The Western genre unintentionally gifted modern society with arguably its most underappreciated but most used meme, usually utilized in GIF form — a long shot of the bone-dry planes of Nevada, with the wind whistling and a tumbleweed briskly rolling by. The imagery is often employed to imply something is unfunny, stupid, or offensive. That small depiction (alongside cacti and the sweaty brows of John Wayne or Clint Eastwood) defines our immediate connotations of the Wild West. The term "Western" tends to make a viewer immediately think of the sun-drenched, drought-laden terrain of the region, which is why seeing Westerns set in blizzard-like conditions always seems a tad oxymoronic.

Updated Jan. 27, 2024: This list of the coldest Westerns out there has been updated with additional content and useful features.

That being said, Westerns with a snowy-white color palette tend to stand out purely for their alien appearance, which is often used to highlight a desolation or sadness not always seen in most scorching-hot Westerns. However, the setting alone does not make a Western. They often feature morally complex characters, at least for the more modern types. The bad guys are criminals everyone loves to hate, and often there is some sense of chasing justice. While there may not be as many snowy westerns, there are still a few notable ones to highlight from the bunch. Here are some of the best Westerns set in the snow, making them perfect for the rest of winter.

7 Seraphim Falls (2006)

While not much of this film takes place in the snow, Seraphim Falls takes advantage of every unique environment the characters find themselves in. It is a tale of survival, with characters who are forced to use their ingenuity and pure grit to escape their circumstances. The film is a dark and brutal Western that takes place after the Civil War, showcasing the cat-and-mouse bounty hunt between Colonel Morsman Carver (Liam Neeson) and Gideon (Pierce Brosnan). The chase becomes about far more than the pursuit of money, as the audience gradually realizes that Carver's family was accidentally killed by Gideon years prior.

Seraphim Falls Is a Classic Revenge Western

Not only does Seraphim Falls explore the basic need to survive, but it delves into the complex dilemma of someone who has lost everything except their own life yet is willing to sacrifice that for vengeance. It is not a film for the faint of heart, as its frequent depictions of graphic violence reflect the passion showcased by both men in their enduring chase. Still, its ending is thematically appropriate, making the immense buildup pay off substantially. The competing personalities between Neeson and Brosnan certainly make it worth a watch.

Buy or Rent Seraphim Falls on Prime Video

6 Jeremiah Johnson (1972)

The great Robert Redford stars in Sydney Pollack’s 1972 Western Adventure, Jeremiah Johnson. An army veteran, having served in the Mexican-American War, plans to live out the rest of his days as a man of nature in the Rocky Mountains. Fueled by a burning desire to leave the violence and killing of war in the past, it’s a way of life he seemingly can’t escape, with the infamous Crow Tribe hot on his coattails after a confrontation that inadvertently antagonized the tribe and the tribe’s chief, Paints-His-Shirt-Red (Joaquin Martinez).

Jeremiah Johnson Eschews Action for Introspection

Jeremiah Johnson is an exercise in self-discovery, healing, and the story of a man claiming his place in legend. The action here, while entertaining, often comes after lengthy bouts of introspection and terrific scenic shots, made possible via cinematographer Duke Callaghan. It's a deliberately methodical film, one that takes its time in several ways, yet in doing so, it creates a unique atmosphere unmatched by some of its more popular contemporaries. Redford's performance as the titular Jeremiah Johnson even prompted the creation of a popular internet meme.

Buy or Rent Jeremiah Johnson on Prime Video

5 Wind River (2017)

Wind River is a more modern style Western, taking place on the Wind River Indian Reservation in the modern era. Although it isn't a classic "cowboy" tale, Jeremy Renner plays a rough-around-the-edges hunter working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as he investigates a shocking murder. The intensity of his character, and his brutal search for justice, make him feel like he belongs in a classic Western. Unlike a lot of classic Westerns, though, the film shows the injustice many Native American women go through.

Wind River's Setting Serves an Important Role

Not only does the snowy backdrop offer a chilling (pun intended) setting, but the scenery actually plays a large role in the plot. It is key in launching the mystery at the start, and it helps Renner's character serve the villain of the story with some cruelly ironic justice. This Western-style mystery is underrated and often goes unnoticed, but it is a worthy watch for anyone who wants to try something with all the thrills of a classic Western but with a modern twist.

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4 The Hateful Eight (2015)

The Hateful Eight marked Quentin Tarantino’s eighth outing at the directorial sail (he counts Kill Bill as one film that was split into two releases). It tells the story of a bounty hunter, John Ruth (Kurt Russell). Ruth, along with his $10,000 bounty, journeys to Red Rock, picking up a few fellow stragglers along the way. Unbeknownst to Ruth and his new companions, Mannix (Walter Goggins) and Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson), their stop at Minnie’s Haberdashery may ultimately lead to their demise.

The Hateful Eight Is One of Tarantino's Best Films

The 2015 Western thriller is debatably one of the Jackie Brown creator’s best and most underrated films. Accompanied by a soundtrack composed by the ultimate composer, Ennio Morricone, The Hateful Eight is set amid a treacherous, relentless blizzard in 19th-century Wyoming. As a film set almost entirely in one location, it relies heavily on Tarantino’s craft as a screenwriting oracle, along with the immense dexterity of the actors on-screen. Though some critiqued the film's expedited pacing, an extended edition available exclusively on Netflix splits the film into four distinct parts, allowing for its numerous characters to breathe amid the tension.

Stream The Hateful Eight on Netflix

3 The Revenant (2015)

Filmmaker Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu picked up his second Academy Award for Best Director in consecutive years after his one-shot movie, Birdman, won him the award the previous year; he was the first director to win successive Best Director awards since Joseph L. Mankiewicz for A Letter to Three Wives and All About Eve in 1950 and 1951, respectively. The Revenant also finally won Leonardo DiCaprio’s well-documented first Academy Award for Best Actor for his rendition of Hugh Glass, an explorer and frontiersman, who is left for dead by his fellow hunters following a vicious and near-fatal bear attack. Left with nothing but a burning desire for revenge, Glass trudges through the snowy fields in order to set things straight.

The Revenant Is a Tense Fight for Survival

A story of vengeance and the true strength of the human spirit, The Revenant is mesmeric and stunningly shot in intense natural light by cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, who won his third Oscar for Best Cinematography in succession. The perilous, ice-covered conditions are at the film’s forefront, and the sheer magnitude of Glass’ struggle to stay alive and exact his revenge is constantly challenged by the parlous weather conditions in 1820s Montana. Suffice to say, if you strictly wanted a Western set in the snow, The Revenant will be an apt choice. What you'll get on top that, however, is a thrilling tale carried by one of the most compelling Leonardo Di Caprio performances to date.

Buy or Rent The Revenant on Prime Video

2 McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)

A revisionist Western at its core, McCabe & Mrs. Miller follows the story of a charming gambler, Robert McCabe (Warren Beatty), who opens a brothel in a small mining town. Respected by the townsfolk and admired for his apparent business acumen, McCabe eventually partners with one of his brothel’s sex workers, Constance Miller (Julie Christie). With the pair running a prospering trade, their livelihood is threatened by bigger competitors and by three bounty hunters in this hauntingly beautiful, deeply sad film.

McCabe & Mrs. Miller is a Sad Journey

Leonard Cohen’s basso profundo tones are partly why McCabe & Mrs. Miller is held in such high regard by Western lovers. The Canadian artist was approached by director Robert Altman, who requested that he be allowed to use Cohen’s songs that he had subconsciously written the film in synchrony with. Cohen’s poetic depth adds this atmospheric warmth to the film, as it purposefully avoids many of the familiar plot beats that the Western genre had been associated with at the time of its release.

Buy or Rent McCabe & Mrs. Miller on Apple TV

1 The Searchers (1956)

In director John Ford and Western legend John Wayne’s career-defining 1956 masterpiece, The Searchers, we are taken on an epic journey of retribution. In this timeless classic, Wayne plays civil war veteran Ethan Edwards, a celebrated Confederate and battle-hardened soldier who returns home to Texas. Following a cattle theft by a group of Comanche, Edwards and an assembly of Texas Rangers goes out to retrieve their stolen cargo, only to walk straight into a devious trap that leaves their families in grave danger. Shortly after the tragic events that see his entire family wiped out by the Native Americans, Ethan goes on a psychopathic rampage fueled by vengeance and racial prejudice.

The Searchers Is a Historic Piece of Filmmaking

It’s a film about tragedy, immense savagery, and bloodthirsty hatred. Wayne's performance is all-absorbing as the film's primary protagonist who lives long enough to become the "savage" villain that he accuses the Comanches of being. Its legacy and influence is nothing to scoff at. Its incredible technical qualities would later inspire prominent directors like Martin Scorsese, David Lean, Sam Peckinpah, John Huston, and George Lucas. The Searchers is easily up there as one of John Wayne's best outings in the Western genre, amounting to a terrific film that just so happens to also take place in a snowy region.

Buy or Rent The Searchers on Apple TV

Eager to return to the sunny sands of the American frontier? Why not check out our picks for the top five Westerns of all time below: