Arizona in January is two vacations in one state. Down in the desert, Phoenix and Scottsdale average a high of about 67°F — the exact weather the rest of the country is flying south to find, and the heart of the Valley's prime season. Two hours north, Flagstaff averages highs in the low 40s with real snow on the ground and a ski season in full swing. Sedona sits between the two in every sense: crisp, quiet, and at its cheapest. Pack layers and you can hike in a t-shirt and ski on consecutive days.
January also holds a date that matters more than any forecast: for Havasupai — the turquoise waterfalls at the bottom of the Grand Canyon — the booking year begins in January, with a paid Early Access window opening January 21 ahead of the February 1 general permit sale. Details in the last section; the full playbook is our Havasupai guide. Here is the month, region by region.
January weather, by region
All figures are long-term averages — a given January week can run warmer or stormier, especially in the high country.
| Region | Avg high | Avg low | January character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix & Scottsdale | 67°F | 46°F | Sunny, dry, patio season. The desert at its most civilized. |
| Tucson | 66°F | 42°F | Like Phoenix, a breath cooler; saguaros under winter light. |
| Sedona | 56°F | 31°F | Crisp hiking days, freezing nights, a chance of snow on red rock. |
| Flagstaff | 43°F | 18°F | Full winter — around 20 inches of snowfall in an average January. |
| Grand Canyon South Rim | Low 40s | Teens | At 7,000 feet: quiet, bright, icy on shaded trails. Closest to Flagstaff's pattern. |
The practical translation: January rewards an itinerary that moves. Base in the desert, day-trip or overnight in the snow, and treat elevation as a thermostat you control with the gas pedal.
Phoenix & Scottsdale: prime season
This is the month the Valley is built for. Desert trails that are dangerous in July — Camelback Mountain, the McDowells, South Mountain — are at their friendliest; golf is in peak season; patios run all day. January also anchors the winter events calendar: Scottsdale's Barrett-Jackson collector car auction takes over the city in mid-to-late January, and the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale straddles late January into early February, drawing the largest crowds in golf. If your dates touch either, book lodging early — January is not a secret. Our Phoenix & Scottsdale 2-day itinerary and 12 Hours in Phoenix & Scottsdale are both built for exactly this weather.
About spring training: not yet
One January myth to retire: there is no Cactus League baseball in January. Pitchers and catchers don't even report until mid-February, and games start in late February (the 2026 slate opened February 20). What January is for is booking — hotels and the best game weekends go early. Plan it with our Scottsdale spring training guide.
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Sedona in January: the quiet season
Sedona's January trade is simple: give up warm evenings, get the red rocks nearly to yourself. Highs in the mid-50s are fine hiking weather in the sun, trailhead lots that fill by 9 a.m. in April sit half-empty, and lodging runs at or near its lowest of the year. A winter storm a few times each season dusts the formations with snow — the single most photogenic event in Sedona's calendar, and gone by the next afternoon. The full month-by-month picture, including the late-February film festival, is in our best time to visit Sedona guide; for where to base, see Sedona vs Flagstaff.
Flagstaff & Snowbowl: real winter
Two hours north of the patios, January is the deep end of a real ski season. Arizona Snowbowl, on the San Francisco Peaks about 30 minutes above town, runs from a base near 9,200 feet to lifts topping out around 11,500 — in January the season (typically mid-November into spring, conditions permitting) is in its heart. Flagstaff itself, at 7,000 feet, averages around 20 inches of snow in January alone: a downtown of breweries and bookstores under snow, with the driving to match. Check road conditions before the I-17 climb on storm days, and carry the layers the desert let you forget. Our Flagstaff guide covers the town.
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The Grand Canyon in January
The South Rim in January is the canyon at its emptiest and starkest: snow outlining the rim, ice on the shaded upper trails, sunsets before 6 p.m., and viewpoints you can have to yourself. It pairs naturally with a Flagstaff base (about 1.5 hours away) and demands respect for short days — our one-day Grand Canyon plan still works, shifted earlier, with traction for icy patches on the Bright Angel. For the deeper version, see the South Rim first-timer's guide.
January is Havasupai month
End where the year begins. The Havasupai Tribe's waterfalls are closed to visitors in January — the season runs February through November — but January is when next season's trip is won or lost. Under the current system, a paid Early Access window opens January 21 (an extra fee per person, and the best dates start moving), followed by the general sale on February 1 at 8:00 a.m. Arizona time, when the season's prime dates can vanish in minutes. Permits are first-come, first-served, strictly non-transferable, and every trip is four days and three nights. If Havasupai is on your list, use January to create your account on the official reservation site, name your trip leader and PATLs, pick backup dates, and read the whole playbook in our Havasupai Falls guide — permits, the 10-mile hike, mules, and the packing list. Then spend the rest of the month enjoying the state above the rim.
What to pack for Arizona in January
- Layers, seriously: a January day can ask for a t-shirt in Phoenix and a ski shell in Flagstaff. One bag, both climates.
- A real warm layer and hat for Sedona mornings, canyon rims, and any night above 4,000 feet.
- Traction and a winter driving check if the high country is on the route: snow is routine on I-17 and US-180 in January storms.
- Sunscreen anyway: desert sun at altitude burns in January too, and the desert days are the trip's core.
- Swimsuit: resort pools and hot tubs are heated, and January in Phoenix is exactly when they make sense.
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