Best time to visit Shenandoah National Park
The short answer
Best months to visit Shenandoah National Park: May–September. Daily highs run about 65–80°F, with about 55% of October'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
Shenandoah National Park month by month
Park-wide averages across 6 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 | 34° / 18°F | 1.6 in | 6.5 in | Quiet | – |
| February | Poor | 40° / 21°F | 2.4 in | 6.1 in | Quiet | – |
| March | Poor | 47° / 26°F | 2.0 in | 5.4 in | Quiet | – |
| April | Fair | 57° / 36°F | 3.7 in | 0.8 in | Moderate | – |
| May | Best | 66° / 47°F | 4.1 in | – | Moderate | – |
| June | Best | 74° / 55°F | 3.6 in | – | Moderate | – |
| July | Best | 79° / 60°F | 3.9 in | – | Moderate | – |
| August | Best | 76° / 59°F | 3.7 in | – | Moderate | – |
| September | Best | 70° / 53°F | 4.0 in | – | Moderate | – |
| October | Fair | 60° / 42°F | 3.4 in | – | Peak | – |
| November | Poor | 47° / 30°F | 2.5 in | 1.1 in | Moderate | – |
| December | Poor | 41° / 25°F | 2.8 in | 2.6 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 | 36°F | 20°F | 1.6 in | 6.6 in |
| February | 41°F | 23°F | 2.3 in | 6.1 in |
| March | 48°F | 28°F | 2.0 in | 5.4 in |
| April | 59°F | 38°F | 3.5 in | 0.8 in |
| May | 67°F | 48°F | 3.9 in | – |
| June | 75°F | 57°F | 3.4 in | – |
| July | 80°F | 62°F | 3.6 in | – |
| August | 77°F | 61°F | 3.4 in | – |
| September | 72°F | 55°F | 3.8 in | – |
| October | 61°F | 44°F | 3.3 in | – |
| November | 48°F | 32°F | 2.5 in | 1.1 in |
| December | 42°F | 27°F | 2.8 in | 2.6 in |
Mathews Arm/Elkwallow
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 35°F | 19°F | 1.5 in | 6.8 in |
| February | 41°F | 22°F | 2.3 in | 6.1 in |
| March | 47°F | 27°F | 2.0 in | 5.7 in |
| April | 58°F | 37°F | 3.6 in | 0.7 in |
| May | 67°F | 47°F | 4.1 in | – |
| June | 75°F | 56°F | 4.0 in | – |
| July | 81°F | 61°F | 4.3 in | – |
| August | 78°F | 60°F | 3.5 in | – |
| September | 72°F | 54°F | 4.0 in | – |
| October | 61°F | 43°F | 3.4 in | – |
| November | 48°F | 30°F | 2.3 in | 1.4 in |
| December | 42°F | 26°F | 2.8 in | 2.6 in |
Skyland
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 33°F | 17°F | 1.7 in | 6.8 in |
| February | 38°F | 20°F | 2.3 in | 6.2 in |
| March | 45°F | 25°F | 2.0 in | 5.6 in |
| April | 55°F | 35°F | 3.8 in | 0.9 in |
| May | 64°F | 45°F | 4.2 in | – |
| June | 72°F | 54°F | 3.9 in | – |
| July | 77°F | 59°F | 4.3 in | – |
| August | 74°F | 57°F | 3.7 in | – |
| September | 69°F | 52°F | 4.2 in | – |
| October | 58°F | 41°F | 3.5 in | – |
| November | 45°F | 28°F | 2.6 in | 1.2 in |
| December | 39°F | 24°F | 2.9 in | 2.9 in |
Big Meadows
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 33°F | 17°F | 1.6 in | 6.6 in |
| February | 39°F | 20°F | 2.3 in | 6.1 in |
| March | 46°F | 25°F | 2.0 in | 5.4 in |
| April | 56°F | 35°F | 3.5 in | 0.8 in |
| May | 65°F | 46°F | 3.9 in | – |
| June | 73°F | 54°F | 3.4 in | – |
| July | 78°F | 59°F | 3.6 in | – |
| August | 75°F | 58°F | 3.4 in | – |
| September | 69°F | 53°F | 3.8 in | – |
| October | 59°F | 42°F | 3.3 in | – |
| November | 46°F | 29°F | 2.5 in | 1.1 in |
| December | 40°F | 25°F | 2.8 in | 2.6 in |
Lewis Mountain
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 34°F | 17°F | 1.7 in | 6.4 in |
| February | 39°F | 20°F | 2.4 in | 6.0 in |
| March | 46°F | 25°F | 2.0 in | 5.1 in |
| April | 56°F | 35°F | 3.7 in | 0.8 in |
| May | 65°F | 46°F | 4.0 in | – |
| June | 73°F | 54°F | 3.4 in | – |
| July | 78°F | 59°F | 3.5 in | – |
| August | 75°F | 58°F | 3.8 in | – |
| September | 70°F | 52°F | 3.9 in | – |
| October | 59°F | 42°F | 3.3 in | – |
| November | 46°F | 29°F | 2.6 in | 1.0 in |
| December | 40°F | 24°F | 2.9 in | 2.4 in |
Loft Mountain
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 35°F | 19°F | 1.8 in | 6.1 in |
| February | 41°F | 22°F | 2.6 in | 6.1 in |
| March | 48°F | 27°F | 2.2 in | 5.2 in |
| April | 58°F | 37°F | 4.0 in | 0.7 in |
| May | 67°F | 47°F | 4.4 in | – |
| June | 75°F | 55°F | 3.8 in | – |
| July | 80°F | 60°F | 4.0 in | – |
| August | 77°F | 59°F | 4.3 in | – |
| September | 71°F | 54°F | 4.2 in | – |
| October | 60°F | 43°F | 3.8 in | – |
| November | 48°F | 30°F | 2.6 in | 0.9 in |
| December | 41°F | 26°F | 3.0 in | 2.2 in |
Shenandoah National Park by season
Spring (March–May)
Spring (March–May) is a mixed time to visit Shenandoah National Park. Daily highs average 47–66°F and lows 26–47°F. Expect about 3.3 in of rain a month and 2.1 in of snow, with up to 1 in on the ground. Visitor numbers run 22–49% of the busiest month, which is moderate by this park's standards.
Summer (June–August)
Summer (June–August) is among the best times to visit Shenandoah National Park. Daily highs average 74–79°F and lows 55–60°F. Expect about 3.7 in of rain a month and little or no snow. Visitor numbers run 54–59% of the busiest month, which is moderate by this park's standards.
Fall (September–November)
Fall (September–November) is a mixed time to visit Shenandoah National Park. Daily highs average 47–70°F and lows 30–53°F. Expect about 3.3 in of rain a month and little or no snow. Visitor numbers run 47–100% of the busiest month, which is busy by this park's standards.
Winter (December–February)
Winter (December–February) is a difficult time to visit Shenandoah National Park. Daily highs average 34–41°F and lows 18–25°F. Expect about 2.3 in of rain a month and 5.1 in of snow, with up to 2 in on the ground. Visitor numbers run 9–11% 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
Shenandoah National Park has four very distinct seasons. Spring typically brings mild temperatures, rain, and wildflowers. Summer brings lush green forests, but can be hot and very humid. Fall follows with cooler temperatures and spectacular fall foliage. Winter can bring snow and ice. The park spans roughly 100 miles, which means that weather can vary greatly depending on your location. The mountain is usually 10°F cooler than the valley below. Always check the forecast, dress in layers, and be prepared.
Weather: modeled monthly averages for 2014-2023 (Open-Meteo Archive API), averaged over 6 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.
