Grand Canyon is spectacular any time of year, and I could say the best time to visit is any time you can get there, but that would be a cop-out, and also, there would be no reason for you to watch this video.

Mistakenly, visitors often have the impression that Grand Canyon has consistently warm and sunny weather. But, sitting at an altitude of 7,000 feet (2,100 m) at South Rim and 8,000 feet (2,400 m) at North Rim , with a descent of about a mile to the Canyon floor, Grand Canyon is subject to weather extremes. It can be covered in snow with frigid temperatures in the Winter and have dangerously hot weather in the Summer.

Peak season at Grand Canyon has evolved. The busiest months are now May and October! The busiest times are times to avoid. Wait times at the gate to enter the park can stretch to hours, and there are lines at the free shuttle bus stops and at the restaurants and attractions. Parking is frustrating and difficult to find. People block the views. If you can avoid it, peak season is NOT the best time to visit Grand Canyon.

The quietest and cheapest time to visit the Canyon is Winter, particularly January and February, when visitation rates are less than 20% of the Peak.

During the Winter room rates drop meaningfully, often close to 80% less than peak room rates. A room at Maswik Lodge costs $330 in May 2024, but with the right sales, only $69 in January. In Winter parking is easy, crowds are non-existent, and you can stand in popular spots on the rim at noon and still be by yourself . But, for the casual visitor, Winter weather is unpredictable. At minimum, you need to bring clothes for sub-freezing temperatures, often you will need traction devices for your shoes on icy trails, and in recent years the Park Service has closed the Rim Drive for snow at the drop of a hat. This year, for the first time, they have started closing the rim drive in anticipation of storms, whether they block the road or not! Any time a storm blows through, you can experience reduced ability to visit the popular viewpoints on the rim. Plus, during big storms, accidents are common on the roadways, and in severe weather, even the road to the South Gate can close. You should always consult the AZ551.gov traffic website and a weather website as well. Winter is great if you live close to the Canyon and reschedule a trip easily–I just cancelled my most recent two reservations because of bad weather. But if you are traveling a distance or have a limited window of time to visit, I would avoid the Winter months.

Now, there is a time in late August where the Summer heat mellows and the families stay home to prepare for the school year and crowds decrease along with room rates. But it is still pretty hot at the Canyon. That is not the time I recommend.

The time I recommend is the edge of the Spring and Fall visitation peaks. The first few weeks of March and the Month of November up until the Thanksgiving Holiday can give you moderate weather, thinning crowds, and reasonable room rates. Of course, in both March and November, snow and bitter cold is possible, but in general the skies are clear and the temperatures are mild.

Now, to narrow it further, if it has been a snowy year, in Spring there may still be ice on the pathways and trails, particularly if you hike into the Canyon. In November, although there may be occasional fresh snowfall, it has not packed into ice, and the trails will generally be clear and safe.

So, my most specific recommendation of the best time to visit Grand Canyon is the weeks in November before the Thanksgiving holiday. That’s the South Rim.

For North Rim, the answer is easier. North Rim visitor facilities are only open from May 15 to October 15 yearly, although the North Rim Road may be open until December 1, weather permitting.

There are no room discounts on North Rim, and the visitation rate remain about the same all season long, with peaks during “rim to rim” season, generally May 15 to June 1 and October 1 to October 15. Then, heat conditions in the deep canyon tend to be more endurable.

But a specific natural phenomena exists that makes the best date to visit North Rim easy, and that is the Fall foliage. There are massive strands of Aspen and sprinkles of Maples along the drive and at North Rim that make an Autumn visit a two-for, you get the Canyon vistas, plus you get the beautiful foliage. Fall comes early at the high altitudes on North rim, and the peak foliage dates vary by year, but I would recommend visiting from September 8 to October 8. That is before the worst crush of rim to rim visitors, and with the full spectacle of the fall colors. And, if you stay at the North Rim Lodge, no rooms have AC, so the cooling weather makes the visit more pleasant.

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