A spectacular experience at any time of year. Whatever the season... spring, summer, fall, winter... each brings an intimate mood to the splendor of the Grand Canyon that will make your first visit very special. Savor the delicate fragrance of spring wildflowers as you stroll along the Canyon Rim. However, the summer months traditionally draw the greatest number of visitors and reservations are recommended well in advance. There are over 2000 hotel rooms available in the Grand Canyon Village and Tusayan areas.

Enjoy a fresh summer breeze rich with the scent of pine following a brief afternoon thundershower. Discover color that only nature can create in the fall flowers and canyon oaks as they prepare for the coming winter season. See winter clouds hanging heavy over the Canyon after a fresh snow, lifting like a theatre curtain to reveal nature's newest spectacle. In every season the Grand Canyon is a spectacular vision.

The breathtaking beauty of the Grand Canyon, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, is like nothing else you will ever experience. Within its vast expanse and awesome depth, there is an ever changing panorama or color, from the first light of day until the sun sets on the distant horizon

Grand Canyon Arizona - Backcountry - Geology
The majesty and grandeur of Grand Canyon National Park’s stunning views are its most alluring qualities, and any trip to the Canyon may be enhanced by studying what is truly a geologic phenomena. Geologists have not been able to offer exact explanations for the formative processes that shaped Grand Canyon, but clues collected through years of study have provided enough evidence to advance some credible theories about how the Canyon came to be.

Grand Canyon seems to be the culmination of a variety of processes occurring over thousands, if not millions of years. Wind and water seem to have played the most prominent role in Grand Canyon’s formation, and most agree that water was the most essential. The erosive force of water may be better demonstrated in Grand Canyon than anywhere else in the world. The dry desert soil of the Grand Canyon is constantly baked by the sun and dried by the wind, robbing it of its ability to absorb water. Rain at the Canyon generally comes down in torrents, exacerbating this problem. In addition, the shallow root systems of Grand Canyon plant life do little to impede erosive processes. Therefore, torrential rains that fall at the Canyon produce vast amounts of water that have nowhere to go but down to the Colorado River, and there is very little to hold soil and rocks in place in the face of these deluges. The result is a sliding mass of water, soil, and oftentimes very large boulders scoring its way from rim to river. Water is a factor even in the colder months. Alternately freezing and melting water in amongst the rocks produces expanding fissures that are an intrinsic element in Grand Canyon’s continually changing landscapes.

Erosion at Grand Canyon has not only formed a Natural Wonder of the World, it has revealed nine distinct layers of different types of rock. From the upper most layer at the rim, to the bottom layer near the Colorado River, the layers are: Kaibab Limestone, Toroweap Formation, Coconino Sandstone, Hermit Shale, Supai Group, Redwall Limestone, Mauv Limestone, Bright Angel Shale, and finally, Tapeats Sandstone. These exposed layers provide an excellent chance to study area geology, as well as clues to geologic formative processes in general.



 

Summer
Summer temperatures on the South Rim, at 7000 feet/2134 m, are relatively pleasant (50°s-80°s F/10°s-20°s C). But at 2400 feet/732 m, inner canyon temperatures are extreme. Daytime highs at the river often exceed 100° F/38° C. North Rim summer temperatures are cooler than those on the South Rim due to increased elevation. The North Rim is at 8000 feet/2438 m above sea level.

Winter
Winter conditions at the South Rim can be extreme. Expect snow, icy roads and trails, and possible road closures. Canyon views may be temporarily obscured during winter storms. In such cases entrance fees are not refundable. The North Rim is closed during the winter.

Spring & Fall
Spring and fall weather is extremely unpredictable. Be prepared for sudden changes in the weather at those times of year.

Average Temperatures at the South Rim

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
High(F) 41 45 51 60 70 81 84 82 76 65 52 43
Low(F) 18 21 25 32 39 47 54 53 47 36 27 20
High(C) 5 7 10 15 21 27 29 28 24 18 11 6
Low(C) -8 -6 -4 0 4 8 12 12 8 2 -3 7

Average Temperatures in the Inner Canyon

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
High(F) 56 62 71 82 92 101 106 103 97 84 68 57
Low(F) 36 42 48 56 63 72 78 75 69 58 46 37
High(C) 13 17 22 28 33 38 41 39 36 29 20 14
Low(C) 2 6 9 13 17 22 26 24 21 14 8 2

Average Temperatures at the North Rim

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
High(F) 37 39 44 53 62 73 77 75 69 59 46 40
Low(F) 16 18 21 29 34 40 46 45 39 31 24 20
High(C) 3 4 7 12 17 23 25 24 21 15 8 4
Low(C) -9 -8 -6 -2 1 4 8 7 4 -1 -4 -7

Average Precipitation in inches at Grand Canyon

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
South Rim 1.32 1.55 1.38 0.93 0.66 1.81 1.81 2.25 1.56 1.10 0.94 1.64
Inner Canyon 0.68 0.75 0.79 0.47 0.36 0.84 0.84 1.40 0.97 0.65 0.43 0.87
North Rim 3.17 3.22 2.65 1.73 1.17 1.93 1.93 2.85 1.99 1.38 1.48 2.83