When to Go to Eastern Arizona

If you're not a winter-sports enthusiast, it's best to plan your trip to Eastern Arizona for the high season (May through October). Residents of Phoenix and Tucson flock here to escape unbearably hot temperatures, but you can still find some solitude if you rent a cabin or choose a smaller, more remote resort or bed-and-breakfast.

If you're a skier, winter is the time to tour the White Mountains. Sunrise Park Resort has 10 lifts and 65 trails, and a private snowboarders' park. Eastern Arizona is enjoyable year-round, but many lodging facilities, restaurants, and tourist attractions are closed in autumn and winter. It's wise to call ahead from November through April, as the opening and closing dates of many seasonal properties are dependent on when the snow starts (and when it melts). Snowstorms can close the highways that lead into the area, so if you plan on making the trip from Phoenix or even Flagstaff, make sure you have an alternative plan.