Best time to visit Grand Canyon National Park
The short answer
Best months to visit Grand Canyon National Park: May–June and August–October. Daily highs run about 60–80°F, with about 90% of July's visitors.
Hardest months: December–March, mostly because of cold weather.
How we picked these months: each month is scored on daily highs (65–82°F is ideal), rain, snow and seasonal closures, then reduced by up to 30% for crowds, measured against the park's busiest month. We list the months within 15% of the top score (at most 5).
Weather and crowds by month
Grand Canyon National Park month by month
Park-wide averages across 3 locations. Crowds compare each month with the park's busiest month: Quiet is under 35% of it, Moderate under 60%, Busy under 85%, Peak above that.
| Month | Rating | High / low | Rain | Snow | Crowds | Closures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Poor | 38° / 21°F | 0.6 in | 8.6 in | Quiet | North Rim |
| February | Poor | 42° / 22°F | 0.5 in | 6.8 in | Quiet | North Rim |
| March | Poor | 49° / 28°F | 1.0 in | 6.7 in | Busy | North Rim |
| April | Fair | 60° / 36°F | 0.6 in | 0.8 in | Busy | North Rim |
| May | Best | 67° / 43°F | 0.8 in | 0.6 in | Peak | – |
| June | Best | 81° / 55°F | 0.3 in | – | Peak | – |
| July | Good | 84° / 61°F | 1.5 in | – | Peak | – |
| August | Best | 81° / 58°F | 1.7 in | – | Peak | – |
| September | Best | 75° / 52°F | 1.1 in | – | Busy | – |
| October | Best | 62° / 41°F | 0.9 in | – | Busy | – |
| November | Poor | 50° / 30°F | 0.4 in | 2.9 in | Busy | – |
| December | Poor | 39° / 23°F | 0.7 in | 5.7 in | Moderate | North Rim |
Weather by location
Parks with a big range of elevation can differ a lot from one area to another. Open a location to see its own numbers.
Park-wide (center of the park)
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 39°F | 23°F | 0.5 in | 7.1 in |
| February | 44°F | 24°F | 0.4 in | 5.0 in |
| March | 51°F | 30°F | 0.9 in | 5.3 in |
| April | 62°F | 38°F | 0.5 in | 0.6 in |
| May | 69°F | 46°F | 0.8 in | 0.5 in |
| June | 83°F | 58°F | 0.3 in | – |
| July | 85°F | 63°F | 1.5 in | – |
| August | 82°F | 60°F | 1.8 in | – |
| September | 76°F | 54°F | 1.0 in | – |
| October | 64°F | 43°F | 0.9 in | – |
| November | 52°F | 32°F | 0.4 in | 2.4 in |
| December | 41°F | 25°F | 0.7 in | 4.4 in |
South Rim
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 40°F | 24°F | 0.5 in | 7.3 in |
| February | 45°F | 26°F | 0.4 in | 5.7 in |
| March | 52°F | 31°F | 0.9 in | 5.4 in |
| April | 63°F | 40°F | 0.5 in | 0.7 in |
| May | 70°F | 47°F | 0.8 in | 0.5 in |
| June | 84°F | 59°F | 0.3 in | – |
| July | 87°F | 64°F | 1.5 in | – |
| August | 83°F | 62°F | 1.7 in | – |
| September | 78°F | 56°F | 1.0 in | – |
| October | 65°F | 44°F | 0.8 in | – |
| November | 53°F | 33°F | 0.4 in | 2.6 in |
| December | 42°F | 26°F | 0.6 in | 4.7 in |
North Rim
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 34°F | 16°F | 0.7 in | 11.5 in |
| February | 38°F | 17°F | 0.6 in | 9.8 in |
| March | 44°F | 22°F | 1.2 in | 9.4 in |
| April | 55°F | 29°F | 0.7 in | 1.2 in |
| May | 63°F | 37°F | 0.8 in | 0.7 in |
| June | 77°F | 50°F | 0.4 in | – |
| July | 80°F | 55°F | 1.4 in | – |
| August | 77°F | 53°F | 1.7 in | – |
| September | 71°F | 47°F | 1.2 in | – |
| October | 58°F | 36°F | 1.0 in | – |
| November | 46°F | 25°F | 0.5 in | 3.6 in |
| December | 35°F | 18°F | 0.7 in | 7.9 in |
Grand Canyon National Park by season
Spring (March–May)
Spring (March–May) is a mixed time to visit Grand Canyon National Park. Daily highs average 49–67°F and lows 28–43°F. Expect about 0.8 in of rain a month and 2.7 in of snow, with up to 1 in on the ground. Visitor numbers run 65–92% of the busiest month, which is busy by this park's standards. Closures listed by the NPS: North Rim.
Summer (June–August)
Summer (June–August) is a good time to visit Grand Canyon National Park. Daily highs average 81–84°F and lows 55–61°F. Expect about 1.2 in of rain a month and little or no snow. Visitor numbers run 89–100% of the busiest month, which is peak by this park's standards.
Fall (September–November)
Fall (September–November) is a good time to visit Grand Canyon National Park. Daily highs average 50–75°F and lows 30–52°F. Expect about 0.8 in of rain a month and 1.1 in of snow, with up to 0 in on the ground. Visitor numbers run 61–82% of the busiest month, which is busy by this park's standards.
Winter (December–February)
Winter (December–February) is a difficult time to visit Grand Canyon National Park. Daily highs average 38–42°F and lows 21–23°F. Expect about 0.6 in of rain a month and 7.0 in of snow, with up to 3 in on the ground. Visitor numbers run 30–54% of the busiest month, which is moderate by this park's standards. Closures listed by the NPS: North Rim.
For what to do in each season, see our guides to trip planning, fees and hours, trails, camping and things to do, where the planning page also has our written advice on when to go. In-depth topic guides cover individual places and hikes.
Seasonal closures
Closures listed in the NPS operating hours, shown as month and day. Exact dates change every year with snow and staffing.
- North Rim: closed about Dec 1 – May 14
What the National Park Service says about the weather
Since Grand Canyon has elevations that range from 2,500 feet at the bottom to 8,400 feet on the North Rim, weather can vary significantly depending on the season and the specific location within the park. Winters tend to be cold and snowy, and summers have periods of excessive heat. High temperatures inside the canyon tend to be 20 to 30 degrees warmer then on the canyon's rims. Weather conditions can change rapidly, so it's wise to check forecasts before visiting.
Weather: modeled monthly averages for 2014-2023 (Open-Meteo Archive API), averaged over 3 locations. Modeled grid cells can read cooler than weather stations in deep canyons and deserts, and warmer or colder at high elevation. Visits: monthly recreation visits for 2021-2024, National Park Service.
