Best time to visit Yellowstone National Park
The best time to visit Yellowstone National Park is July–August, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, 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 °C / 21 °F | -12.1 °C / 10 °F | 63 mm / 2.5 in | neither best nor good |
| February | -4.6 °C / 24 °F | -11.2 °C / 12 °F | 74 mm / 2.9 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 0.2 °C / 32 °F | -7.5 °C / 19 °F | 75 mm / 3 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 3.6 °C / 38 °F | -5.3 °C / 22 °F | 81 mm / 3.2 in | neither best nor good |
| May | 7.8 °C / 46 °F | -2.1 °C / 28 °F | 68 mm / 2.7 in | neither best nor good |
| June | 15.1 °C / 59 °F | 2.6 °C / 37 °F | 59 mm / 2.3 in | good month |
| July | 21.5 °C / 71 °F | 7.1 °C / 45 °F | 27 mm / 1.1 in | best month |
| August | 20.4 °C / 69 °F | 7.6 °C / 46 °F | 42 mm / 1.7 in | best month |
| September | 15.7 °C / 60 °F | 4.2 °C / 40 °F | 56 mm / 2.2 in | good month |
| October | 6.6 °C / 44 °F | -2 °C / 28 °F | 73 mm / 2.9 in | neither best nor good |
| November | -0.6 °C / 31 °F | -7.5 °C / 19 °F | 69 mm / 2.7 in | neither best nor good |
| December | -5.8 °C / 22 °F | -12 °C / 10 °F | 78 mm / 3.1 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: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: neither
- JJune: good
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: best
- SSeptember: good
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- July–August
- Good
- June, September
Why these months
June · good
In its favour: precipitation 59 mm / 2.3 in, share of daylight that is sunny 86%, days with heavy rain 1.1 days, average daily high 15.1 °C / 59 °F, relative humidity 64%, wet days 11.7 days.
Against: feels like (high) 12.2 °C / 54 °F, average daily low 2.6 °C / 37 °F.
July · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 18.8 °C / 66 °F, average daily high 21.5 °C / 71 °F, precipitation 27 mm / 1.1 in, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, days with heavy rain 0.2 days, wet days 7.8 days, relative humidity 54%, average daily low 7.1 °C / 45 °F.
August · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 17.5 °C / 64 °F, average daily high 20.4 °C / 69 °F, precipitation 42 mm / 1.7 in, share of daylight that is sunny 90%, days with heavy rain 1 days, wet days 8.7 days, relative humidity 55%, average daily low 7.6 °C / 46 °F.
September · good
In its favour: precipitation 56 mm / 2.2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 88%, average daily high 15.7 °C / 60 °F, days with heavy rain 2 days, wet days 8.7 days, relative humidity 61%, average daily low 4.2 °C / 40 °F.
Against: feels like (high) 12 °C / 54 °F.
Hiking and trekking
Cool enough to climb in, dry enough to enjoy, long enough days.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: good
- JJune: best
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: best
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- June–September
- Good
- May
Why these months
May · good
In its favour: precipitation 68 mm / 2.7 in, days with heavy rain 1.4 days, average daily high 7.8 °C / 46 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 83%, daylight per day 14.8 h, wind (daily max) 16 km/h / 10 mph.
Against: wet days 13.3 days, average daily low -2.1 °C / 28 °F, feels like (high) 4.8 °C / 41 °F.
June · best
In its favour: average daily high 15.1 °C / 59 °F, precipitation 59 mm / 2.3 in, days with heavy rain 1.1 days, feels like (high) 12.2 °C / 54 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 86%, daylight per day 15.5 h, average daily low 2.6 °C / 37 °F, wet days 11.7 days, wind (daily max) 18 km/h / 11 mph.
July · best
In its favour: average daily high 21.5 °C / 71 °F, precipitation 27 mm / 1.1 in, days with heavy rain 0.2 days, wet days 7.8 days, feels like (high) 18.8 °C / 66 °F, average daily low 7.1 °C / 45 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, daylight per day 15.2 h, wind (daily max) 17 km/h / 11 mph.
August · best
In its favour: average daily high 20.4 °C / 69 °F, precipitation 42 mm / 1.7 in, days with heavy rain 1 days, wet days 8.7 days, feels like (high) 17.5 °C / 64 °F, average daily low 7.6 °C / 46 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 90%, daylight per day 14 h, wind (daily max) 16 km/h / 10 mph.
September · best
In its favour: average daily high 15.7 °C / 60 °F, precipitation 56 mm / 2.2 in, wet days 8.7 days, days with heavy rain 2 days, feels like (high) 12 °C / 54 °F, average daily low 4.2 °C / 40 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 88%, daylight per day 12.5 h, wind (daily max) 17 km/h / 10 mph.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Big Sky Resort, 95 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 °C | -9.8 °C | -4.5 °C | -0.5 °C | 4.8 °C | 12.2 °C | 18.8 °C | 17.5 °C | 12 °C | 2.2 °C | -5.4 °C | -10.7 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 1.1 days | 1.8 days | 1.6 days | 1.8 days | 1.4 days | 1.1 days | 0.2 days | 1 days | 2 days | 1.9 days | 1.9 days | 2 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 4 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 6 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 4 pm | 4 pm | 3 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 6.5 h | 7.6 h | 9.6 h | 11.1 h | 12.4 h | 13.4 h | 14.2 h | 12.6 h | 11 h | 8.8 h | 7 h | 5.7 h |
| Relative humidity | 79% | 78% | 73% | 71% | 72% | 64% | 54% | 55% | 61% | 74% | 81% | 82% |
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 | 2.4 µg/m³ | 3.9 µg/m³ | 6.3 µg/m³ | 8.1 µg/m³ | 8 µg/m³ | 7.1 µg/m³ | 7.3 µg/m³ | 6.4 µg/m³ | 5.4 µg/m³ | 3.3 µg/m³ | 3.4 µg/m³ | 2.7 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 4.4 µg/m³ | 6.9 µg/m³ | 10.6 µg/m³ | 13.2 µg/m³ | 13.2 µg/m³ | 11.6 µg/m³ | 11.6 µg/m³ | 10 µg/m³ | 8.8 µg/m³ | 6.3 µg/m³ | 6.3 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.
World Heritage sites nearby
UNESCO World Heritage sites within 25 km, nearest first.
- Yellowstone National Park
4 km away