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The Green Adventures

Best time to visit Bryce Canyon

How busy the park gets each month, what the weather is like, and the weeks to aim for or avoid.

  • Best time to visit Bryce Canyon: May to August. The weather is at its most comfortable then, and crowds are lighter than at the peak.
  • Busiest month: September, with about 351,653 visits in a typical recent year. That is 4.4 times as many as November.
  • Quietest month: January (31,712 visits), when weather or closures keep most people away.
  • Cold: average highs stay below 40°F in January, February and December.
  • Snow: January to March, November and December average 6 inches or more of snow at the station.
JanVery quiet37°17°1.9 in20 in snow
FebVery quiet39°18°1.7 in18 in snow
MarQuiet46°23°1.3 in13 in snow
AprBusy54°29°0.8 in6 in snow
MayBusiest63°37°0.9 in2 in snowBest
JunBusiest75°45°0.5 inBest
JulBusiest80°52°1.6 inBest
AugBusiest78°50°1.9 inBest
SepBusiest70°42°1.8 in
OctBusy58°32°1.7 in3 in snow
NovQuiet46°23°1.3 in10 in snow
DecVery quiet37°17°1.3 in15 in snow

Bar height: visitors that month, compared with the busiest month. Temperatures: average daily high and low (°F); rain and snow: monthly averages. Best marks the months we suggest.

Month by month

Month Crowds Visits (typical) High / low (°F) Precipitation Snow
January Very quiet 31,712 37° / 17° 1.9 in 20 in
February Very quiet 37,620 39° / 18° 1.7 in 18 in
March Quiet 102,422 46° / 23° 1.3 in 13 in
April Busy 218,861 54° / 29° 0.8 in 6 in
May ★ Busiest 307,508 63° / 37° 0.9 in 2 in
June ★ Busiest 338,837 75° / 45° 0.5 in 0 in
July ★ Busiest 319,200 80° / 52° 1.6 in 0 in
August ★ Busiest 304,412 78° / 50° 1.9 in 0 in
September Busiest 351,653 70° / 42° 1.8 in 0 in
October Busy 253,317 58° / 32° 1.7 in 3 in
November Quiet 80,715 46° / 23° 1.3 in 10 in
December Very quiet 60,160 37° / 17° 1.3 in 15 in

Weather figures are NOAA 1991 to 2020 climate normals for the Bryce Canyon NP Hqrs station (7,890 feet above sea level), 0 miles from Bryce Canyon Visitor Center. Visitor numbers are the median of 2022 to 2025 monthly recreation visits from the National Park Service.

By season

  • Spring (March to May): 26% of the year’s visits; average highs 46° to 63°F.
  • Summer (June to August): 40% of the year’s visits; average highs 75° to 80°F.
  • Fall (September to November): 28% of the year’s visits; average highs 46° to 70°F.
  • Winter (December to February): 5% of the year’s visits; average highs 37° to 39°F.

Weekends and holidays

Even in a quiet month, holiday weekends fill parking lots and campgrounds. The 2027 federal holidays to plan around:

  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Monday, January 18
  • Presidents Day: Monday, February 15
  • Memorial Day: Monday, May 31
  • Juneteenth: Saturday, June 19
  • Independence Day: Sunday, July 4 (observed Monday, July 5)
  • Labor Day: Monday, September 6
  • Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day: Monday, October 11
  • Veterans Day: Thursday, November 11
  • Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 25

Entrance is free for U.S. residents on the park service’s fee-free days. The last one in 2026 is Veterans Day, November 11; the 2027 dates had not been announced when we checked. Free days are often busier. See the crowd calendar for all 64 parks.

Weather, in the park service’s words

Due of its high elevation climate, weather at Bryce Canyon through autumn, winter, and spring can be highly variable. From October to May temperatures fall below freezing nearly every night. The park typically experiences its coldest and snowiest periods from December through February. Spring storms in March and April can still produce heavy snowfall that may impact travel in the region. Summer highs are typically in the 70s-80s F and afternoon thunderstorms are common in July and August.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Today at Bryce Canyon

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Alerts: National Park Service, checked hourly. Forecast: National Weather Service, for Bryce Canyon Visitor Center. Always confirm on the official park site before you set out.

Sources

Last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best month to visit Bryce Canyon?
May to August. September is the busiest month and November the quietest while the park is fully open.
What is the busiest month at Bryce Canyon?
September, with about 351,653 recreation visits in a typical recent year.
How crowded is Bryce Canyon in summer?
Summer brings 40% of the year’s visits; average highs 75° to 80°F.