Best time to visit Hot Springs National Park
The short answer
Best months to visit Hot Springs National Park: September–October. Daily highs run about 75–85°F, with about 40% of June's visitors.
Hardest months: December–February and July, 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
Hot Springs National Park month by month
Park-wide averages. 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 | 50° / 33°F | 3.6 in | 0.8 in | Moderate | – |
| February | Poor | 53° / 35°F | 5.3 in | 1.7 in | Moderate | – |
| March | Fair | 63° / 44°F | 6.4 in | 0.5 in | Busy | – |
| April | Fair | 69° / 51°F | 6.0 in | – | Busy | – |
| May | Fair | 78° / 61°F | 5.1 in | – | Busy | – |
| June | Fair | 87° / 69°F | 3.6 in | – | Peak | – |
| July | Poor | 91° / 73°F | 3.4 in | – | Busy | – |
| August | Fair | 89° / 72°F | 3.6 in | – | Moderate | – |
| September | Best | 85° / 67°F | 2.4 in | – | Quiet | – |
| October | Best | 74° / 56°F | 4.3 in | – | Moderate | – |
| November | Good | 60° / 44°F | 3.7 in | – | Moderate | – |
| December | Poor | 54° / 39°F | 4.9 in | – | Moderate | – |
Hot Springs National Park by season
Spring (March–May)
Spring (March–May) is a mixed time to visit Hot Springs National Park. Daily highs average 63–78°F and lows 44–61°F. Expect about 5.8 in of rain a month and little or no snow. Visitor numbers run 69–72% of the busiest month, which is busy by this park's standards.
Summer (June–August)
Summer (June–August) is a mixed time to visit Hot Springs National Park. Daily highs average 87–91°F and lows 69–73°F. Expect about 3.5 in of rain a month and little or no snow. Visitor numbers run 60–100% of the busiest month, which is busy by this park's standards.
Fall (September–November)
Fall (September–November) is among the best times to visit Hot Springs National Park. Daily highs average 60–85°F and lows 44–67°F. Expect about 3.5 in of rain a month and little or no snow. Visitor numbers run 34–44% of the busiest month, which is moderate by this park's standards.
Winter (December–February)
Winter (December–February) is a difficult time to visit Hot Springs National Park. Daily highs average 50–54°F and lows 33–39°F. Expect about 4.6 in of rain a month and little or no snow. Visitor numbers run 37–57% of the busiest month, which is moderate by this park's standards.
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.
What the National Park Service says about the weather
Average temperatures in Hot Springs can range from about 90°F (32°C) to less than 27°F (-2.7°C). Summer days can be hot and humid, with heat index values up to 110ºF (43ºC). Winter wind chills can make temperatures feel much colder, as low as 15ºF (-9.4ºC). Spring and fall typically have the most rainfall. Generally, Hot Springs experiences mild weather throughout the year.
Weather: modeled monthly averages for 2014-2023 (Open-Meteo Archive API), averaged over 1 location. 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.
