Utah’s unique landscape consists of red rock, arches, canyons, hoodoos, sandstone cliffs, mountains, and national parks making it one of the most beUTAHful states in the country.
If you’ve never visited Utah, drop what you’re doing and start planning your Utah trip itinerary right now. Seriously. But plan it for fall. Why? Oh so many reasons!
Read on to find out the top 6 reasons why fall is the absolute best time to visit Utah.
1. Fall has milder weather perfect for many outdoor adventures.
For those of you unfamiliar with Utah’s geography, it’s mostly desert. Deserts are HOT. Extremely hot in the summer. With so much natural beauty and amazing scenery, you’ll want to be outside taking it all in… hiking, biking, rock climbing, horseback riding, picnicking, you name it. But with summer temperatures sometimes reaching more than 100° F with little shade in sight, summer is not the best time to enjoy it all.
A couple people have admitted that during their trip to Arches National Park in Utah they didn’t even get to see Delicate Arch because it was too hot for them to hike all the way there. Can you imagine visiting Arches National Park and not getting to see the iconic arch that’s so popular it’s featured on Utah’s license plates? And so beautiful it appears on millions of computers as a pre-loaded Windows screensaver?
(Find out 10 important things to know before hiking to Delicate Arch at sunset here.)
On the flipside, winter brings snow and cold. Unless your trip includes skiing, then winter isn’t the best time to visit Utah either. Ice on Utah’s slick rock can make for dangerous hiking trails.
Spring – as well as summer – can produce unexpected precipitation and flash floods.
Fall in Utah is moderate, comfortable… and just plain absolutely perfect! Temps in the mid-60’s is perfect hiking weather. Plus Autumn’s deep blue skies are gorgeous peaking through natural bridges and as a backdrop against Utah’s tall red cliffs.
2. Visiting Utah in the fall means fewer crowds.
Utah is home to five National Parks. FIVE! That’s how beautiful this state is! And they get VERY busy in the summer.
(For a list of all Utah’s national parks ranked and compared, click here.)
Crowds can really change a person’s perspective of an otherwise awesome experience. For example, the two most popular hikes in Zion National Park (and some of the most famous in the entire country) are Angels Landing and The Narrows.
Angels Landing is a tall rock formation high above Zion Canyon that requires a strenuous hike with steep switchbacks and sheer drop-offs to get there. If you’re even remotely iffy about heights, the presence of crowds can really rattle your nerves. Also, there are very narrow areas where you have to wait your turn to pass through. Tons of other hikers means you’ll be waiting a long time.
The Narrows takes you through a very narrow gorge walking in the Virgin River surrounded by 1,000 ft. walls. Quite spectacular! But in the summer you may be hiking shoulder to shoulder with others. And you may even get behind someone who stops every few minutes to take pictures. (That would be me!)
I’m not saying in the fall you’ll have the place to yourself – after all this is an unbelievably beautiful part of the country – but it will be less crowded. You’ll have a chance to take pictures with no other people in your shot. And believe me, you’ll want to snap plenty of pictures on this amazing river hiking adventure.
Which brings me to…
3. The Narrows water level and flow is best in fall.
Zion National Park is the 4th most visited National Park in the entire country. Even ahead of Yellowstone and Yosemite! So you’ll definitely want to schedule Zion into your Utah itinerary. But there is a possibility that you get to the park and aren’t even able to venture through the very popular Narrows river hike. It all depends on the water level and flow.
Early in spring, the water level can be too high and dangerous due to the spring thaw. If so, the park will close access to The Narrows. In summer, there can be flash floods making the hike extremely perilous if you’re in the middle of the gorge.
The National Park Service says this about the best time to hike The Narrows:
“Most people hike The Narrows in the late spring and summer when the water tends to be at its warmest and the water level drops. However, this is also the time of year that storms can cause life-threatening flash floods. Winter and early spring commonly means cold water and high water levels. The Narrows can be closed during the spring when snowmelt raises the river over 150 CFS. Fall brings more stable weather but days get shorter and the water temperature drops.”
The two things NPS lists as downsides of a fall Narrows hike are easily remedied by 1) getting an early start and 2) renting dry gear from a local Zion outfitter and dressing appropriately under the dry suit.
4. Visiting Utah in fall can save you money.
Traveling during shoulder season (the time between peak and off-peak seasons of a destination) can generally save you money on flights, rental cars and lodging. Summer is peak travel season when prices can skyrocket. In winter prices often drop, but many travelers don’t want to experience the snow, ice and freezing temperatures (unless skiing, of course.) Fall is the best time to visit Utah because you can save money in a variety of ways.
5. Bright colors light up the fall landscape.
Utah is beautiful year-round, but seeing the fall foliage turn bright yellow, orange and red against the incredible red rock landscape is simply stunning. Take a look…
If those colors don’t get you scrambling to set up a fall Utah trip, I don’t know what will.
6. Utah’s epic sunrises are more accommodating in fall.
Bryce Canyon National Park and Canyonlands National Park are both known for their spectacular sunrises.
Sunrise at Mesa Arch in Canyonlands is a photographer’s dream. The sun rises in the distance beyond miles of canyons just beneath the picturesque arch. As the rays come into view the glow lights up the bottom of the arch creating a magical masterpiece. Photographers will line up and stake out their spot 2+ hours before sunrise. And since there’s only so much room within the frame of the arch, you’ll want to get there early to get a spot, too.
Viewing this breathtaking sight is phenomenal year-round, but in mid-June the sun rises at 5:55 a.m., which means getting up VERY early in order to get a prime viewing spot. In mid-October however, the sun rises at 7:30 a.m. giving you a little more shut-eye before beginning your day.
The sunrise in Bryce Canyon National Park is magical in its own way. As it rises, the sun’s rays cast the most radiant glow on the unique and otherworldly rock formations. The hoodoos, as they’re called, are ablaze in fiery orange creating an awe-inspiring scene.
There are multiple sunrise viewing points in Bryce, so you don’t have to stake out your spot as early as you do for sunrise at Mesa Arch in Canyonlands. But you’ll still appreciate a later start to the sunrise in fall than the wee early mornings of summer.
Have you traveled to this beautiful state? When do you think is the best time to visit Utah? Tell us in the comments. We’d love to hear from you.
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We are hoping to take a trip there this fall
That’s great! Hope you have a wonderful time!
I am planning a 2 week trip in Sept of 2023
How fun! I hope you have a great trip!
can you be more specific to “spring” and “fall” what dates are we looking at?? March-May? and September – November?
Yes, exactly!
This September, 2023 will be our first visit to Utah and this information is very helpful. Thank you!!!!
Glad this information was helpful to you. You’ll love Utah in the fall!
Is November 3 – 9 a good time to visit the parks?
Yes. Temperatures may be a bit cool in the mornings and evenings, especially in Bryce Canyon (the highest elevation) but the crowds will be fewer and you may see a dusting of snow at times which can make the scenery all the more beautiful.