Best time to visit Death Valley National Park
The best time to visit Death Valley National Park is February–April and October–November, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Death Valley National Park, California, 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 | 14.7 °C / 58 °F | 5.1 °C / 41 °F | 14 mm / 0.6 in | good month |
| February | 17.7 °C / 64 °F | 7.5 °C / 46 °F | 17 mm / 0.7 in | best month |
| March | 21.6 °C / 71 °F | 11.1 °C / 52 °F | 10 mm / 0.4 in | best month |
| April | 26.5 °C / 80 °F | 15 °C / 59 °F | 5 mm / 0.2 in | best month |
| May | 30.9 °C / 88 °F | 19.5 °C / 67 °F | 3 mm / 0.1 in | good month |
| June | 37.5 °C / 100 °F | 25.4 °C / 78 °F | 1 mm / 0 in | neither best nor good |
| July | 40.6 °C / 105 °F | 28.7 °C / 84 °F | 3 mm / 0.1 in | neither best nor good |
| August | 39.3 °C / 103 °F | 26.8 °C / 80 °F | 5 mm / 0.2 in | neither best nor good |
| September | 34.8 °C / 95 °F | 22.6 °C / 73 °F | 3 mm / 0.1 in | neither best nor good |
| October | 27 °C / 81 °F | 15 °C / 59 °F | 6 mm / 0.2 in | best month |
| November | 19.4 °C / 67 °F | 8.5 °C / 47 °F | 10 mm / 0.4 in | best month |
| December | 13.8 °C / 57 °F | 4.7 °C / 40 °F | 16 mm / 0.6 in | good month |
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: good
- FFebruary: best
- MMarch: best
- AApril: best
- MMay: good
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: best
- NNovember: best
- DDecember: good
- Best
- February–April, October–November
- Good
- May, December–January
Why these months
January · good
In its favour: precipitation 14 mm / 0.6 in, share of daylight that is sunny 91%, wet days 2.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.3 days, average daily high 14.7 °C / 58 °F, relative humidity 38%, average daily low 5.1 °C / 41 °F.
Against: feels like (high) 11.5 °C / 53 °F.
February · best
In its favour: precipitation 17 mm / 0.7 in, share of daylight that is sunny 90%, feels like (high) 14.2 °C / 58 °F, average daily high 17.7 °C / 64 °F, wet days 2.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.6 days, average daily low 7.5 °C / 46 °F, relative humidity 31%.
March · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 18.3 °C / 65 °F, average daily high 21.6 °C / 71 °F, precipitation 10 mm / 0.4 in, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, wet days 2.5 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, average daily low 11.1 °C / 52 °F, relative humidity 25%.
April · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 23.9 °C / 75 °F, precipitation 5 mm / 0.2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, average daily high 26.5 °C / 80 °F, wet days 1.4 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, average daily low 15 °C / 59 °F.
Against: relative humidity 19%.
May · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 29 °C / 84 °F, precipitation 3 mm / 0.1 in, share of daylight that is sunny 95%, wet days 0.8 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, average daily low 19.5 °C / 67 °F.
Against: average daily high 30.9 °C / 88 °F, relative humidity 17%.
October · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 24.2 °C / 76 °F, precipitation 6 mm / 0.2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 95%, average daily high 27 °C / 81 °F, wet days 1.2 days, days with heavy rain 0.2 days, average daily low 15 °C / 59 °F.
Against: relative humidity 24%.
November · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 16.2 °C / 61 °F, average daily high 19.4 °C / 67 °F, precipitation 10 mm / 0.4 in, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, wet days 1.3 days, days with heavy rain 0.3 days, average daily low 8.5 °C / 47 °F, relative humidity 32%.
December · good
In its favour: precipitation 16 mm / 0.6 in, share of daylight that is sunny 88%, wet days 3.1 days, days with heavy rain 0.4 days, average daily high 13.8 °C / 57 °F, relative humidity 42%, average daily low 4.7 °C / 40 °F.
Against: feels like (high) 10.6 °C / 51 °F.
Hiking and trekking
Cool enough to climb in, dry enough to enjoy, long enough days.
- JJanuary: best
- FFebruary: best
- MMarch: best
- AApril: best
- MMay: neither
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: good
- NNovember: best
- DDecember: best
- Best
- November–April
- Good
- October
Why these months
January · best
In its favour: average daily high 14.7 °C / 58 °F, precipitation 14 mm / 0.6 in, wet days 2.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.3 days, feels like (high) 11.5 °C / 53 °F, average daily low 5.1 °C / 41 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 91%, wind (daily max) 6 km/h / 3 mph, daylight per day 10 h.
February · best
In its favour: average daily high 17.7 °C / 64 °F, precipitation 17 mm / 0.7 in, wet days 2.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.6 days, feels like (high) 14.2 °C / 58 °F, average daily low 7.5 °C / 46 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 90%, daylight per day 10.9 h, wind (daily max) 7 km/h / 4 mph.
March · best
In its favour: average daily high 21.6 °C / 71 °F, precipitation 10 mm / 0.4 in, wet days 2.5 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, feels like (high) 18.3 °C / 65 °F, average daily low 11.1 °C / 52 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, daylight per day 12 h, wind (daily max) 8 km/h / 5 mph.
April · best
In its favour: precipitation 5 mm / 0.2 in, wet days 1.4 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, daylight per day 13.2 h, average daily low 15 °C / 59 °F, feels like (high) 23.9 °C / 75 °F, wind (daily max) 8 km/h / 5 mph.
Against: average daily high 26.5 °C / 80 °F.
October · good
In its favour: precipitation 6 mm / 0.2 in, wet days 1.2 days, days with heavy rain 0.2 days, share of daylight that is sunny 95%, average daily low 15 °C / 59 °F, daylight per day 11.2 h, feels like (high) 24.2 °C / 76 °F, wind (daily max) 6 km/h / 4 mph.
Against: average daily high 27 °C / 81 °F.
November · best
In its favour: average daily high 19.4 °C / 67 °F, precipitation 10 mm / 0.4 in, wet days 1.3 days, days with heavy rain 0.3 days, feels like (high) 16.2 °C / 61 °F, average daily low 8.5 °C / 47 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, wind (daily max) 6 km/h / 3 mph, daylight per day 10.2 h.
December · best
In its favour: average daily high 13.8 °C / 57 °F, precipitation 16 mm / 0.6 in, wet days 3.1 days, days with heavy rain 0.4 days, average daily low 4.7 °C / 40 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 88%, feels like (high) 10.6 °C / 51 °F, wind (daily max) 5 km/h / 3 mph.
Against: daylight per day 9.7 h.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is China Peak Mountain Resort, 203 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) | 11.5 °C | 14.2 °C | 18.3 °C | 23.9 °C | 29 °C | 36.1 °C | 40 °C | 38.4 °C | 33.1 °C | 24.2 °C | 16.2 °C | 10.6 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 0.3 days | 0.6 days | 0.1 days | 0.1 days | 0.1 days | 0 days | 0.1 days | 0.1 days | 0.1 days | 0.2 days | 0.3 days | 0.4 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 5 pm | 11 am | 8 am | 4 pm | 8 am | 8 pm | 5 pm | 11 am | 5 pm | 3 pm | 9 am | 3 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 9.1 h | 9.8 h | 11.2 h | 12.4 h | 13.4 h | 13.9 h | 13.8 h | 13 h | 11.9 h | 10.7 h | 9.5 h | 8.5 h |
| Relative humidity | 38% | 31% | 25% | 19% | 17% | 13% | 16% | 16% | 18% | 24% | 32% | 42% |
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 | 5.4 µg/m³ | 6.2 µg/m³ | 6.4 µg/m³ | 6.3 µg/m³ | 5.8 µg/m³ | 6.1 µg/m³ | 4.6 µg/m³ | 3.8 µg/m³ | 3.5 µg/m³ | 3.7 µg/m³ | 3.6 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 6.7 µg/m³ | 8.4 µg/m³ | 10 µg/m³ | 9.6 µg/m³ | 8.8 µg/m³ | 8.7 µg/m³ | 9.7 µg/m³ | 7 µg/m³ | 6.1 µg/m³ | 5.6 µg/m³ | 6 µg/m³ | 5.6 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.