The best time to visit Colorado depends on what you want to do! The U.S state experiences all four seasons (winter, spring, summer, and fall), with lots of sunshine, low humidity, and brilliant blue skies year-round. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 22°F (-5°C)to 89°F (32°C) and is rarely below 6°F (-15°C) or above 96°F (36°C) making it a great place for outdoor activities like hiking, and skiing. I have visited Colorado each season, and they all have something special to offer, so there’s really no bad time to visit Colorado!
The Spring season begins at the end of March. However, winter often lasts through April due to the mountains and high altitude. The end of April – May is the perfect time of year to see all of Colorado come to life. You’ll find fields of wildflowers, baby animals coming out from hibernation, birds chirping, and green everywhere. If you’re on a budget, this is a great time of year to visit Colorado and save some money.
Hiking is the perfect activity for spring in Colorado. If you plan on visiting the Rocky Mountain National Park, this time of year offers cool but comfortable temperatures, and gushing waterfalls from the melting snow.
Summers are warm and inviting with comfortable temperatures. The summer season is 3.3 months long from June to September with an average temperature of 76°F (24°C) – 84°F (29°C). The hottest day typically falls on the first week of July making summer the best time to visit Colorado for white water rafting, hot air balloon rides, and hiking.
The summer is also a great time to check out the Mount Evans Via Ferrata Climbing Experience in Idaho Springs. The average high in the state runs between 78°F (25.6°C) to 94°F (34.4°C) depending on where you are in Colorado. In Denver, the summers are hot and some areas can get up into the high 90’s – 95°F (35°C). Keep cool on the Colorado river Float Trip near Kremmling. Due to climate change, Colorado records show many days continuously over 95°F (35°C). If it gets too hot, explore at a higher elevation.
The fall season in Colorado Springs is typically between September and early October above 8,500 feet in elevation in the mountains and late September to early November below 8,500 feet. The brilliant colors of red, yellow, & orange pop up all across the state, and make for beautiful photos. It’s also a great time to go hiking, rappelling, or taking a hot air balloon ride to see the colors.
Autumn is a gorgeous time to visit not only Colorado’s mountains but the rest of the state as well. With bright warm days and cool crisp nights, September is a magical time to check out places like Trinidad, Golden, or Longmont.
The winters are very cold and dry the higher up in elevation you get, the colder it gets. Colorado is partly cloudy in winter. I visited Colorado Springs in January of 2018 and there was snow in the mountains, but it wasn’t too cold in town. We ended up doing some hiking at Garden of the Gods, and driving pikes peak!
When is the best time to see snow in Colorado?
January is one of the most reliable months for snowfall in Colorado. The resorts aren’t as busy midweek because the kids are in school and the conditions are generally a little cold for the big crowds (January is often the coldest month in Colorado).