Good morning travelers! Hope your Grand Canyon trips planning is going well and that you’re using not only our website, but the many others at your disposal. Today’s big question on the most popular of these sites, TripAdvisor has to do with Grand Canyon weather, particularly in April.
Original poster (aka “OP” in TripAdvisor lingo) “ann l” asks:
We are planning a trip to the Grand Canyon in April. I understand the north rim is not opened, so we will go to the south rim. IS it still worth it? April is the best time for our vacation, and we wanted to go to the Grand Canyon, but maybe we should wait? Thoughts?
The overwhelming consensus: “go for it!” Destination Expert Esty666 replies:
It’s very much worth it! You might see some snow at that elevation (Grand Canyon South Rim is over 7000 ft). Be prepared that the nights will be freezing cold, but days possibly very pleasant. Depending on what you want to do, there might be some restrictions – if you plan to hike into the canyon, the top part of the trails might still be under hardpacked snow and ice, i,.e, you’d have to come prepared (crampons and proper hiking boots). You’ll have to keep checking the Grand Canyon weather forecast before you travel.
The fact is that Grand Canyon weather rums the gamut from sunny and warm to out and out blizzard and everything in between! You can experience both Grand Canyon weather extremes at the unlikeliest times of year: having lived at Grand Canyon South Rim for 7 years, I saw Christmases that were 65 degrees with nary a cloud in the sky and 6″ of snow fall in the middle of June – for 2 years running!
Grand Canyon weather features four distinct seasons, each with their own unique appeal, and challenges to deal with. Summer: warm and dry, late summer being monsoon season as my colleague Sandy alluded to in the post prior to this one. Winter: cold and snowy, with snowfalls in excess of 1′ sometimes occurring. Spring: all over the place. Sometimes sunny and brisk, sometimes Old Man Winter makes one last stand. Fall: our favorite! Cooling temperatures, thinning crowds, colorful deciduous foliage on Grand Canyon North Rim. If you’re in a position to pick and choose when to visit the park, Grand Canyon weather is at its absolute best during late September and early October.
But is there any such thing as a bad time to go to the Grand Canyon? Never! Whenever you can go, go! Grand Canyon weather should never be a deterrent or discouragement, any time of year.
Take a look at this video for more information on Grand Canyon weather during the four seasons of the year:
