Best time to visit Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
The short answer
Best months to visit Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks: June and September–October. Daily highs run about 65–75°F, with about 60% 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
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks month by month
Park-wide averages across 5 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 | 46° / 27°F | 2.0 in | 31.9 in | Quiet | – |
| February | Poor | 45° / 26°F | 1.5 in | 23.5 in | Quiet | – |
| March | Poor | 47° / 28°F | 2.3 in | 26.8 in | Quiet | – |
| April | Poor | 54° / 33°F | 1.2 in | 8.3 in | Moderate | – |
| May | Fair | 61° / 39°F | 1.3 in | 4.6 in | Busy | – |
| June | Best | 74° / 50°F | 0.7 in | – | Busy | – |
| July | Fair | 81° / 57°F | 0.5 in | – | Peak | – |
| August | Good | 80° / 56°F | 0.8 in | – | Peak | – |
| September | Best | 74° / 51°F | 0.6 in | – | Busy | – |
| October | Best | 65° / 42°F | 0.7 in | 1.2 in | Moderate | – |
| November | Poor | 53° / 32°F | 1.0 in | 9.9 in | Quiet | – |
| December | Poor | 45° / 26°F | 1.6 in | 21.0 in | Quiet | – |
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 | 41°F | 22°F | 0.3 in | 46.9 in |
| February | 40°F | 20°F | 0.4 in | 33.9 in |
| March | 41°F | 23°F | 0.2 in | 41.7 in |
| April | 47°F | 28°F | 0.5 in | 12.2 in |
| May | 55°F | 33°F | 1.1 in | 6.2 in |
| June | 69°F | 45°F | 0.8 in | – |
| July | 76°F | 52°F | 0.7 in | – |
| August | 75°F | 51°F | 1.2 in | – |
| September | 69°F | 45°F | 0.9 in | 0.6 in |
| October | 61°F | 37°F | 0.6 in | 1.8 in |
| November | 49°F | 27°F | 0.3 in | 14.3 in |
| December | 40°F | 21°F | 0.2 in | 30.4 in |
Giant Forest
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 42°F | 25°F | 1.9 in | 32.8 in |
| February | 41°F | 24°F | 1.4 in | 24.6 in |
| March | 42°F | 25°F | 2.1 in | 26.8 in |
| April | 49°F | 30°F | 1.4 in | 9.2 in |
| May | 56°F | 36°F | 1.6 in | 5.8 in |
| June | 69°F | 47°F | 1.0 in | – |
| July | 75°F | 54°F | 0.5 in | – |
| August | 74°F | 53°F | 0.8 in | – |
| September | 69°F | 48°F | 0.5 in | – |
| October | 60°F | 40°F | 0.8 in | 1.1 in |
| November | 49°F | 30°F | 0.8 in | 10.6 in |
| December | 42°F | 23°F | 1.3 in | 21.6 in |
Cedar Grove
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 51°F | 29°F | 1.2 in | 42.9 in |
| February | 50°F | 28°F | 1.4 in | 28.6 in |
| March | 51°F | 31°F | 1.4 in | 36.1 in |
| April | 58°F | 35°F | 1.4 in | 10.9 in |
| May | 65°F | 41°F | 1.4 in | 5.3 in |
| June | 79°F | 51°F | 0.8 in | – |
| July | 86°F | 59°F | 0.3 in | – |
| August | 85°F | 57°F | 0.6 in | – |
| September | 79°F | 52°F | 0.6 in | – |
| October | 71°F | 44°F | 0.9 in | 1.4 in |
| November | 59°F | 34°F | 1.0 in | 13.3 in |
| December | 50°F | 28°F | 1.4 in | 28.3 in |
Foothills
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 56°F | 39°F | 5.5 in | 0.9 in |
| February | 58°F | 39°F | 3.8 in | 3.9 in |
| March | 61°F | 42°F | 6.8 in | 1.9 in |
| April | 69°F | 47°F | 2.3 in | – |
| May | 76°F | 53°F | 1.2 in | – |
| June | 89°F | 63°F | 0.1 in | – |
| July | 96°F | 71°F | 0 in | – |
| August | 95°F | 69°F | 0.3 in | – |
| September | 88°F | 64°F | 0.3 in | – |
| October | 76°F | 55°F | 0.6 in | – |
| November | 64°F | 45°F | 2.4 in | 0.5 in |
| December | 55°F | 39°F | 4.5 in | 1.4 in |
Mineral King
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 38°F | 21°F | 0.9 in | 36.1 in |
| February | 37°F | 20°F | 0.6 in | 26.6 in |
| March | 38°F | 21°F | 1.1 in | 27.3 in |
| April | 45°F | 26°F | 0.7 in | 9.0 in |
| May | 52°F | 31°F | 1.2 in | 5.7 in |
| June | 65°F | 43°F | 1.0 in | – |
| July | 72°F | 50°F | 1.0 in | – |
| August | 70°F | 49°F | 1.3 in | – |
| September | 65°F | 43°F | 0.7 in | – |
| October | 57°F | 36°F | 0.5 in | 1.5 in |
| November | 46°F | 26°F | 0.5 in | 10.8 in |
| December | 38°F | 20°F | 0.5 in | 23.5 in |
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks by season
Spring (March–May)
Spring (March–May) is a difficult time to visit Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks. Daily highs average 47–61°F and lows 28–39°F. Expect about 1.6 in of rain a month and 13.2 in of snow, with up to 34 in on the ground. Visitor numbers run 22–64% of the busiest month, which is moderate by this park's standards.
Summer (June–August)
Summer (June–August) is a good time to visit Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks. Daily highs average 74–81°F and lows 50–57°F. Expect about 0.7 in of rain a month; some snow can linger on the ground. Visitor numbers run 76–100% of the busiest month, which is peak by this park's standards.
Fall (September–November)
Fall (September–November) is a good time to visit Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks. Daily highs average 53–74°F and lows 32–51°F. Expect about 0.8 in of rain a month and 3.8 in of snow, with up to 2 in on the ground. Visitor numbers run 27–61% of the busiest month, which is moderate by this park's standards.
Winter (December–February)
Winter (December–February) is a difficult time to visit Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks. Daily highs average 45–46°F and lows 26–27°F. Expect about 1.7 in of rain a month and 25.5 in of snow, with up to 30 in on the ground. Visitor numbers run 18–20% of the busiest month, which is quiet 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
Because of the extreme elevation range in the parks, weather conditions vary widely between areas. In summer, the sequoia groves have comfortable temperatures and the foothills are hot and dry. Snow lingers on high-mountain passes well into summer. In fall, conditions can range from summer-like to winter-like. Winter brings snow to sequoia groves and rain to the foothills. Be prepared for tire chain requirements. Spring is a great time to hike in the foothills and snow begins to melt at higher elevations.
Weather: modeled monthly averages for 2014-2023 (Open-Meteo Archive API), averaged over 5 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.
