GRAND CANYON exploring

When to go? Weather

One of the 'Warning Signs' at the trails (in English, French, German and Japanese): "Warning! DO NOT attempt to hike from the canyon rim to the river and back in one day. Each year hikers suffer serious illness or death from exhaustion."

The South Rim (and the Grand Canyon Village) are open year around. Most guests visit the Grand Canyon from April to November and the busiest time is from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

I prefer to go to the South Rim in spring (April/May) and fall (October/November) but the winter has an advantage too - you will have the clearest views. The best time to go to the bottom (Phantom Ranch) is during the cooler months. During the summer months the temperature down in the canyon can extend easily 100 º F!

During the summer months the crowds are huge at the South Rim and it is almost impossible to find a parking space and to get around. This will change (at least a little bit) when the light rail transportation system is completed. Till then it might be a good idea to use the train from Williams and use the shuttle buses along the rim.

The North Rim is quieter and the best time to go there is from mid-May to mid-October. During that time the Grand Canyon Lodge (the only hotel at the North Rim) is open. All services close after October 15 (except the campground - depending on weather conditions). After December 1 everything is closed until spring.

I prefer to go to the North Rim in spring (blooming flowers) and fall (tree leaves change colors).

Whenever you go, make your plans and reservations as far in advance as possible. Reservations are recommended if you would like to stay in the Grand Canyon Village, the Grand Canyon Lodge, for mule or rafting trips. I was told that rooms are booked out for over a year around busy holidays.
Reservations for over-night-staying within the Grand Canyon at one of the Park Ranger Campgrounds are strongly recommended. Reservations for the Phantom Ranch should be done at least 24 months ahead.


WEATHER

Be always prepared for sudden and unexpected changes in the weather and select your clothing wisely.

Recommended for hikers:
Layers of clothing, sturdy shoes, extra socks, a hat, sunscreen and sunglasses.
Always carry and drink plenty of water (minimum 1 gallon a day). On warm days, inner-canyon temperatures can reach 100ºF. Warning signs (see above) at the beginning of trails warn hikers. Unfortunately many hikers have to be rescued because of exhaustion and dehydration.

South Rim

Summer: daytime highs in the 80s, nighttime lows in the 50s, thunderstorms in July and August Fall: cooler with snow and freezing temperatures in November
Winter: daytime highs in the 40s and very cold nights, winter storms
Spring: saison of sudden weather changes, be prepared and carry a jacket

Aktuelles Wetter des Ortes Tusayan, AZ:
(nahe der Südeinfahrt zum Grand Canyon National Park/South Rim)



North Rim

The temperatures are about 10 degrees lower than at the South Rim because of the higher elevation. Late springs, short summers and strong winters are typical.

Inner canyon

There is an elevation difference of 5,000 feet between the rim and the river, resulting in different climates: high country forests on the rims, desert in the inner canyon.
Summer highs range from 100s to 110s and hot winds are common. Freezing temperatures are rare with lows between 30s and 50s.


The following chart applies only to the rim areas (not to the inner-canyon) and is a statistic, not a weather forecast!

Averages and Records by Month for the Grand Canyon National Park
Month	Avg. High	Avg. Low	Mean	Avg. Precip.	Record High	Record Low
Jan	38ºF	16ºF	27ºF	3.73 in.	63ºF (1975)	-18ºF (1979)
Feb	40ºF	17ºF	29ºF	3.42 in.	64ºF (1957)	-23ºF (1985)
Mar	44ºF	21ºF	33ºF	3.46 in.	65ºF (1997)	-4ºF (1975)
Apr	52ºF	26ºF	39ºF	1.47 in.	74ºF (1981)	3ºF (1975)
May	61ºF	33ºF	47ºF	0.87 in.	81ºF (1951)	12ºF (1978)
Jun	73ºF	41ºF	57ºF	0.46 in.	89ºF (1968)	22ºF (1999)
Jul	77ºF	47ºF	62ºF	1.83 in.	91ºF (1989)	27ºF (1971)
Aug	74ºF	46ºF	60ºF	2.17 in.	90ºF (1986)	24ºF (1968)
Sep	68ºF	40ºF	54ºF	1.76 in.	88ºF (1950)	22ºF (1978)
Oct	57ºF	30ºF	44ºF	2.04 in.	82ºF (1973)	6ºF (1949)
Nov	45ºF	22ºF	34ºF	1.84 in.	66ºF (1949)	-2ºF (1976)
Dec	40ºF	17ºF	28ºF	2.47 in.	68ºF (1981)	-22ºF (1978)

WEATHER LINKS

There are several ways to get infos about the current weather situation (and forecast) at the Grand Canyon.

• Just go to your own internet provider service 'weather' and use the 'city search function' for Grand Canyon or Grand Canyon National Park.
  
• Go to 'azcentral-Weather' current conditions Grand Canyon (and forecast) provided by www.azcentral.com.
• On the internet I usually go to weather.com for current weather conditions, forecast and doppler radar.
  
• The official website of The National Park Service (www.nps.gov) provides a page with a live webcam (Yavapoint View) and current weather conditions at the rim (Current View & Weather, Grand Canyon NP).
  

Be aware that the weather infos you get usually are for the Grand Canyon Village or the rim area around it - not for all areas of the canyon, the inner canyon or the Colorado river area!


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