Capitol Reef National Park weather in August

August in Capitol Reef National Park: warm, dry, with clean air — an excellent time to visit.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Capitol Reef National Park🇺🇸 United States · Desert Southwest · National park84
  1. 67Jan
  2. 75Feb
  3. 82Mar
  4. 89Apr
  5. 95May
  6. 86Jun
  7. 78Jul
  8. 84Aug
  9. 92Sep
  10. 91Oct
  11. 79Nov
  12. 69Dec

#6 of 12 months in Capitol Reef National Park · #487 of 1413 destinations to visit in August · comfort 84/100 (tier A)

Days
29°C
Nights
15°C
Wet days
4
Sun
12.3 h
Humidity
35%
Daylight
14 h
Capitol Reef National Park, United States
Photo: James Lee · Pexels

Traveller notes on Capitol Reef National Park in August

Notes from nearby Bryce Canyon National Park (119 km away)

Capitol Reef National Park doesn't have its own notes for August yet — these are about Bryce Canyon National Park, close enough to share the season.

Bryce Canyon-forum threads on August accommodation and heat describe this as a genuine escape from the rest of Utah, the roughly 8,000-plus foot elevation keeping daytime readings in the comfortable eighties Fahrenheit while lower-elevation parks nearby bake closer to a hundred. Posters call nights here genuinely cool regardless of how warm the day ran, a real jacket standing advice for evening plans at the rim. Regulars describe August as sitting within the region's monsoon window, an afternoon thunderstorm entirely possible though whether a given trip gets caught in one is genuinely a toss-up. Posters recommend checking a current forecast before any exposed hike given how quickly a storm can build over the amphitheater. Regulars call the hoodoo formations worth the trip regardless of conditions. Posters recommend layering for the day-to-evening swing this elevation produces. The record: 24.9C days feeling like 23C, 8.5C nights, a low 39 percent humidity and 12.2 hours of sun.
BryceCanyonAugustRegular · August · 1 month ago · about Bryce Canyon National Park · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Other months in Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef-forum threads comparing April and September call April a genuinely wonderful time overall, posters describing late-April nights as past the worst of the cold while days stay comfortable rather than intense. Regulars call the park itself reliably warm enough in April, though surrounding higher country around Torrey can swing considerably, anywhere from the twenties to eighties Fahrenheit depending on the day. Posters call September more reliable weather-wise for anyone heading into higher elevations or dirt roads, April here genuinely more unpredictable by comparison. Regulars call most campgrounds closed in April aside from Sunglow, dispersed camping along Highway 24 a real alternative for anyone without a reservation. Posters recommend real layers for the cooler nights regardless of a mild afternoon, temperatures here dropping into the forties or below after dark. The record: 15.7C days feeling like 15C, 2.5C nights, 12.9mm across over 2 days and 38 percent humidity.
CapitolReefAprilRegular · April · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Capitol Reef-forum threads on a July visit call the Cassidy Arch hike genuinely demanding, posters recommending a first-thing-in-the-morning start given there's no shade on the route and conditions turn unbearable past ten thirty. Regulars recommend arriving at the Hickman Bridge trailhead by nine, earlier considered better given how popular the trail runs alongside the building heat. Posters describe the scenic drive and Highway 24 pull-offs as more comfortable for the hottest stretch of the day, real sightseeing possible without the heat exposure of a full hike. Regulars call the fruit orchards a little early for July, apricots the most likely find with peaches still a month off. Posters recommend real sun protection and water regardless of activity. Regulars call the park still genuinely rewarding for anyone willing to front-load the hiking into the early morning. The record: 30.5C days feeling like 29C, 16.5C nights, 31.5mm across over 5 days and 29 percent humidity.
CapitolReefJulyRegular · July · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Capitol Reef-forum threads on October visits call this a genuinely wonderful month, cottonwood and aspen turning color through the orchards and canyons alongside comfortable hiking conditions. Posters describe early October as consistently pleasant, though regulars are direct the back half can turn on a dime, winter sometimes arriving with a real system by mid-to-late October. Regulars call a dusting on nearby Boulder Mountain entirely possible this late, elevation a real factor even while the valley floor stays comfortable. Posters recommend checking a current forecast before any high-elevation side trip given how quickly conditions can shift. Regulars describe most visitor facilities as winding down by month's end, though the park itself stays open regardless of season. Posters call the fruit orchards worth timing a visit around if harvest lines up. The record: 16.1C days feeling like 13C, 3.7C nights, a notably high 3.1cm of fresh accumulation and 45 percent humidity.
CapitolReefOctoberRegular · October · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Capitol Reef-forum threads on June trip dates describe a genuine split in visitor experience, one poster calling nearby Moab brutally intense past 105 degrees in mid-June, while another reported a fantastic hiking trip the same month and called it an early start to summer rather than the full peak heat. Regulars are consistent mornings and evenings still run genuinely cool even as afternoons turn properly warm, a fleece worth packing for either end of the day. March through June is named the park's busier season, real crowds at the Visitor Center, trailheads and viewpoints worth planning around. Posters flag the seasonal storm pattern as beginning to build by June, a waterproof shell worth having even though a full soak-through day is far from guaranteed. The orchard at Fruita and the Hickman Bridge trail are both named standout June picks given their relatively manageable exposure. The record: 28.1C days feeling like 27C, 13.2C nights, a low 24 percent humidity and 14.2 hours of sun.
CapitolReefJuneRegular · June · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Add your own note from Capitol Reef National Park's card on the map.

Capitol Reef National Park climate normals — August

Daytime high29°C / 84°F🌤 warm
Nighttime low15°C / 60°F
Feels like (high)27°C / 81°F
Rainfall23 mm / 0.9 in☀️ dry
Rainy days4 days
Humidity35%🌵 dry
Dew point3°C / 37°F
Sunshine12.3 h/day
Daylight13.6 h
Wind13 km/h / 8 mph
Air quality (US AQI)39🍃 good

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Capitol Reef National Park in August

How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.

BusySummer break in United States, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

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Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Capitol Reef National Park's weather

Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).

Fair weatherCapitol Reef National Park's best weather comes in May, September and October — separate windows, not one continuous season.

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Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Capitol Reef National Park in August

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Rule

    Cathedral Valley river ford

    1 Jan – 31 DecClosures

    The Cathedral Valley loop starts by driving through the Fremont River, and the depth changes with runoff and storms. Ring the visitor centre for the current reading before committing — recovery from out there is expensive. Source ↗

  • Nature

    U-pick orchard harvest

    20 Jun – 15 Oct · usually

    Apricots from late June, peaches and pears through August, apples until mid-October — you pick your own and pay at an honesty box. Which orchards are open moves week to week, so check the signs rather than a plan. Source ↗

  • Hazard

    Monsoon flash floods

    1 Jul – 20 Sep · usuallyFlood seasonClosures

    The slot canyons off the Scenic Drive fill from storms that break out of sight, and the dirt roads in the Waterpocket district turn to grease. The park closes the washes on a flood watch, not after the water arrives. Source ↗

What's on around the world in August →

Nearby, and something's on

Within 300 km of Capitol Reef National Park — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Capitol Reef National Park?

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Capitol Reef National Park in August — FAQ

Is August a good time to visit Capitol Reef National Park?
August in Capitol Reef National Park: warm, dry, with clean air — an excellent time to visit. It ranks #6 of 12 months for Capitol Reef National Park on SeasonMap's comfort score (84/100).
What is the weather like in Capitol Reef National Park in August?
In August, Capitol Reef National Park averages a daily high of 28.9°C and a low of 15.4°C, with about 22.6 mm of rain over roughly 4.3 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Capitol Reef National Park in August?
Capitol Reef National Park has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 39 in August.

Within 300 km: Bryce Canyon National Park's Milky Way season around 1 May – 30 Sep, and Zion National Park's California condors over the canyon on 1 Jan – 31 Dec.