Best time to visit Canyonlands National Park
The best time to visit Canyonlands National Park is April–May and September–October, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Canyonlands National Park, Utah, United States
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 4.5 °C / 40 °F | -6.4 °C / 20 °F | 16 mm / 0.6 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 9.3 °C / 49 °F | -2.5 °C / 28 °F | 16 mm / 0.6 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 15.1 °C / 59 °F | 2.6 °C / 37 °F | 19 mm / 0.7 in | good month |
| April | 19.5 °C / 67 °F | 5.9 °C / 43 °F | 12 mm / 0.5 in | best month |
| May | 24.5 °C / 76 °F | 11 °C / 52 °F | 11 mm / 0.4 in | best month |
| June | 31.9 °C / 89 °F | 17.2 °C / 63 °F | 5 mm / 0.2 in | good month |
| July | 34.4 °C / 94 °F | 20.9 °C / 70 °F | 8 mm / 0.3 in | neither best nor good |
| August | 32.5 °C / 91 °F | 19 °C / 66 °F | 13 mm / 0.5 in | good month |
| September | 28.1 °C / 83 °F | 14.2 °C / 58 °F | 13 mm / 0.5 in | best month |
| October | 19.6 °C / 67 °F | 6.7 °C / 44 °F | 21 mm / 0.8 in | best month |
| November | 12.3 °C / 54 °F | 0.2 °C / 32 °F | 16 mm / 0.6 in | good month |
| December | 5.3 °C / 42 °F | -5.1 °C / 23 °F | 21 mm / 0.8 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: good
- AApril: best
- MMay: best
- JJune: good
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: good
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: best
- NNovember: good
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- April–May, September–October
- Good
- March, June, August, November
Why these months
March · good
In its favour: precipitation 19 mm / 0.7 in, share of daylight that is sunny 89%, wet days 4.9 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, average daily high 15.1 °C / 59 °F, relative humidity 36%.
Against: feels like (high) 10.5 °C / 51 °F, average daily low 2.6 °C / 37 °F.
April · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 15 °C / 59 °F, average daily high 19.5 °C / 67 °F, precipitation 12 mm / 0.5 in, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, wet days 3 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, average daily low 5.9 °C / 43 °F, relative humidity 27%.
May · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 20.7 °C / 69 °F, average daily high 24.5 °C / 76 °F, precipitation 11 mm / 0.4 in, share of daylight that is sunny 93%, wet days 2.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, average daily low 11 °C / 52 °F.
Against: relative humidity 25%.
June · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 28.5 °C / 83 °F, precipitation 5 mm / 0.2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 95%, wet days 1.2 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, average daily low 17.2 °C / 63 °F.
Against: average daily high 31.9 °C / 89 °F, relative humidity 18%.
August · good
In its favour: precipitation 13 mm / 0.5 in, share of daylight that is sunny 93%, wet days 2.8 days, days with heavy rain 0.2 days, average daily low 19 °C / 66 °F, relative humidity 30%.
Against: average daily high 32.5 °C / 91 °F, feels like (high) 30.6 °C / 87 °F.
September · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 25.1 °C / 77 °F, precipitation 13 mm / 0.5 in, share of daylight that is sunny 95%, wet days 2.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.2 days, average daily high 28.1 °C / 83 °F, average daily low 14.2 °C / 58 °F, relative humidity 31%.
October · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 15.9 °C / 61 °F, average daily high 19.6 °C / 67 °F, precipitation 21 mm / 0.8 in, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, wet days 3.7 days, days with heavy rain 0.5 days, relative humidity 39%, average daily low 6.7 °C / 44 °F.
November · good
In its favour: precipitation 16 mm / 0.6 in, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, wet days 3.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.3 days, relative humidity 45%.
Against: feels like (high) 8 °C / 46 °F, average daily high 12.3 °C / 54 °F, average daily low 0.2 °C / 32 °F.
Hiking and trekking
Cool enough to climb in, dry enough to enjoy, long enough days.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: good
- MMarch: best
- AApril: best
- MMay: best
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: good
- OOctober: best
- NNovember: best
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- March–May, October–November
- Good
- February, September
Why these months
February · good
In its favour: precipitation 16 mm / 0.6 in, average daily high 9.3 °C / 49 °F, wet days 4.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, share of daylight that is sunny 90%, daylight per day 10.8 h, wind (daily max) 14 km/h / 9 mph.
Against: average daily low -2.5 °C / 28 °F, feels like (high) 4.9 °C / 41 °F.
March · best
In its favour: average daily high 15.1 °C / 59 °F, precipitation 19 mm / 0.7 in, wet days 4.9 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, share of daylight that is sunny 89%, daylight per day 12 h, feels like (high) 10.5 °C / 51 °F, average daily low 2.6 °C / 37 °F, wind (daily max) 17 km/h / 11 mph.
April · best
In its favour: average daily high 19.5 °C / 67 °F, precipitation 12 mm / 0.5 in, wet days 3 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, feels like (high) 15 °C / 59 °F, average daily low 5.9 °C / 43 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, daylight per day 13.2 h, wind (daily max) 19 km/h / 12 mph.
May · best
In its favour: precipitation 11 mm / 0.4 in, wet days 2.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, average daily high 24.5 °C / 76 °F, feels like (high) 20.7 °C / 69 °F, average daily low 11 °C / 52 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 93%, daylight per day 14.3 h, wind (daily max) 19 km/h / 12 mph.
September · good
In its favour: precipitation 13 mm / 0.5 in, wet days 2.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.2 days, share of daylight that is sunny 95%, daylight per day 12.4 h, average daily low 14.2 °C / 58 °F, wind (daily max) 15 km/h / 9 mph, feels like (high) 25.1 °C / 77 °F.
Against: average daily high 28.1 °C / 83 °F.
October · best
In its favour: average daily high 19.6 °C / 67 °F, precipitation 21 mm / 0.8 in, wet days 3.7 days, days with heavy rain 0.5 days, feels like (high) 15.9 °C / 61 °F, average daily low 6.7 °C / 44 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, daylight per day 11.2 h, wind (daily max) 14 km/h / 9 mph.
November · best
In its favour: average daily high 12.3 °C / 54 °F, precipitation 16 mm / 0.6 in, wet days 3.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.3 days, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, feels like (high) 8 °C / 46 °F, wind (daily max) 13 km/h / 8 mph, average daily low 0.2 °C / 32 °F, daylight per day 10.1 h.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Telluride Ski Area, 168 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | 0.6 °C | 4.9 °C | 10.5 °C | 15 °C | 20.7 °C | 28.5 °C | 32.6 °C | 30.6 °C | 25.1 °C | 15.9 °C | 8 °C | 1.4 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 0.1 days | 0.1 days | 0.1 days | 0.1 days | 0.1 days | 0.1 days | 0 days | 0.2 days | 0.2 days | 0.5 days | 0.3 days | 0.3 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 12 am | 2 pm | 6 am | 9 pm | 6 pm | 6 pm | 6 pm | 8 pm | 6 pm | 5 am | 5 pm | 1 am |
| Sunshine per day | 8.5 h | 9.7 h | 10.6 h | 12.2 h | 13.2 h | 14.1 h | 13.7 h | 12.7 h | 11.8 h | 10.3 h | 9.3 h | 8.2 h |
| Relative humidity | 62% | 49% | 36% | 27% | 25% | 18% | 26% | 30% | 31% | 39% | 45% | 61% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 4.1 µg/m³ | 5.8 µg/m³ | 5.6 µg/m³ | 5 µg/m³ | 5.1 µg/m³ | 4.6 µg/m³ | 4.7 µg/m³ | 4.4 µg/m³ | 3.5 µg/m³ | 2.7 µg/m³ | 3.2 µg/m³ | 3.2 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 6.5 µg/m³ | 8.6 µg/m³ | 8.7 µg/m³ | 8.1 µg/m³ | 8.4 µg/m³ | 7.1 µg/m³ | 7.7 µg/m³ | 7.3 µg/m³ | 5.3 µg/m³ | 4.5 µg/m³ | 5.1 µg/m³ | 4.9 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.