SeasonMapBest time to visit the Desert Southwest
The best time to visit the Desert Southwest is March, April and October, judged across 20 places; June to August are its low season.
Updated September 2026 · North America · 20 places, each judged for what it is · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
The Desert Southwest month by month
| Month | Season | Why | Best places |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | good | 3 wet days · before the heat · 13°C highs | Big Bend National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Saguaro National Park |
| February | good | 3 wet days · before the heat · 16°C highs | Big Bend National Park, Palm Springs, Joshua Tree National Park |
| March | in season | wildflowers & blooms · 3 wet days · before the heat | Joshua Tree National Park, Palm Springs, Phoenix |
| April | in season | wildflowers & blooms · barely a wet day · before the heat | Saguaro National Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Las Vegas |
| May | good | 2 wet days · before the heat · 30°C highs | Mesa Verde National Park, Zion National Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park |
| June | low season | extreme heat · 34°C highs · best Feb–May · still good for cities | Flagstaff, Santa Fe, Taos |
| July | low season | extreme heat · 36°C highs · best Feb–May · still good for cities | Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Santa Fe, Flagstaff |
| August | low season | extreme heat · 34°C highs · best Feb–May · still good for cities | Flagstaff, Santa Fe, Guadalupe Mountains National Park |
| September | good | 4 wet days · 31°C highs · 11 h sun | Flagstaff, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Santa Fe |
| October | in season | autumn colour · 3 wet days · the heat has broken | Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Zion National Park, Albuquerque |
| November | good | 2 wet days · the heat has broken · 19°C highs | Big Bend National Park, Saguaro National Park, Grand Canyon National Park |
| December | good | 3 wet days · the heat has broken · 14°C highs | Big Bend National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Palm Springs |
In season: one of the region's three best months, and good in its own right. Low season: one of its three worst, and well below its best. The reasons compare each month with the region's own year and name the seasons on the ground — monsoon, autumn colour, hurricanes — where most of its places share them.
All 20 places in the Desert Southwest
- AlbuquerqueUnited Statesweather by month →
- Big Bend National ParkUnited Statesweather by month →
- Carlsbad Caverns National ParkUnited Statesweather by month →
- FlagstaffUnited Statesweather by month →
- Grand Canyon National ParkUnited Statesweather by month →
- Guadalupe Mountains National ParkUnited Statesweather by month →
- Joshua Tree National ParkUnited Statesweather by month →
- Las VegasUnited Statesweather by month →
- Mesa Verde National ParkUnited Statesweather by month →
- Palm SpringsUnited Statesweather by month →
- Petrified Forest National ParkUnited Statesweather by month →
- PhoenixUnited Statesweather by month →
- Saguaro National ParkUnited Statesweather by month →
- Santa FeUnited Statesweather by month →
- ScottsdaleUnited Statesweather by month →
- SedonaUnited Statesweather by month →
- TaosUnited Statesweather by month →
- TucsonUnited Statesweather by month →
- White Sands National ParkUnited Statesweather by month →
- Zion National ParkUnited Statesweather by month →
The Desert Southwest — FAQ
- When is the best time to visit the Desert Southwest?
- March, April and October. In March: wildflowers & blooms · 3 wet days · before the heat.
- When is the low season in the Desert Southwest?
- June to August. In June: extreme heat · 34°C highs · best Feb–May · still good for cities.
- Which months are in season in the Desert Southwest?
- March, April and October — the months among its best that are also good in their own right.