Winter
Dec → Feb3 to 5°
nights -8°
- 8 rainy days · 199 mm
When is the best time to visit Sequoia and Kings Canyon?
- Jan4°not recommended
- Feb5°not recommended
- Mar7°not recommended
- Apr10°not recommended
- May15°fair
- Jun20°recommended
- Jul25°recommended
- Aug24°recommended
- Sep21°recommended
- Oct15°recommended
- Nov8°fair
- Dec3°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Sequoia and Kings Canyon, month by month
The table of averages, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rainfall | Rainy days | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 4° | -8° | 222 mm | 8 d | |
| February | 5° | -8° | 200 mm | 9 d | |
| March | 7° | -6° | 163 mm | 8 d | |
| April | 10° | -3° | 82 mm | 6 d | |
| May | 15° | 1° | 52 mm | 4 d | |
| June | 20° | 4° | 18 mm | 2 d | ✓ |
| July | 25° | 8° | 16 mm | 2 d | ✓ |
| August | 24° | 7° | 4 mm | 1 d | ✓ |
| September | 21° | 4° | 17 mm | 2 d | ✓ |
| October | 15° | 0° | 58 mm | 3 d | ✓ |
| November | 8° | -5° | 93 mm | 5 d | |
| December | 3° | -8° | 175 mm | 7 d |
The four seasons in Sequoia and Kings Canyon, in figures
What the 2015-2024 averages (Lodgepole (Sequoia)) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May7 to 15°
nights -6 to 1°
- 6 rainy days · 99 mm
Summer
Jun → Aug20 to 25°
nights 4 to 8°
- 2 rainy days · 13 mm
Autumn
Sep → Nov8 to 21°
nights -5 to 4°
- 3 rainy days · 56 mm
Book early for June to October
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 Sequoia and Kings Canyon, 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 14h39 of daylight, in December 9h40, a difference of 4h59.
9h55Jan
10h48Feb
11h52Mar
13h05Apr
14h06May
14h39Jun
14h26Jul
13h33Aug
12h21Sep
11h11Oct
10h10Nov
9h40Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Lodgepole (Sequoia)" (36.60°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Sequoia and Kings Canyon, 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, July, August, September, October
- Towns & culture: April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November
- 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 recommended4°-8° at night
- 222 mm · 8 d
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended5°-8° at night
- 200 mm · 9 d
Low season, lower prices
March
Not recommended7°-6° at night
- 163 mm · 8 d
Low season, lower prices
April
Not recommended10°-3° at night
- 82 mm · 6 d
Low season, lower prices
May
Fair15°1° at night
- 52 mm · 4 d
Low season, lower prices
June
Recommended20°4° at night
- 18 mm · 2 d
Busy, without the crush
July
Recommended25°8° at night
- 16 mm · 2 d
High season, book early
August
Recommended24°7° at night
- 4 mm · 1 d
High season, book early
September
Recommended21°4° at night
- 17 mm · 2 d
Busy, without the crush
October
Recommended15°0° at night
- 58 mm · 3 d
Busy, without the crush
November
Fair8°-5° at night
- 93 mm · 5 d
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended3°-8° at night
- 175 mm · 7 d
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Deep winter: 4 °C at the warmest of the day, -8 °C at night. Expect 8 days of rain in the month (222 mm). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Deep winter: 5 °C at the warmest of the day, -8 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (200 mm). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Deep winter: 7 °C at the warmest of the day, -6 °C at night. Expect 8 days of rain in the month (163 mm). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. Cool: 10 °C at best, -3 °C at night. Rain stays light: 82 mm over 6 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
May. Cool: 15 °C at best, 1 °C at night. Rain stays light: 52 mm over 4 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
June. Mild, 20 °C in the afternoon and 4 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (18 mm over 2 days). Busy season, without the crush.
July. 25 °C in the afternoon and 8 °C at night. Hardly any rain (16 mm over 2 days). High season: book early.
August. Mild, 24 °C in the afternoon and 7 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (4 mm over 1 day). High season: book early.
September. Mild, 21 °C in the afternoon and 4 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (17 mm over 2 days). Busy season, without the crush.
October. Cool: 15 °C at best, 0 °C at night. Hardly any rain (58 mm over 3 days). Busy season, without the crush.
November. Cool: 8 °C at best, -5 °C at night. Rain stays light: 93 mm over 5 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Deep winter: 3 °C at the warmest of the day, -8 °C at night. Rain stays light: 175 mm over 7 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 Sequoia and Kings Canyon?
June to October: over these months, average highs range from 15 to 25 °C, with 2 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 averages, Lodgepole (Sequoia)).
Which month should you avoid in Sequoia and Kings Canyon?
January: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 222 mm over 8 days of rain on average over 2015-2024 at the reference point (Lodgepole (Sequoia)).
What is the hottest month in Sequoia and Kings Canyon?
July, with 25 °C on average in the afternoon and 8 °C at night. 2015-2024 averages (Lodgepole (Sequoia)).
What is the coldest month in Sequoia and Kings Canyon?
December, with 3 °C at best during the day and -8 °C at night. 2015-2024 averages (Lodgepole (Sequoia)).
What is the driest month in Sequoia and Kings Canyon?
August: 4 mm over 1 day of rain, against 222 mm in January, the wettest month.
Does it get cold at night in Sequoia and Kings Canyon?
The gap between day and night reaches 17 °C in July: 25 °C in the afternoon, 8 °C at dawn. Pack an extra layer, even in high season.
When is the best time to hike in Sequoia and Kings Canyon?
May, June, July, August, September, October: highs between 12 and 29 °C and no more than 9 days of rain a month on 2015-2024 averages (Lodgepole (Sequoia)), the safest windows for walking.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Sequoia and Kings Canyon 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: NPS / Victoria Stauffenberg / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons) · LGalcan / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Giorgio Galeotti / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Eric Kilby from Somerville, MA, USA / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)