12 Places In Arizona That Will Remind You Of The North Pole

It doesn’t take much for Arizona to look stunning; it usually just takes a little precipitation for the rugged landscape to bloom in color. But in winter? Blanket our mountains, buttes, and mesas with frozen white powder, layer some icicles along cliffs, and watch fog lift in the early morning or late evening to see some real magic.

Since the North Pole is one of the coldest places on Earth and coated in snow, we decided to have some fun in seeing what it would look like Arizona-style. Sometimes it looks like Rudolph and Hermey’s home in that 1964 TV special and other times it has you questioning if a location really does exist here in Arizona. Here are a few of our favorites.

The Granite Dells near Prescott looks beautiful when freshly coated with snow.

Michael Wilson/Flickr

And Sunset Crater? Those hills could be perfect for an afternoon of sledding.

Michael Seljos/Flickr

Of course, no list about places that look like the North Pole would be complete without mentioning Humphreys Peak, which also happens to be a tundra environment.

Alan English CPA/Flickr

The Grand Canyon’s south rim looks particularly chilling in this photo.

Grand Canyon National Park/Flickr

If you didn’t know the difference between a mule deer and a reindeer, you might think you were at the North Pole when encountering one of these guys at the Grand Canyon!

Michael Matti/Flickr

A drive through any of our mountain roads will have you dreaming of snowy days, icicles, and sleigh bells.

Julius Whittington/Flickr

Most people don’t realize that even the southern portion of the state sees snow on occasion! Here’s a peek at some snowfall on Mount Lemmon just outside of Tucson.

Alex Ulanov/Flickr

The same goes for the streets in Rim Country, which look like a winter wonderland after fresh snow falls.

Alan Levine/Flickr

Here’s a look at Monument Valley in northern Arizona, which I think looks even more impressive when covered in snow!

Don Searls/Flickr

This image of an especially snowy day in Prescott could double as a day in the Arctic.

Dagny Gromer/Flickr

Even Oak Creek looks chilling with gray skies, snow-covered trees, and freezing creek water.

John Fowler/Flickr

I bet Santa’s workshop would look pretty similar to this image in downtown Flagstaff. Brr!

Bill Morrow/Flickr

Holy moly, this just reminds you that Arizona is an absolute stunner! Where is your favorite Arizona place to visit in winter? Are there any other places you think could serve as a second North Pole in our state?