Grand Canyon: The Best Times to Visit, The Worst Times to Visit

There’s a reason why the Grand Canyon attracts over six million visitors every year. The Grand Canyon has a beautiful natural landscape and offers quality camping, fun rafting, and several other activities that make for memorable vacations. However, if you plan on taking a trip out to visit the Canyon, you’ll want to make the most of it.

Certain parts of the Canyon are prime for visitors at different times of the year. If you visit the Canyon during the wrong time, you might risk having a disappointing or frustrating vacation. Here are some suggestions for the prime times to visit certain areas of the Grand Canyon and some time frames for when you should just stay away.
(Revised May 24, 2024)

Visit the North Rim Between May and October

The summer season is always the busiest for the Grand Canyon, but the majority of the tourists venture towards the South Rim at this time. If you visit the North Rim, you’ll be able to enjoy a more isolated and personal experience. As an added bonus, the North Rim tends to have cooler temperatures than other areas of the Grand Canyon, providing more relief from the summer heat. The North Rim is also closed during the winter months, so you’re better off planning on visiting this area between the spring and fall anyway.

Check Out the South Rim in the Fall

The most popular area of the Grand Canyon is bound to have crowds year-round, but you can avoid the biggest rush if you choose to visit the South Rim during the fall season. Not only is there less tourism because summer has ended, but the cooler weather can make nature hikes and biking less sweaty.

Visit the West Rim During the Spring

While not officially part of the Grand Canyon National Park, the West Rim has plenty of fun attractions such as whitewater rafting, quality dining, and the 4,000-foot high Skywalk. This area is the most accessible and enjoyable during the spring months before it gets too hot. While most attractions are offered year-round, some close down for the evening. Be sure to get tickets and make arrangements to visit during the daylight hours.

Other Quick Tips

If you are mostly concerned about weather, the Grand Canyon’s climate has cooler weather and less rainfall between April and June.

July and August are the worst months to visit the Grand Canyon due to larger crowds and hotter, wetter weather.
You can get cheaper deals on lodging and activities between November and February.

The best way to decide what time of year is best to explore the Grand Canyon is to think about what you want to do when you’re there. You should definitely consider what activities appeal to you most. For example:

Do you want to hike a trail? Do you want to hike into the Grand Canyon?
Do you want to camp and stay overnight, or would you rather a day trip?
Are you interested in a helicopter tour?
Do you want to experience the glass walk also known as Skywalk?
Are you traveling with kids?
Are you ready to whitewater raft on the Colorado River?

Hope this article helps with your decision on when to visit the canyon. If not, try out our Tripper Planner and we’ll send content straight to your inbox that will give you a good start in planning an amazing adventure at Grand Canyon. Happy exploring!