooler months, December and January, may be the best time of year for Arizonans to enjoy our state’s natural wonders.

Devil’s Bridge, for example, is one of the most “Insta-famous” spots in Sedona. Hiking to the natural red rock arch, you’ll be surrounded by people from all over the country and all over the world. People line up along the rocks, waiting for their turn to walk across the bridge for photos. Sometimes, the wait is longer than an hour. This time of year, especially if you go mid-week, you’ll likely only find a few other people at Devil’s Bridge.

There are two trailhead parking lots to choose from: Dry Creek and Mescal. It’s about a two-mile hike to the arch from either parking lot. For people visiting Thursdays through Sundays, the Sedona Shuttle runs in loops from park-and-ride lots in town to the popular trailheads. It eliminates the stress of trying to find parking.

Sedona’s other trails, as are other famous Arizona destinations, are far less crowded this time of year. Farther north, Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon in Page typically see smaller crowds in December and January.

The Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon guides say their smallest crowds are usually in January and February. At Ken’s Tours, one of the two operators at Lower Antelope Canyon, they say the last three weeks of December are the slowest of the year.

You’ll also likely find very few people at other unique spots in the Sedona area, like the cliffside vista known as the “Edge of the World.” On the other hand, you’re likely to find much larger crowds on Phoenix-area trails like Piestewa Peak and Camelback Mountain.

Keep in mind that you’ll still need permits to visit a few of Arizona’s famous sites, like “The Wave,” Havasupai Falls, Beaver Falls, and others. It may be cooler outside right now, with fewer hours of daylight, but there are definite perks to visiting this time of year. Before you know it, the spring will bring much larger crowds of international tourists to marvel at the wonders in our backyard!

See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.

Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.

Copyright 2023 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.