Best time to visit Grand Canyon
The best time to visit Grand Canyon is April–May and September–October, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Grand Canyon, Arizona, 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 | 6.8 °C / 44 °F | -4.5 °C / 24 °F | 36 mm / 1.4 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 10 °C / 50 °F | -2.3 °C / 28 °F | 32 mm / 1.3 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 14.2 °C / 58 °F | 1.1 °C / 34 °F | 35 mm / 1.4 in | good month |
| April | 19.4 °C / 67 °F | 4.7 °C / 40 °F | 13 mm / 0.5 in | best month |
| May | 24.1 °C / 75 °F | 9.2 °C / 49 °F | 12 mm / 0.5 in | best month |
| June | 31.4 °C / 89 °F | 15.2 °C / 59 °F | 4 mm / 0.2 in | good month |
| July | 32.8 °C / 91 °F | 18.9 °C / 66 °F | 21 mm / 0.8 in | good month |
| August | 31.4 °C / 89 °F | 17.7 °C / 64 °F | 22 mm / 0.9 in | good month |
| September | 28 °C / 82 °F | 13.5 °C / 56 °F | 19 mm / 0.8 in | best month |
| October | 21 °C / 70 °F | 6.8 °C / 44 °F | 20 mm / 0.8 in | best month |
| November | 14.4 °C / 58 °F | 0.9 °C / 34 °F | 19 mm / 0.8 in | good month |
| December | 7.9 °C / 46 °F | -3.3 °C / 26 °F | 37 mm / 1.5 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: good
- 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 35 mm / 1.4 in, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, wet days 5.7 days, days with heavy rain 0.8 days, average daily high 14.2 °C / 58 °F, relative humidity 45%.
Against: feels like (high) 10.3 °C / 51 °F, average daily low 1.1 °C / 34 °F.
April · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 15.4 °C / 60 °F, average daily high 19.4 °C / 67 °F, precipitation 13 mm / 0.5 in, share of daylight that is sunny 96%, wet days 2.7 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, relative humidity 30%, average daily low 4.7 °C / 40 °F.
May · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 20.7 °C / 69 °F, average daily high 24.1 °C / 75 °F, precipitation 12 mm / 0.5 in, share of daylight that is sunny 93%, wet days 2.5 days, days with heavy rain 0.3 days, average daily low 9.2 °C / 49 °F, relative humidity 26%.
June · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 28.3 °C / 83 °F, precipitation 4 mm / 0.2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 96%, wet days 1.1 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, average daily low 15.2 °C / 59 °F.
Against: average daily high 31.4 °C / 89 °F, relative humidity 19%.
July · good
In its favour: precipitation 21 mm / 0.8 in, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, wet days 6.3 days, average daily low 18.9 °C / 66 °F, relative humidity 32%.
Against: feels like (high) 31.5 °C / 89 °F, average daily high 32.8 °C / 91 °F.
August · good
In its favour: precipitation 22 mm / 0.9 in, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, feels like (high) 30.1 °C / 86 °F, wet days 5.7 days, days with heavy rain 0.3 days, average daily low 17.7 °C / 64 °F, relative humidity 36%.
Against: average daily high 31.4 °C / 89 °F.
September · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 25.5 °C / 78 °F, precipitation 19 mm / 0.8 in, share of daylight that is sunny 95%, wet days 3.7 days, days with heavy rain 0.5 days, average daily high 28 °C / 82 °F, average daily low 13.5 °C / 56 °F, relative humidity 34%.
October · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 17.3 °C / 63 °F, average daily high 21 °C / 70 °F, precipitation 20 mm / 0.8 in, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, wet days 3.5 days, days with heavy rain 0.4 days, relative humidity 37%, average daily low 6.8 °C / 44 °F.
November · good
In its favour: precipitation 19 mm / 0.8 in, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, wet days 3.1 days, days with heavy rain 0.4 days, average daily high 14.4 °C / 58 °F, relative humidity 42%.
Against: feels like (high) 9.9 °C / 50 °F, average daily low 0.9 °C / 34 °F.
Hiking and trekking
Cool enough to climb in, dry enough to enjoy, long enough days.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: best
- MMarch: best
- AApril: best
- MMay: best
- JJune: good
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: good
- OOctober: best
- NNovember: best
- DDecember: good
- Best
- February–May, October–November
- Good
- June, September, December
Why these months
February · best
In its favour: precipitation 32 mm / 1.3 in, average daily high 10 °C / 50 °F, wet days 5.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.7 days, share of daylight that is sunny 91%, daylight per day 10.9 h, wind (daily max) 14 km/h / 9 mph, feels like (high) 5.8 °C / 42 °F.
Against: average daily low -2.3 °C / 28 °F.
March · best
In its favour: average daily high 14.2 °C / 58 °F, precipitation 35 mm / 1.4 in, wet days 5.7 days, days with heavy rain 0.8 days, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, daylight per day 12 h, feels like (high) 10.3 °C / 51 °F, average daily low 1.1 °C / 34 °F, wind (daily max) 17 km/h / 10 mph.
April · best
In its favour: average daily high 19.4 °C / 67 °F, precipitation 13 mm / 0.5 in, wet days 2.7 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, feels like (high) 15.4 °C / 60 °F, average daily low 4.7 °C / 40 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 96%, daylight per day 13.1 h, wind (daily max) 19 km/h / 12 mph.
May · best
In its favour: precipitation 12 mm / 0.5 in, average daily high 24.1 °C / 75 °F, wet days 2.5 days, days with heavy rain 0.3 days, feels like (high) 20.7 °C / 69 °F, average daily low 9.2 °C / 49 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 93%, daylight per day 14.1 h, wind (daily max) 18 km/h / 11 mph.
June · good
In its favour: precipitation 4 mm / 0.2 in, wet days 1.1 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, share of daylight that is sunny 96%, daylight per day 14.6 h, average daily low 15.2 °C / 59 °F, wind (daily max) 18 km/h / 11 mph.
Against: average daily high 31.4 °C / 89 °F, feels like (high) 28.3 °C / 83 °F.
September · good
In its favour: precipitation 19 mm / 0.8 in, wet days 3.7 days, days with heavy rain 0.5 days, average daily low 13.5 °C / 56 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 95%, daylight per day 12.4 h, wind (daily max) 14 km/h / 9 mph, feels like (high) 25.5 °C / 78 °F.
Against: average daily high 28 °C / 82 °F.
October · best
In its favour: average daily high 21 °C / 70 °F, precipitation 20 mm / 0.8 in, wet days 3.5 days, days with heavy rain 0.4 days, feels like (high) 17.3 °C / 63 °F, average daily low 6.8 °C / 44 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, daylight per day 11.3 h, wind (daily max) 14 km/h / 9 mph.
November · best
In its favour: average daily high 14.4 °C / 58 °F, precipitation 19 mm / 0.8 in, wet days 3.1 days, days with heavy rain 0.4 days, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, feels like (high) 9.9 °C / 50 °F, average daily low 0.9 °C / 34 °F, wind (daily max) 14 km/h / 9 mph, daylight per day 10.3 h.
December · good
In its favour: precipitation 37 mm / 1.5 in, wet days 6.1 days, days with heavy rain 1.2 days, average daily high 7.9 °C / 46 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 84%, wind (daily max) 12 km/h / 8 mph.
Against: average daily low -3.3 °C / 26 °F, feels like (high) 3.6 °C / 38 °F, daylight per day 9.8 h.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Arizona Snowbowl, 90 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) | 2.7 °C | 5.8 °C | 10.3 °C | 15.4 °C | 20.7 °C | 28.3 °C | 31.5 °C | 30.1 °C | 25.5 °C | 17.3 °C | 9.9 °C | 3.6 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 1.1 days | 0.7 days | 0.8 days | 0.1 days | 0.3 days | 0.1 days | 0.1 days | 0.3 days | 0.5 days | 0.4 days | 0.4 days | 1.2 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 10 pm | 3 am | 5 pm | 5 pm | 6 pm | 4 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 4 pm | 4 pm | 11 am | 11 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 8.7 h | 9.9 h | 11 h | 12.6 h | 13.1 h | 14 h | 13.1 h | 12.6 h | 11.8 h | 10.6 h | 9.4 h | 8.2 h |
| Relative humidity | 58% | 52% | 45% | 30% | 26% | 19% | 32% | 36% | 34% | 37% | 42% | 56% |
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 | 3.9 µg/m³ | 5.3 µg/m³ | 5.5 µg/m³ | 3.9 µg/m³ | 4.5 µg/m³ | 4.3 µg/m³ | 6.6 µg/m³ | 4.3 µg/m³ | 2.9 µg/m³ | 2.7 µg/m³ | 3.5 µg/m³ | 3.4 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 6.3 µg/m³ | 8 µg/m³ | 8.7 µg/m³ | 6.5 µg/m³ | 7.5 µg/m³ | 7.2 µg/m³ | 15.4 µg/m³ | 7.8 µg/m³ | 4.6 µg/m³ | 4.5 µg/m³ | 6 µg/m³ | 5.3 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.
World Heritage sites nearby
UNESCO World Heritage sites within 25 km, nearest first.
- Grand Canyon National Park
2 km away