Best time of year to visit Denver:
Denver is one of the most popular travel destinations in the United States, and for a good reason. With sunny days, outdoor activities galore, and easy access to some of America’s best breweries, it can be hard to pick just when you should visit Denver. Here is a complete guide on what time of year to visit Denver, including weather conditions, seasonal attractions, events, festivals, and more!
June- September
Do I need to say anymore? That is the best time of year to see Denver if you are looking for excellent people-watching opportunities on patios with an ice-cold beer in your hand. July is probably the busiest month here, with several trendy outdoor festivals happening downtown. The Cherry Creek Arts Festival, the largest outdoor art festival in Denver, The Taste of Colorado, a vast foodie event showcasing Denver’s best culinary talents and restaurants, and El Dia De La Familia are just a few of the top festivals that happen during this time. It is also one of the hottest months, so be sure to pack your sunscreen!
High tourist season:
The months with the most festivals and other significant events are July, August, and September. Denver is at its driest in the summer, so there is a good chance for clear skies! This is when the area will have high tourist traffic so that hotels might be a little more expensive during these months.
Low tourist season:
January, February, March
Average weather conditions for Denver: Averages highs of 80° F and lows around 44° Fahrenheit. It is more likely to rain during July-September with about 4 inches of rainfall on average each month. The wintertime can get cold, with temperatures dropping to as low as 14° Fahrenheit, but it is usually warmer than most days.
Visit Denver in Fall:
If you plan a trip to Denver, you will typically find the best flight deals and airfare during the fall months. However, if you can’t resist licking your ice cream cone on a patio in July or participating at the end of summer music fests, then, by all means, visit during those hot months!
Visit Denver in winter:
The wintertime can get cold, with temperatures dropping to as low as 14° Fahrenheit, but it is usually warmer than most days. Wintertime in Denver is one of the best times to visit, thanks to how festive the city gets during the holiday months.
Hotel prices are also at their lowest during January-March. Don’t let a little snowstorm stop you from visiting! We know that there is nothing more exhilarating than sledding through the Rockies or skiing down some fresh powdery white slopes, although this will probably be something you want to do before hitting up all those nightlife hotspots later in the day!
Ski resorts have been known to stay open until June, so enjoy playing around with your GoPro on those untouched mountains while you still can!
Winter can be a great time to visit Denver for those who love the snow. All the major ski resorts stay open until June, so be sure to head up to them and enjoy some fresh powder this season!
Spring in Denver:
It might sound a little cliche, but spring is an excellent time of year to visit as well! During April-May, the average high temperature tends to hover around 75° Fahrenheit, with lows around 45° Fahrenheit.
This means that you will have plenty of opportunities for outdoor fun, but it also won’t be as hot as during the summer months. Springtime is also when many festivals, such as Cinco de Mayo and Earth Day Celebration, occur here in Denver. The city will start to get more lively and colorful with all the newly blooming flowers popping up everywhere, so it should be a good time for some people-watching!
The weather is typically delightful during the spring months in Denver. Daylight savings happens around March, which will give you an extra hour of sunshine to enjoy! Be sure to pack your sunglasses and sunscreen 😀
What Should I Pack?
Denver has four distinct seasons like any other city that experiences them, but they are not as extreme as many others.
In general, you can expect warm days from April to October, somewhat chilly nights from November to February, and snow now and then from December through March.
It usually snows enough to close schools or make roads pretty icy on some days but not enough to make it a snow day for the kids! If you happen to be visiting around a major holiday, you can also expect some pretty incredible decorations and lights going up all over the city. That being said, let’s take a look at what clothes will suit each season best!
Visit Denver in the summer:
You should expect warm days and sunny skies in the summertime (duh).
When it comes to highs, the average temperature tends to be around 80° Fahrenheit, although it can get as hot as 95° Fahrenheit. You shouldn’t see much difference between them as far as lows go since they typically sit around 50° Fahrenheit or slightly higher. This means plenty of heat throughout the entire day with very little change in temperature during the night.
If you’re spending your time here in Denver during this time of year, then pack your sunglasses and sunscreen! You will want to take advantage of all that sunshine while soaking up some Vitamin D 😉 Remember that you might also run into some pretty intense thunderstorms, so don’t forget your raincoat and umbrella!
Weather in Denver:
The weather during the spring and summer tends to be pretty consistent here in Denver. You can typically expect hot days and cool nights, occasionally interrupted by rainstorms and thunderstorms.
FAQ
The best time to visit Denver for hiking:
Although it is possible to hike all year round in the Rocky Mountains, there are some definite benefits to visiting in the fall. The weather will be just about perfect for hiking.
Denver tends to have warm days with highs around 80° Fahrenheit during this time of year, while lows drop down into the 40s or 50s at night. This means that you’ll have plenty of sunshine throughout the day but cooler temperatures when you go to sleep!
Fall also has a pretty great color palette going on… both when it comes to the leaves and everything else here in Colorado 😀 You might even see some aspens changing colors, which is always breathtaking.
What clothes should I pack?:
The best clothes for hiking during autumn will typically be warm layers, especially sweaters and jackets. You can expect to encounter cooler weather, even though you will still have periods of warmth throughout the day.
When it comes to hiking gear, make sure you bring plenty of water (check out our blog post about staying hydrated on hikes ), sunscreen, snacks for energy, a first-aid kit, and any other necessary supplies for your journey. Remember that you might even run into wildlife along the way! So leave yourself enough time to hike safely by packing extra food and always keeping an eye on the trail ahead at all times!
Another great reason to visit Denver during autumn is if you are interested in taking part in one of the best fall festivals around 😛 This year Apple Days are on October 5th – 7th, so mark your calendars!
When will I see snow?:
If you happen to be in Denver during the winter or even through January and February, you’ll probably get lucky enough to catch some of the beautiful snows in the Rocky Mountains.
Denver is actually above average when it comes to seeing snow each year, with about 50 days per year where 1 inch of snowfalls. However, most years don’t get more than 6 inches of this fluffy stuff at once. This means that there are often periods where no snowfalls for a while but then an intense storm will come through and pile up 6+ inches overnight! Sometimes this can make roads pretty dangerous since they’ve been spotted getting extremely icy.
Generally, January is the month with the most snow throughout the year, so if you are coming here in wintertime be sure to pack some extra layers! You will want to make sure that you’re able to stay warm even when it’s freezing outside 😛 I would also recommend getting one of those heat-pack necklaces in case your car breaks down or you end up stranded somewhere.
The best time to visit Denver for festivals:
Denver has a lot of great events going on throughout the year… especially during festival season! There are tons of beer fests, music shows, food gatherings, and more happening every weekend through spring right into summer.
Summer tends to be CRAZY busy with festivals due to the great weather, so if you happen to be here during this time it is recommended that you buy tickets for these events as soon as they go on sale. This way you can make sure that you don’t miss out on any of the fun!
What clothes should I pack?:
If you are going to be in Denver during summertime then your outfit choices will probably look a lot different than if you were visiting in autumn or winter. You’ll want to wear outfits that allow your skin to breathe and stays cool throughout the day as temperatures tend to rise pretty high (even hotter than 80º F).
However, evenings do tend to get cool again, which means that it’s also nice wearing layers with sweaters or jackets. So don’t forget to pack some of those during your trip too!
Once again, remember to bring plenty of water and sunscreen. Also, be aware that it might get chilly during nighttime, so make sure to pack some extra layers in case you get caught outside after the sun goes down.
Something else you should be aware of is all the lightning storms that happen here. Once again, be sure to pack a heat-pack necklace if your car breaks down or you get stranded somewhere.
