The Best Time to Visit the Grand Canyon: Season-by-Season Breakdown
When is the best time to visit the Grand Canyon? If you're planning a trip to the most famous national park in America, use this guide to learn more about the temperatures, Grand Canyon weather, and most popular times to visit the Grand Canyon National Park and the West Rim. Even if you just have a few hours in your Las Vegas vacation, you can fly to the Grand Canyon today with plenty of time to explore the most stunning lookout points, enjoy a Grand Canyon helicopter tour, land on the canyon floor, or stand on the Skywalk bridge!
Visiting the Grand Canyon During Winter
Grand Canyon National Park
The winter season offers some of the rarest and most beautiful views of the Grand Canyon. Despite its location deep in the Arizona desert, the Grand Canyon National Park (also known as the South Rim) experiences regular snowfall during the winter months. If you plan to visit the South Rim in winter, be aware that temperatures often range between 35 degrees F (1.6 C) and 58 degrees F (14 C).
If you plan to drive from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon, be aware that road closures may occur and snow could cause danger. The safest way to reach the South Rim in the winter is aboard a flight from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon National Park. These state-of-the-art sightseeing airplanes are equipped with climate control for a comfortable journey during wintertime. Your flight also includes a helicopter tour, or you can opt for a Hummer ground excursion to some of the most famous lookout points. Hummers are enclosed in winter and also provide blankets for passengers.
It's also worth noting that the North Rim is closed during winter and spring due to the intense snowfall in this region of the Grand Canyon. If you'd like to see the North Rim's majestic, rugged beauty during winter, you can enjoy the sights from above on a Grand Canyon helicopter tour.
Grand Canyon West Rim
Similarly to the South Rim, the Grand Canyon West Rim does see a winter season, but only about 60-65 days per year. Temperatures in winter drop to around 30-40 degrees F (1-4 C) and snowfall does occasionally happen. Because of its close proximity to Las Vegas, visitors can actually reach the West Rim via a Grand Canyon helicopter tour. Instead of driving, you'll cut your travel time in half and have extra time to explore the landscape and lookout points.
The West Rim is also the only region where helicopter landings on the canyon floor are possible and is home to the world-famous Skywalk glass bridge. If you're planning a trip from Las Vegas to the West Rim during winter, you can escape the cold with shuttle service between the attractions and lookout points.
Grand Canyon During Summer
Grand Canyon National Park
Being the most popular vacation time, summertime brings the most visitors from around the world to the Grand Canyon National Park. Expect temperatures between 59 degrees F (15 C) and 95 degrees F (35 C). Visitors should also prepare for large crowds and possible wait times at the entry gate.
If you plan to visit the Grand Canyon South Rim in summer, this is the perfect time for camping and hiking - just make sure to bring plenty of water. If you only have a day to visit, arrive faster aboard a climate-controlled airplane on a flight from Las Vegas to the South Rim. You can also see the deepest and widest canyon gorges from a helicopter tour or explore the most famous lookout points from the canyon's edge aboard an open-air Hummer ground excursion.
Grand Canyon West Rim
Summer temperatures at the West Rim range from around 95 degrees F (35 C) to over 100 degrees F (35 C). The West Rim is the more rugged region of the Grand Canyon, which is perfect for visitors who want to be closer to nature. This also means that there are less buildings in which to seek shelter from the sun, so be sure to bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat.
If you're planning to land on the canyon floor in a helicopter, a Colorado River boat tour is the perfect addition to your flight to help you cool off! Feel the refreshing spray of the Colorado River during a peaceful float between the ancient canyon walls.
Best Time of Year to Visit the Grand Canyon
If you want to visit the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas during the best weather and the smallest crowds, traveling in Spring or Autumn are your safest choices. During these months, the weather is more predictable and milder than the winter or summer. International travelers should be aware of Spring Break and Thanksgiving (the last weekend of November), when visitation may be higher.
There are also several Grand Canyon entry fee-free days scattered throughout the year where visitors can enter the park free of charge.
Visit the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas with Papillon
Papillon is the world's largest and longest-running air tour operator, transporting over 300,000 passengers from around the world to the Grand Canyon National Park, the Grand Canyon West, Antelope Canyon, Bryce Canyon, and more. We offer daily departures from the Las Vegas area and our Grand Canyon tours range from just a few hours to daylong adventures. We also offer several upgrade options like privatizing your aircraft, transportation to and from the air terminal, and additional activities like Colorado River rafting, Skywalk Bridge entry, canyon floor landings, and more.
If you'd like to visit the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas, Papillon will get you there!