Winter
Dec → Feb2 to 3°
nights -9°
- 4 rainy days · 18 mm
When is the best time to visit Rocky Mountain National Park?
- Jan3°not recommended
- Feb3°not recommended
- Mar7°not recommended
- Apr11°not recommended
- May16°fair
- Jun23°recommended
- Jul27°recommended
- Aug25°recommended
- Sep21°recommended
- Oct14°fair
- Nov7°not recommended
- Dec2°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Rocky Mountain National Park, month by month
The table of averages, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rainfall | Rainy days | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3° | -9° | 21 mm | 4 d | |
| February | 3° | -9° | 17 mm | 5 d | |
| March | 7° | -6° | 40 mm | 6 d | |
| April | 11° | -3° | 57 mm | 7 d | |
| May | 16° | 2° | 58 mm | 9 d | |
| June | 23° | 6° | 35 mm | 6 d | ✓ |
| July | 27° | 9° | 65 mm | 10 d | ✓ |
| August | 25° | 8° | 43 mm | 9 d | ✓ |
| September | 21° | 4° | 42 mm | 6 d | ✓ |
| October | 14° | -1° | 28 mm | 5 d | |
| November | 7° | -5° | 19 mm | 4 d | |
| December | 2° | -9° | 17 mm | 4 d |
The four seasons in Rocky Mountain National Park, in figures
What the 2015-2024 averages (Estes Park) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May7 to 16°
nights -6 to 2°
- 7 rainy days · 52 mm
Summer
Jun → Aug23 to 27°
nights 6 to 9°
- 8 rainy days · 48 mm
Autumn
Sep → Nov7 to 21°
nights -5 to 4°
- 5 rainy days · 30 mm
Book early for June to September
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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Daylight in Rocky Mountain National Park, month by month
The time between sunrise and sunset, from shortest to longest. Not to be confused with the sunshine hours in the table above, which count clear skies. In June there are 15h02 of daylight, in December 9h18, a difference of 5h44.
9h35Jan
10h37Feb
11h50Mar
13h14Apr
14h24May
15h02Jun
14h46Jul
13h45Aug
12h24Sep
11h03Oct
9h52Nov
9h18Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Estes Park" (40.35°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Rocky Mountain National Park, month by month
| Activity | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hiking | ||||||||||||
| Towns & culture | ||||||||||||
| Long days |
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Hiking: May, June, August, September, October
- Towns & culture: April, May, June, July, August, September, October
- Long days: May, June, July
Grid derived from the climate averages (temperature, rainfall), not from an opinion.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended3°-9° at night
- 21 mm · 4 d
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended3°-9° at night
- 17 mm · 5 d
Low season, lower prices
March
Not recommended7°-6° at night
- 40 mm · 6 d
Low season, lower prices
April
Not recommended11°-3° at night
- 57 mm · 7 d
Low season, lower prices
May
Fair16°2° at night
- 58 mm · 9 d
Low season, lower prices
June
Recommended23°6° at night
- 35 mm · 6 d
Busy, without the crush
July
Recommended27°9° at night
- 65 mm · 10 d
High season, book early
August
Recommended25°8° at night
- 43 mm · 9 d
High season, book early
September
Recommended21°4° at night
- 42 mm · 6 d
Busy, without the crush
October
Fair14°-1° at night
- 28 mm · 5 d
Low season, lower prices
November
Not recommended7°-5° at night
- 19 mm · 4 d
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended2°-9° at night
- 17 mm · 4 d
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Deep winter: 3 °C at the warmest of the day, -9 °C at night. Rain stays light: 21 mm over 4 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Deep winter: 3 °C at the warmest of the day, -9 °C at night. Rain stays light: 17 mm over 5 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Deep winter: 7 °C at the warmest of the day, -6 °C at night. Rain stays light: 40 mm over 6 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. Cool: 11 °C at best, -3 °C at night. Rain stays light: 57 mm over 7 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
May. Cool: 16 °C at best, 2 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (58 mm). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
June. Mild, 23 °C in the afternoon and 6 °C early in the morning. Rain stays light: 35 mm over 6 days. Busy season, without the crush.
July. 27 °C in the afternoon and 9 °C at night. Expect 10 days of rain in the month (65 mm). High season: book early.
August. 25 °C in the afternoon and 8 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (43 mm). High season: book early.
September. Mild, 21 °C in the afternoon and 4 °C early in the morning. Rain stays light: 42 mm over 6 days. Busy season, without the crush.
October. Cool: 14 °C at best, -1 °C at night. Rain stays light: 28 mm over 5 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
November. Deep winter: 7 °C at the warmest of the day, -5 °C at night. Rain stays light: 19 mm over 4 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Deep winter: 2 °C at the warmest of the day, -9 °C at night. Rain stays light: 17 mm over 4 days. Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Rocky Mountain National Park?
June to September: over these months, average highs range from 21 to 27 °C, with 8 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 averages, Estes Park).
Which month should you avoid in Rocky Mountain National Park?
April: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 57 mm over 7 days of rain on average over 2015-2024 at the reference point (Estes Park).
What is the hottest month in Rocky Mountain National Park?
July, with 27 °C on average in the afternoon and 9 °C at night. 2015-2024 averages (Estes Park).
What is the coldest month in Rocky Mountain National Park?
December, with 2 °C at best during the day and -9 °C at night. 2015-2024 averages (Estes Park).
What is the driest month in Rocky Mountain National Park?
February: 17 mm over 5 days of rain, against 65 mm in July, the wettest month.
Does it get cold at night in Rocky Mountain National Park?
The gap between day and night reaches 18 °C in July: 27 °C in the afternoon, 9 °C at dawn. Pack an extra layer, even in high season.
When is the best time to hike in Rocky Mountain National Park?
May, June, August, September, October: highs between 12 and 29 °C and no more than 9 days of rain a month on 2015-2024 averages (Estes Park), the safest windows for walking.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Rocky Mountain National Park guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit the American West: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
Compare with other destinations
Photos: Footwarrior / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Laurenschneider210 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Nicolas Henderson from Coppell, Texas / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Christine Warner / CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Brett Buskirk / Pexels · LGalcan / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Frank Schulenburg / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Jody Vitek / Pexels