Best Time to Visit Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands National Park is located in southeastern Utah, near the town of Moab, and is renowned for its dramatic desert landscape of canyons, mesas, and buttes carved by the Colorado and Green Rivers. The best time to visit Canyonlands National Park largely depends on your preferences for weather, activities, and crowd levels.
Use this Canyonlands National Park guide to learn more about what it’s like to visit during various seasons and months of the year to help you decide the best time for YOU to plan your vacation.

You’ll find a variety of things to do no matter what month you visit Canyonlands National Park: hiking, biking, canyoneering, scenic drives, stargazing, photography, and more!
We live only a few hours away from Canyonlands, and this guide is based on our experiences visiting all four seasons of the year! You’ll find a list of things to do, packing checklist, travel tips and weather information for the different seasons and months at Canyonlands National Park.
The number one tip for visiting Canyonlands is to pack clothing and gear for the weather and temperatures for the time you’ll visit the park. Take a look at our Canyonlands Packing List and grab your free printable checklist by clicking the image below!
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A Photo Tour of Canyonlands National Park
Take a visual tour through Canyonlands National Park (and Dead Horse Point) to see the stunning landscape in the parks!
Canyonlands Park Hours and Services
Canyonlands National Park is normally open year-round, 24 hours a day. Each district has its own visitor center with operating hours that change with the seasons. Some facilities close in the winter.
- Canyonlands Island in the Sky Visitor Center
- Visiting Canyonlands National Park
- Needles Canyonlands
- Canyonlands National Park Island in the Sky
- Canyonlands Island in the Sky vs Needles
BEST TIME TO VISIT CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK
While there isn’t a bad time to explore Canyonlands, some seasons make visiting more enjoyable than others since most of your time will be outdoors. It’s important to know what the Canyonlands National Park weather will be like for the time you plan to visit the park.
Visiting Canyonlands by Season
- Canyonlands National Park in the Spring
- Canyonlands National Park in the Summer
- Canyonlands National Park in the Fall
- Canyonlands National Park in the Winter
Visiting Canyonlands by Month
- Canyonlands National Park in January
- Canyonlands National Park in February
- Canyonlands National Park in March
- Canyonlands National Park in April
- Canyonlands National Park in May
- Canyonlands National Park in June
- Canyonlands National Park in July
- Canyonlands National Park in August
- Canyonlands National Park in September
- Canyonlands National Park in October
- Canyonlands National Park in November
- Canyonlands National Park in December

Spring at Canyonlands
You will encounter some of the most glorious weather while visiting in the spring: March: 59° / 30° | April: 67° / 37° | May: 78° / 46°
This is the perfect time of year to explore the Canyonlands hikes at Island in the Sky and Needles!
Keep in mind that Canyonlands, Arches and the Moab area are VERY popular during spring break. We recommend visiting early or later in the afternoon to avoid lines and full parking lots.

Summer at Canyonlands
The summer temperatures at Canyonlands will be HOT: June: 90° / 56° | July: 95° / 63° | August: 92° / 61°
Be sure to drink plenty of water! Pack all food and water you’ll need since the park is remote and there are no services to buy food. You can fill water bottles at the visitor center.
We recommend an early start for all Island in the Sky hikes, Canyonlands Needles hikes and other activities exploring the park in the summer so you can be outdoors in the cooler part of the day. Don’t forget to protect yourself from the sun with sunscreen, a sun hat and UV protective clothing!

Fall at Canyonlands
Canyonlands in the fall is a great time to visit. The temperatures are starting to cool down so you can be outdoors most of the day: September: 84° / 51° | October: 70° / 38° | November: 55° / 27°
We recommend you wear layers since the mornings and evenings will start to get cooler from September to November.
You won’t see colorful leaves in Canyonlands, but it the perfect time to explore the park hiking, biking, driving the off-road trails and enjoying various river activities. Check out these Canyonlands and Moab tours for exploring the area!

Winter at Canyonlands
Winter at Canyonlands is the off-season due to the weather and temperatures: December: 43° / 18° | January: 42° / 17° | February: 49° / 23°
But if you’re willing to bundle up a bit, you’ll enjoy the quiet, uncrowded experience at the park.
You can avoid crowds and the heat of summer, but visitor services are reduced. You will need to be more self-reliant when visiting Canyonlands in the winter.
When the sandstone trails in the park get covered with snow and ice, it can be treacherous. Also the snow can quickly cover cairns, making trails difficult to follow. Snow and ice may also be present in shady spots even if the majority of the snow has melted. We recommend instep crampons or other traction aids.
Another thing to keep in mind, on a recent winter visit, we discovered the roads weren’t plowed into the park. Use your judgement when the park is open, but the road haven’t been plowed. Island in the Sky sits at a high altitude so it takes a bit longer for things to melt there.
BUY AT AMAZON: Arches and Canyonlands Guides and Maps
Canyonlands Itineraries
We’ve created some done-for-you itineraries for visiting Canyonlands depending on the time you have to spend at the park. Click the graphic below to get a free travel bundle that includes printable daily itineraries. Or click the links below to see detailed itineraries of the best things to do at Canyonlands!
- Canyonlands National Park One Day Itinerary
- Two Days at Canyonlands National Park
- Three Days at Canyonlands National Park
- One Day at Needles Canyonlands National Park
