What is the weather like in Bryce Canyon in October?
Cool days and freezing nights. The NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals at park headquarters are a high of 58°F and a low of 32°F, with 1.73 inches of precipitation and 3 inches of snow.
Month guide
Bryce Canyon in October: Weather, Fall Color & Crowds
Clear, cold mornings, the first snow of the season some years, and the aspens near the rim turning early in the month.
Bryce Canyon weather in October, in short
- Average high
- 58°F at 7,890 ft
- Average low
- 32°F, below freezing
- Precipitation
- 1.73 in for the month; 3 in of snow
- Daylight on the 15th
- 11 hr 16 min, sunrise 7:37 AM
- Visits, October 2025
- 202,248, about 6,524 a day
- Duck Creek Village
- About 29°F to 56°F at 8,400 ft
What October weather is actually like
- The normal range at park headquarters is 32°F to 58°F.
- October snowfall normal is 3 in. In NPS's words, snowstorms in October are not unusual, but there are also many sunny autumn days.
- Precipitation is 1.73 in.
- Below-freezing nights return in October and continue until May.
- Bryce Canyon: Bryce Canyon rim, 7,890 ft
- Duck Creek Village, 8,400 ft
Up on the plateau
Duck Creek Village, an hour west at 8,400 ft, has its own aspen show, usually peaking between about September 28 and October 8, a little after the Bryce rim. October highs in the village average the mid 50s with nights below freezing. Lower down, the maples and oaks in Cedar Canyon on SR-14 usually color between about October 6 and 18.
What is open in October
Checked against National Park Service pages on November 9, 2026. Dates that change every year are given for 2026 where 2027 has not been announced yet. Confirm on the park's conditions page before you go: Bryce Canyon conditions.
- Park shuttle Check first
Runs into mid-October, then stops for the season. In 2026 the last day was October 18. It is optional; you can drive the park road.
- Main park road Open
Open to Rainbow Point. An early storm can close it beyond mile 3 for a day while it is plowed. Details
- Trails Open
All open in a typical October. After an early snow, the switchbacks below the rim ice over in the mornings. Details
- Cedar Breaks (SR-148) Open
The road is normally open through October and closes for the season around mid-November on average. The visitor center closes from mid-October (NPS). Details
How busy Bryce Canyon is in October
Bryce had 202,248 recreation visits in October 2025, about 6,524 a day, against 265,048 in September, the year's busiest month. Under the older counting method October ran from 233,647 to 284,766 in 2022 to 2024.
2022 233,647
2023 284,766
2024 272,988
2025 202,248
Recreation visits in October (solid bar) against that year's busiest month (pale bar). NPS visitor use statistics; 2025 is the latest full year published. Bryce changed how it counts visitors in 2025, from shuttle boardings to unique passengers, so 2025 reads lower than earlier years for that reason as well as any real change.
Daylight and the October calendar
| 2027 | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 1 | 7:25 AM | 7:14 PM | 11 hr 49 min |
| October 15 | 7:37 AM | 6:53 PM | 11 hr 16 min |
| October 31 | 7:53 AM | 6:33 PM | 10 hr 40 min |
Computed for the Bryce Canyon visitor center with the standard sunrise equation, Mountain Time.
- Fall color on the Bryce rim usually peaks around September 23 to October 6 and is gone by mid-October.
- The park shuttle ends in mid-October (October 18 in 2026).
- Indigenous Peoples' Day / Columbus Day is October 11, 2027.
- Daylight saving time ends November 7, 2027, so October evenings keep their light: sunset is around 6:50 p.m. in mid-October.
Best hikes in Bryce Canyon in October
October is one of the best months for the longer loops: cool enough to climb, usually before the snow sets in.
-
Queen's Garden and Navajo Loop
The classic hike, with fewer people than in summer.
2.9 mi loop, 625 ft of climbing, 2 to 3 hours
Queen's Garden and Navajo Loop guide -
Fairyland Loop
Long and quiet. Cool October days make the climbs far easier than in July.
8 mi loop, 1,900 ft of climbing
Best hikes at Bryce -
Peekaboo Loop
From Bryce Point, deep among the hoodoos, with more up and down than the Navajo Loop.
5.5 mi loop, 1,560 ft of climbing
Best hikes at Bryce -
Bristlecone Loop
At Rainbow Point, 9,115 ft. The aspens near the end of the road are part of the fall color.
1 mi round trip, 200 ft of climbing
Scenic drive guide
Distances and climbing are National Park Service figures. The full list is on our best hikes in Bryce Canyon page.
What to pack for Bryce Canyon in October
- A warm jacket, hat and gloves for sunrise and stargazing. October nights are below freezing.
- Layers for the day: mornings in the 30s, afternoons in the 50s.
- Sturdy boots with grip in case of early snow below the rim.
- A headlamp: daylight is down to about 11 hours by mid-month.
Staying at Duck Creek Village in October
Duck Creek Village is 49 miles and about 68 minutes from the Bryce Canyon Visitor Center.
Early October is when the village aspens are at their best, so the drive in and out is part of the color. Nights are below freezing, and the roads are normally clear until the first real storm of the season.
Duck Creek Village Inn Hotel rooms Cabins The Zion to Bryce Canyon drive
Bryce Canyon in October: common questions
Answers drawn from the same NOAA, NPS and UDOT sources as the rest of this page.
Does it snow at Bryce Canyon in October?
Sometimes. The October snowfall normal is 3 inches, and NPS says October snowstorms are not unusual. Most days are clear.
When is fall color at Bryce Canyon?
In a typical year the aspens and maples near the rim turn from mid-September, peak around September 23 to October 6, and are bare by about October 16. Duck Creek Village, an hour west, peaks a few days later, and Cedar Canyon lower on SR-14 later still.
Is the Bryce Canyon shuttle running in October?
For the first half of the month. In 2026 the shuttle ran 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through October 18. It is optional, and the park road is open to private cars either way.
Is October a good time to visit Bryce Canyon?
Yes, for hiking. It is cooler and quieter than September, the trails are usually clear, and the long nights suit stargazing in a Gold Tier International Dark Sky Park. Bring winter layers for mornings and evenings.
9 November 2026
Why trust this page
Temperatures, precipitation and snowfall are NOAA 1991 to 2020 monthly normals for the Bryce Canyon NP headquarters station by the visitor center (USC00421008). Duck Creek Village figures are our estimate, interpolated from the NOAA normals of the stations above and below it, with snow depth from the NRCS SNOTEL record. Visitor numbers are National Park Service recreation visits by month. Shuttle, road and trail conditions were checked on the National Park Service pages on November 9, 2026, and sunrise and sunset are computed. Where we could not confirm a 2027 date, we give the 2026 one and say so.
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Related guides
The Bryce Canyon guides behind the numbers on this page.
Bryce Canyon National Park
Hoodoos and high desert scenery, about an hour away
View guide
Fall Colors on Cedar Mountain
When the aspens peak on Cedar Mountain, Cedar Breaks, and Scenic Byway 14, by elevation, with the first-frost record behind the dates and an interactive peak-color tracker.
See the fall guide
Best Hikes
Bryce Canyon hikes by difficulty, picked for day-trippers from Duck Creek
See best hikes
Queen's Garden & Navajo Loop
The classic combo hike through the hoodoos: direction, timing, and what to expect
See queen's garden & navajo loopNext steps
Other months, and the drive between the parks.
Bryce Canyon in April
Bryce Canyon in April: the thaw, late snow, when the shuttle starts and which loops are hikeable.
See pageZion to Bryce Canyon Drive
The 85-mile drive between the two parks, measured: mileposts, the elevation profile, the tunnel size limits and live road cameras along the way.
See pageStay Near Bryce Canyon
Comparison-style page for Bryce-focused stays from Duck Creek.
Compare staysWhere to stay
Rooms and cabins on the plateau between Zion and Bryce Canyon.
A base for Bryce Canyon in October
About an hour from the Bryce Canyon Visitor Center at 8,400 ft, with Zion about an hour the other way.