Best time to visit Zion
- Best time
- October
- Avoid
- July
- Warmest month
- July · 100°F
- Wettest month
- February · 2.1 in
- Peak crowds
- May · Jun · Jul · Aug
Zion is a canyon park, and that shapes its calendar. The Virgin River decides when you can hike the Narrows; the summer sun bakes the canyon floor; the monsoon brings flash floods; and the free shuttle, which replaces cars on the Scenic Drive for most of the year, decides how you get around.
Zion month by month
Average high / low and rain are NOAA 1991–2020 normals (Zion Np, Ut Us). Crowd levels and what is open are our reading of each season, not official counts.
January
Mixed- High / low
- 54° / 30°F
- Rain
- 2.0 in
- Crowds
- Quiet
Scenic Drive open to cars
No regular shuttle outside the holiday period: drive the canyon yourself. Ice on shaded trails.
February
Mixed- High / low
- 58° / 34°F
- Rain
- 2.1 in
- Crowds
- Quiet
Scenic Drive open to cars
Cool and quiet. Snow on the rim, rarely in the canyon.
March
Good- High / low
- 66° / 39°F
- Rain
- 2.0 in
- Crowds
- Busy
Shuttle season starts early March
Spring break crowds. The Narrows is often closed by snowmelt (flow above 150 cfs).
April
Good- High / low
- 73° / 44°F
- Rain
- 1.2 in
- Crowds
- Busy
Shuttle running
Flowering desert, mild hiking. Narrows often still closed.
May
Good- High / low
- 84° / 53°F
- Rain
- 0.8 in
- Crowds
- Peak
Shuttle running
Busy, warm. The Narrows may reopen late in the month in a dry year.
June
Mixed- High / low
- 95° / 62°F
- Rain
- 0.2 in
- Crowds
- Peak
Shuttle running
Hot afternoons; the Narrows usually opens as snowmelt drops. Start at the first shuttle.
July
Avoid- High / low
- 100° / 70°F
- Rain
- 1.1 in
- Crowds
- Peak
Shuttle running
Very hot; monsoon storms begin. Check the flash-flood forecast before any slot or the Narrows.
August
Mixed- High / low
- 98° / 69°F
- Rain
- 1.6 in
- Crowds
- Peak
Shuttle running
Hot and stormy afternoons; flash-flood risk is highest.
September
Best- High / low
- 91° / 61°F
- Rain
- 1.2 in
- Crowds
- Busy
Shuttle running
Heat eases, storms fade, the Narrows is usually open.
October
Best- High / low
- 78° / 49°F
- Rain
- 1.2 in
- Crowds
- Busy
Shuttle running
Our favourite month. Fall colors late in October.
November
Good- High / low
- 64° / 37°F
- Rain
- 1.2 in
- Crowds
- Moderate
Shuttle season ends late November
Crisp and quiet; the Narrows needs a drysuit from now on.
December
Mixed- High / low
- 53° / 29°F
- Rain
- 1.6 in
- Crowds
- Quiet
Holiday shuttle late December
Short days, chilly mornings. Shuttles run again over Christmas–New Year.
Temperatures and rain
Seasons and events to plan around
Zion Canyon shuttle season
Early March to late November, plus the holidays
The 2026 schedule ran the Zion Canyon Line from March 7 to November 28 with a holiday period from December 26 to January 2. When the shuttle runs, the Scenic Drive is closed to private cars.
Source: Zion National Park news release, 6 Feb 2026 (NPS) · checked Oct 27, 2026
Narrows closures
Mostly spring (snowmelt) and summer storms
The park closes the Narrows when the Virgin River flows above 150 cubic feet per second, and during flash-flood warnings. Check the river flow and the forecast at the visitor center the morning you hike.
Source: Zion conditions (NPS) · checked Oct 27, 2026
The verdict
Best month
October
Warm days, cool nights, the river low enough for the Narrows in most years and the cottonwoods turning gold late in the month. Book Springdale early: it is no secret.
Avoid
July
Highs routinely over 100°F (38°C) on the canyon floor, the start of monsoon flash-flood season, and peak crowds at the shuttle stops.
When to visit Zion: your questions
What is the best month to visit Zion?
October, then late September. Temperatures are mild and the Narrows is usually open.
When is the Narrows open?
Whenever the Virgin River runs below 150 cubic feet per second and there is no flash-flood warning: usually from early summer to fall, sometimes all year in a dry spring.
Can you drive through Zion Canyon?
Only when the shuttle is not running — most of the winter. From early March to late November the Scenic Drive is shuttle-only.
Is Zion too hot in summer?
Midday on the canyon floor, yes: 100°F (38°C) is common. Hike at dawn and spend afternoons in the river or in shade.
Written by Kylian Dev · Last reviewed October 21, 2026. Event dates move from year to year: always confirm on the organiser’s site.