What is the weather like in Zion in May?
Warm and dry. The NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals for the canyon floor are a high of 84°F and a low of 53°F, with 0.77 inches of precipitation. Late May warms toward the June normal of 95°F.
Month guide
Zion in May: Weather, Crowds & What's Open
Warm, dry and long days, the busiest month of the year in 2025, and a river that usually drops back below the closure line by the end of it.
Zion weather in May, in short
- Average high
- 84°F at about 4,000 ft
- Average low
- 53°F
- Precipitation
- 0.77 in for the month; no measurable snow
- Daylight on the 15th
- 14 hr 9 min, sunrise 6:25 AM
- Visits, May 2025
- 589,279, about 19,009 a day
- Duck Creek Village
- About 31°F to 62°F at 8,400 ft
What May weather is actually like
- The normal range on the canyon floor is 53°F to 84°F, and precipitation falls to 0.77 in. It is one of the driest months of the year.
- Heat becomes the main planning factor. The June normal high is 95°F, and late May is the run-up to it.
- Nights are mild in the canyon. The sun is strong from early morning, and the popular trails have little shade.
- May is drier than the late-summer storm season, but rain upstream can still raise slot canyons quickly. Check the flash-flood rating before any canyon hike.
- Zion: Zion Canyon floor, about 4,000 ft
- Duck Creek Village, 8,400 ft
Up on the plateau
May is when the plateau finally lets go of winter. Duck Creek Village averages a high in the low 60s with nights around freezing, and the last of the snow is usually melting off the meadows. That makes it a cool place to sleep after a hot day in the canyon, which is the main argument for staying up here from May on.
What is open in May
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: Zion conditions.
- Zion Canyon shuttle Open
Running daily. In 2026 the spring schedule ran to May 16 and a new schedule took over after that. Check the NPS shuttle page for 2027 times.
- The Narrows Check first
Since 1989 the river has been above the 150 cfs closure line on 52% of days from May 1 to 15, falling to 29% from May 16 to 31. In the NPS list of snowmelt closures since 2012, reopening dates range from April 28 to June 22. Details
- Angels Landing permit Check first
Required past Scout Lookout. The spring lottery for hikes March 1 to May 31 takes applications January 1, 2027 to January 20, 2027, with results January 25, 2027. Miss it and the day-before lottery runs every day. Details
- Kolob Canyons road Open
Open. A quieter entrance off I-15 exit 40, about an hour from Zion Canyon.
- Cedar Breaks (SR-148) Check first
The road through Cedar Breaks reopens around mid-May on average after the winter closure, and the visitor center around late May (NPS). Early in the month it is usually still closed. Details
Snowmelt closures of the Narrows, by year
The dates the National Park Service lists for when the North Fork of the Virgin River ran consistently above 150 cfs from snowmelt. Flow can still dip below the line inside these windows, and storms close it at other times. Live flow is on our Narrows guide.
| Year | Closed | Reopened |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Open most of the time | |
| 2025 | Open most of the time | |
| 2024 | April 11 | May 19 |
| 2023 | April 8 | June 19 |
| 2022 | Open most of the time | |
| 2021 | Open most of the time | |
| 2020 | April 9 | May 18 |
| 2019 | April 6 | June 22 |
| 2018 | Open most of the time | |
| 2017 | March 11 | May 21 |
| 2016 | April 3 | May 22 |
| 2015 | Open most of the time | |
| 2014 | Open most of the time | |
| 2013 | April 30 | May 2 |
| 2012 | April 17 | April 28 |
How busy Zion is in May
May 2025 was Zion's busiest month of the year: 589,279 recreation visits, about 19,009 a day. In 2024 it was second only to June. Memorial Day weekend (Memorial Day is May 31, 2027) is the heaviest stretch.
2022 539,172
2023 514,283
2024 589,505
2025 589,279
Recreation visits in May (solid bar) against that year's busiest month (pale bar). NPS visitor use statistics; 2025 is the latest full year published.
Daylight and the May calendar
| 2027 | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 1 | 6:38 AM | 8:21 PM | 13 hr 43 min |
| May 15 | 6:25 AM | 8:34 PM | 14 hr 9 min |
| May 31 | 6:15 AM | 8:46 PM | 14 hr 32 min |
Computed for the Zion visitor center with the standard sunrise equation, Mountain Time. Zion Canyon’s walls hide the sun for some time after sunrise and before sunset, so direct sun on the canyon floor is shorter than this.
- The spring shuttle schedule ends in mid-May (May 16 in 2026) and the next one takes over.
- Memorial Day is May 31, 2027.
- Angels Landing spring permits run to May 31; June hikes come from the summer lottery.
- Cedar Breaks road reopens around mid-May in an average year.
Best hikes in Zion in May
In May, hike early and pick trails with height or shade for the afternoon. The higher ground on the east side and at Kolob is noticeably cooler than the canyon floor.
-
The Narrows, bottom-up
If the river is below 150 cfs. Late May is the better half of the month for it. Bottom-up to Big Spring needs no permit.
9.4 mi round trip, 292 ft of climbing, 1–8 hours
The Narrows guide -
East Mesa Trail to Observation Point
The way to Observation Point now, from the east side above the canyon. Cooler than the canyon floor and no shuttle, but the access road is dirt.
6.8 mi round trip, 300 ft of climbing, 4–6 hours
-
Canyon Overlook
On the drive in from Duck Creek. Go before 9 or after 4 for parking.
1 mi round trip, 163 ft of climbing, 1–2 hours
East Entrance guide -
Watchman Trail
From the visitor center. A sunrise or evening hike in May; midday it is hot.
2.8 mi round trip, 479 ft of climbing, 1–2 hours
-
Timber Creek Overlook
A short walk at the end of the Kolob Canyons road, cooler and far quieter than Zion Canyon.
1.2 mi round trip, 117 ft of climbing, 30–60 minutes
Distances and climbing are National Park Service figures. The full list is on our best hikes in Zion page.
What to pack for Zion in May
- Sun hat, sunscreen and sunglasses. Shade is scarce on the canyon floor trails.
- More water than you think: three liters for a half-day hike in late May.
- A light layer for early starts, and a warm one for the evening at 8,400 ft.
- For the Narrows, if it is open: closed-toe shoes with grip, a walking stick, and neoprene socks; the water is still cold.
Staying at Duck Creek Village in May
Duck Creek Village is 46 miles and about 55 minutes from the East Entrance and about an hour and a half from the main visitor center.
In May the reason to stay up here is the temperature: the canyon floor is in the 80s by afternoon while the village is in the low 60s, with nights near freezing. It also puts Bryce Canyon and Cedar Breaks within reach. It is not the place for anyone who wants to walk to the shuttle.
Duck Creek Village Inn Hotel rooms Cabins The Zion to Bryce Canyon drive
Other months
Zion in May: common questions
Answers drawn from the same NOAA, NPS and UDOT sources as the rest of this page.
Is May a good time to visit Zion?
For weather, yes, especially the first half of the month before the heat builds. It is also the busiest month, so plan on early starts, weekday visits where you can, and a backup plan if the Narrows is closed for runoff.
Is the Narrows open in May?
It depends on the snowmelt. Since 1989 the river has been above the 150 cfs closure line on 52% of days in early May and 29% in late May. In big snow years the closure has lasted into June; in light years it barely closes.
How crowded is Zion in May?
Very. May 2025 had 589,279 recreation visits, the most of any month that year. Memorial Day weekend is the peak.
Is Cedar Breaks open in May?
Usually by the end of it. The road through Cedar Breaks National Monument (SR-148) closes for snow from about mid-November to mid-May on average, and the visitor center reopens around late May. Check before you plan on it early in the month.
9 November 2026
Why trust this page
Temperatures, precipitation and snowfall are NOAA 1991 to 2020 monthly normals for the Zion NP station on the canyon floor (USC00429717). 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 Zion guides behind the numbers on this page.
Zion National Park
Classic canyon country, about an hour from Duck Creek Village
View guide
The Narrows
Gear, conditions, and how far to go when hiking up the Virgin River
See the narrows
Best Hikes
Zion hikes by difficulty, picked for day-trippers from Duck Creek
See best hikes
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Alpine amphitheater, sunset overlooks, and an International Dark Sky Park, 20 minutes from the inn
View guideNext steps
Other months, and the drive between the parks.
Zion in April
Zion in April: temperatures, the peak of Narrows snowmelt closures, shuttle, permits and how busy the park gets.
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 Zion
Comparison-style page for Zion-focused stays from Duck Creek.
Compare staysWhere to stay
Rooms and cabins on the plateau between Zion and Bryce Canyon.
A base for Zion in May
About 46 miles from Zion's East Entrance at 8,400 ft, with Bryce Canyon about an hour the other way.