Arches
Over 2,000 natural stone arches, including the one on Utah's license plate.
14 national parks
Best Time to Visit Southwest National Parks
Canyon country, red rock and high desert across Utah, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Texas. Spring and fall are the sweet spots; summer heat is dangerous at low elevations.
Best overall month for the region: October. Each park has its own window below.
Average rating by month
Season calendar
The parks
Bryce Canyon
A forest of orange hoodoos at 8,000 feet, and some of the darkest night skies in America.
Canyonlands
A vast maze of canyons carved by the Colorado and Green rivers.
Capitol Reef
Utah's quiet park: a 100-mile wrinkle in the Earth, historic orchards and fresh pie.
Zion
Towering sandstone cliffs, a river you hike through, and Utah's most famous trail.
Grand Canyon
A mile deep and 277 miles long. Nothing prepares you for the first look.
Petrified Forest
Rainbow-colored fossil logs, the Painted Desert and a stretch of old Route 66.
Saguaro
Forests of giant saguaro cacti on both sides of Tucson.
Big Bend
Desert, mountains and a river canyon at the edge of Texas, with the darkest skies in the lower 48.
Carlsbad Caverns
A cave so big you can walk in through its natural mouth, and a nightly summer bat flight.
Guadalupe Mountains
The highest point in Texas and a hidden canyon of fall color in the desert.
White Sands
Brilliant white gypsum dunes you can sled down, any month of the year.
Great Basin
Ancient bristlecone pines, a marble cave and some of the darkest skies in America.
Mesa Verde
Climb ladders into 800-year-old cliff dwellings.
Questions
When is the best time to visit Southwest national parks?
October is the best overall month for the 14 parks in this region. Spring and fall are the sweet spots; summer heat is dangerous at low elevations.
How many national parks are in the Southwest region?
14: Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Zion, Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Saguaro, Big Bend, Carlsbad Caverns, Guadalupe Mountains, White Sands, Great Basin, Mesa Verde.
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Last reviewed October 4, 2026. Ratings are editorial. Rules and road openings change each year, so confirm on the official NPS site before you go.