Best time to visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park
The short answer
Best months to visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park: May–June and August–September. Daily highs run about 65–80°F, with about 75% of July's visitors.
Hardest months: November–February, 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
Theodore Roosevelt National Park month by month
Park-wide averages across 4 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 | 28° / 12°F | 0.1 in | 3.2 in | Quiet | – |
| February | Poor | 28° / 9°F | 0.1 in | 3.8 in | Quiet | – |
| March | Poor | 42° / 22°F | 0.2 in | 4.0 in | Quiet | – |
| April | Poor | 51° / 31°F | 0.8 in | 6.4 in | Quiet | – |
| May | Best | 66° / 45°F | 2.4 in | 0.8 in | Moderate | – |
| June | Best | 77° / 56°F | 2.1 in | – | Peak | – |
| July | Good | 84° / 62°F | 1.6 in | – | Peak | – |
| August | Best | 82° / 60°F | 1.9 in | – | Peak | – |
| September | Best | 72° / 51°F | 2.1 in | – | Busy | – |
| October | Fair | 55° / 37°F | 1.0 in | 2.8 in | Quiet | – |
| November | Poor | 40° / 24°F | 0.2 in | 3.4 in | Quiet | – |
| December | Poor | 30° / 15°F | 0.1 in | 5.2 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 | 27°F | 11°F | 0.1 in | 3.4 in |
| February | 26°F | 8°F | 0.1 in | 3.7 in |
| March | 41°F | 21°F | 0.2 in | 4.1 in |
| April | 50°F | 30°F | 0.7 in | 6.7 in |
| May | 65°F | 44°F | 2.3 in | 1.0 in |
| June | 76°F | 56°F | 2.1 in | – |
| July | 83°F | 61°F | 1.7 in | – |
| August | 80°F | 59°F | 2.1 in | – |
| September | 71°F | 51°F | 2.1 in | – |
| October | 54°F | 36°F | 0.9 in | 3.2 in |
| November | 39°F | 23°F | 0.2 in | 3.8 in |
| December | 29°F | 14°F | 0.1 in | 5.4 in |
South Unit
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30°F | 13°F | 0.1 in | 3.3 in |
| February | 29°F | 10°F | 0.1 in | 3.7 in |
| March | 43°F | 22°F | 0.2 in | 3.6 in |
| April | 52°F | 31°F | 0.8 in | 6.3 in |
| May | 66°F | 45°F | 2.3 in | 0.7 in |
| June | 78°F | 57°F | 2.1 in | – |
| July | 85°F | 62°F | 1.6 in | – |
| August | 83°F | 60°F | 2.0 in | – |
| September | 73°F | 51°F | 2.0 in | – |
| October | 56°F | 37°F | 0.9 in | 2.7 in |
| November | 42°F | 24°F | 0.2 in | 3.4 in |
| December | 32°F | 16°F | 0.1 in | 5.1 in |
North Unit
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27°F | 11°F | 0.1 in | 3.2 in |
| February | 27°F | 8°F | 0.1 in | 3.9 in |
| March | 41°F | 21°F | 0.2 in | 4.3 in |
| April | 51°F | 31°F | 0.8 in | 6.2 in |
| May | 66°F | 45°F | 2.6 in | 0.7 in |
| June | 77°F | 57°F | 2.3 in | – |
| July | 83°F | 62°F | 1.6 in | – |
| August | 82°F | 60°F | 1.9 in | – |
| September | 72°F | 51°F | 2.3 in | – |
| October | 55°F | 37°F | 1.1 in | 2.5 in |
| November | 40°F | 24°F | 0.2 in | 3.2 in |
| December | 29°F | 14°F | 0.1 in | 5.4 in |
Elkhorn Ranch Unit
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29°F | 13°F | 0.1 in | 3.1 in |
| February | 29°F | 10°F | 0.1 in | 3.8 in |
| March | 43°F | 22°F | 0.3 in | 3.8 in |
| April | 52°F | 31°F | 0.8 in | 6.5 in |
| May | 67°F | 45°F | 2.3 in | 0.6 in |
| June | 78°F | 57°F | 2.1 in | – |
| July | 85°F | 62°F | 1.6 in | – |
| August | 83°F | 60°F | 1.8 in | – |
| September | 73°F | 52°F | 2.0 in | – |
| October | 56°F | 37°F | 0.9 in | 2.8 in |
| November | 41°F | 24°F | 0.2 in | 3.4 in |
| December | 31°F | 16°F | 0.1 in | 4.9 in |
Theodore Roosevelt National Park by season
Spring (March–May)
Spring (March–May) is a mixed time to visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Daily highs average 42–66°F and lows 22–45°F. Expect about 1.1 in of rain a month and 3.7 in of snow, with up to 2 in on the ground. Visitor numbers run 6–44% of the busiest month, which is quiet by this park's standards.
Summer (June–August)
Summer (June–August) is a good time to visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Daily highs average 77–84°F and lows 56–62°F. Expect about 1.9 in of rain a month and little or no snow. Visitor numbers run 85–100% of the busiest month, which is peak by this park's standards.
Fall (September–November)
Fall (September–November) is a mixed time to visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Daily highs average 40–72°F and lows 24–51°F. Expect about 1.1 in of rain a month and 2.1 in of snow, with up to 1 in on the ground. Visitor numbers run 7–73% of the busiest month, which is moderate by this park's standards.
Winter (December–February)
Winter (December–February) is a difficult time to visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Daily highs average 28–30°F and lows 9–15°F. Expect about 0.1 in of rain a month and 4.1 in of snow, with up to 5 in on the ground. Visitor numbers run 1–2% 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 and camping, 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
In winter, some or all park roads may be closed due to snow.
Weather: modeled monthly averages for 2014-2023 (Open-Meteo Archive API), averaged over 4 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.
