A 16th century map of the areas surrounding the Gulf of California.
Seeking Father Kino's Tinajas
Astrolabe photograph courtesy of Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum, Chicago, Illinois. MY INTEREST IN FATHER KINO CAME FROM A PROJECT I PERFORMED FOR THE U.S. FISH…
Painting of children sitting around a fire lit by an angel is by Ted DeGrazia.
Christmas Everywhere
Cut the fruitcake, pour the sherry. Christmas comes, and it is very Queer and sweet that every nation Will pursue a celebration While the world is breaking under Such a blast of human thunder. Still…
Among the ways Arizona Highways has celebrated the Christmas season over the years is this Ed Ellinger photo from Red Rock Country. It appeared on the magazine’s back cover in December 1960.
Christmas Past
In 1956, Lawrence Clark Powell wrote an essay titled Arizona: The Wrinkled Land. Of all our contributors, he was one of the most esteemed. Among other things, he was John Steinbeck’s bibliographer…
Watercolor illustration of lone cowboy riding through barren winter landscape is by Ross Santee.
A Cowboy’s Christmas Prayer
I ain’t much good at prayin’, and You may not know me, Lord — I ain’t much seen in churches where they preach Thy Holy Word, But You may have observed me out here on the lonely plains, A-lookin’…
Southwestern themed gift items include earrings, a Buffalo Nickel lighter and a turquoise and silver money clip.
It's Better to Give ...
Bling in the Holidays Sonoran Hoop Earrings  Individually crafted from sterling silver, these elegant hoop earrings each feature a teardrop of turquoise, which is known for its calming and grounding…
Illustration of small town setting at night with people gathered around a lit Christmas tree is by Kim Johnson.
How Lovely Are Thy Branches
1916 was shaping up to be a good year in Prescott. In October, residents saw the cornerstone laid for the new Yavapai County Courthouse. And as the year drew to a close, it seemed the Christmas star…
Fog and snow-covered foliage combine to form a wintry scene amid the sandstone buttes of Red Rock Country. The formations seen in the foreground are part of Snoopy Rock, named for its resemblance to the Peanuts character. | Larry Lindahl
Let It Snow ... Please!
Ponderosa pine trunks stand out in a landscape of white in the Flagstaff area. A quintessential winter tree species, ponderosa pines rely on moisture from snowmelt,…
Snow-covered foliage near Yavapai Point, on the South Rim, anchors a view into the Grand Canyon at sunset. This photo illustrates how winter precipitation typically falls as snow on the Canyon’s rims, but melts into rain before reaching the bottom of the gorge. | Guy Schmickle
Winter at Grand Canyon
Editor’s Note: If you’ve been following along with us this year, you might have noticed, and maybe even read, some of the flashback pieces we’ve published to celebrate our 100th anniversary. This…