The months of April, May and June, and the months of August, September and October are the best months to visit Utah as temperatures are milder and nature either blooms or takes on a beautiful shade of orange, red, and brown. Traveling during off-season (the time between a destination’s peak season and off-season) can generally save you money on flights, car rentals, and accommodation. Summer is the high season when prices can skyrocket. Prices often drop in winter, but many travelers don’t want to experience the snow, ice and freezing temperatures (except skiing, of course.
From April to May, parks in southern Utah are at their busiest due to milder temperatures, spring blossoms, and beautiful scenery. While spring is undoubtedly the most pleasant time of year in southern Utah, I personally like to avoid peak travel periods such as Spring Break, Memorial Day, and the weeks after graduation. Be prepared to deal with big crowds on iconic trails and make plans to visit other less crowded areas as well. Take a look at this list of my favorite Utah hikes to help you plan.
Also watch out for event dates — such as Jeep Week in Moab — which attracts a large audience every year in April. In addition to Lake Powell, one of America’s funniest lakes, Utah is home to many other recreation reservoirs, such as Flaming Gorge, which are suitable for both boating and fishing. Overall, this is the best time to visit Utah — when prices, crowds, and extreme weather are at their lowest. Visiting South Utah in winter can also mean lower prices for accommodation in popular destinations such as Moab, although services may be limited in some of the more remote parks, such as Capitol Reef.
Utah can be a lot of fun in winter when you enjoy colder weather, so this might be the best time to visit Utah for you. If you’re visiting southern Utah in winter, be prepared for temperatures between 25 and 50 degrees during the day and below freezing at night. However, if you can travel during the off-season, you’ll find cheaper accommodation, fewer crowds, and milder weather in the West. Utah is beautiful all year round, but watching fall leaves turn bright yellow, orange and red against the incredible red rock landscape is simply breathtaking.
It’s one of the best times to visit Utah National Parks thanks to the mild weather and beautiful fall leaves. If you’re planning a trip to Utah to visit the national parks, late spring and early fall give you the best weather conditions. With summer vacations and so much to see, Utah’s crowds are highest in summer, where the days are hot but the nights are cool. The annual rainfall is significantly below the national average. So if you’re traveling to Utah, you don’t have to worry as much about lots of rainy days.
There’s certainly no wrong time, but there are ways to strategically plan your trip to Utah so you can have the best experience possible — whether it’s to avoid summer heat or large crowds. Tubers, kayakers, and whitewater rafters take up Utah’s main stage in summer and can lazily swim down the beautiful Utah rivers. Utah offers a variety of breathtaking natural scenery and opportunities for outdoor adventures and activities.