Best Time to Visit Glacier National Park
Crowds and weather by month · Montana · NPS visitor counts through 2025
The short answer
Mild weather, fewer people: June — 75% as busy as July, about 18,620 visitors a day, average high 70°F (21°C).
Quietest month: January — about 588 visitors a day, average high 30°F (cold).
Busiest month: July — about 24,864 visitors a day.
Glacier month by month
| Month | Crowds · visitors/day | High / low · precip. |
|---|---|---|
| JanuaryQuietest× Cold | Very quiet2% of peak · 588/day | 30° / 19°F-1° / -7°C · 3.5 in · 10 wet days · snow 32 in |
| February× Cold | Very quiet2% of peak · 609/day | 34° / 19°F1° / -7°C · 2.2 in · 7 wet days · snow 16 in |
| March× Cool | Very quiet3% of peak · 829/day | 42° / 25°F6° / -4°C · 2.6 in · 9 wet days · snow 14 in |
| April× Cool | Very quiet6% of peak · 1,510/day | 53° / 31°F11° / 0°C · 2.1 in · 7 wet days · snow 3 in |
| May△ Very few visitors — check what is open | Quiet28% of peak · 6,842/day | 64° / 39°F18° / 4°C · 2.6 in · 7 wet days · snow 1 in |
| JuneBest○ Mild weather, busy | Busy75% of peak · 18,620/day | 70° / 45°F21° / 7°C · 3.8 in · 9 wet days |
| July○ Mild weather, busy | Peak100% of peak · 24,864/day | 80° / 50°F27° / 10°C · 1.4 in · 4 wet days |
| August○ Mild weather, busy | Peak94% of peak · 23,266/day | 79° / 48°F26° / 9°C · 1.2 in · 3 wet days |
| September○ Mild weather, busy | Busy79% of peak · 19,539/day | 68° / 41°F20° / 5°C · 2.0 in · 5 wet days |
| October× Cool | Quiet18% of peak · 4,439/day | 52° / 33°F11° / 0°C · 3.0 in · 8 wet days · snow 2 in |
| November× Cold | Very quiet3% of peak · 778/day | 37° / 26°F3° / -3°C · 3.2 in · 9 wet days · snow 16 in |
| December× Cold | Very quiet3% of peak · 654/day | 29° / 20°F-2° / -7°C · 3.2 in · 10 wet days · snow 31 in |
Crowds = visitors per day as % of the busiest month: ●●●●● Peak (85–100) · ●●●●○ Busy (60–84) · ●●●○○ Moderate (35–59) · ●●○○○ Quiet (15–34) · ●○○○○ Very quiet (under 15). ◎ mild weather, fewer people · ○ mild but busy · △ very few visitors (often seasonal closures) · × cold or hot. Wet days = days with at least 0.1 in of rain or melted snow.
Glacier by month
Visitors per year
| Year | Recreation visits | |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 2,366,056 | |
| 2016 | 2,946,681 | |
| 2017 | 3,305,512 | |
| 2018 | 2,965,309 | |
| 2019 | 3,049,839 | |
| 2020pandemic | 1,698,864 | |
| 2021pandemic | 3,081,656 | |
| 2022 | 2,908,458 | |
| 2023 | 2,933,616 | |
| 2024 | 3,208,755 | |
| 2025 | 3,136,557 |
Where the weather numbers come from
Temperatures and precipitation are 30-year averages (1991–2020) from the NOAA station W GLACIER — West Glacier (west entrance), at 3,150 ft (960 m). Higher viewpoints and trails can be much colder and snowier than the station.
Months with very few visitors often have roads, campgrounds or visitor centers closed for the season. Check current conditions on the official Glacier National Park website before you go.
Other parks at their best in June
- Crater Lake
46% of peak · high 57°F
- Denali
92% of peak · high 63°F
- Canyonlands
77% of peak · high 85°F
How “best” is chosen: the least crowded month with an average high between 55°F and 85°F (13–29°C), skipping months with under 30% of peak visitors because those are often seasonal closures. Crowds compare visitors per day, so short and long months are treated fairly.
Sources. Visitor counts: National Park Service, Visitor Use Statistics (recreation visits, final figures through 2025; typical months use 2022–2025). Weather: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (station W GLACIER, USC00248809, 3,150 ft / 960 m). Both are U.S. Government works in the public domain. How we calculate.
Park Months is an independent site and is not affiliated with the National Park Service or NOAA.