May in Grand Teton National Park is a good month: highs around 60°F, lows around 32°F. Crowds: moderate — #5 busiest of the park's 12 months. Lower trails (Taggart Lake, String Lake) melt out; the high passes are still snow-covered. The editorial best window here is July & September. You get about 14h 44m of daylight. To finish Paintbrush Canyon–Cascade Canyon Loop (8h 50m) before dark, leave the trailhead by about 11:49 AM.
Month data reviewed · how we check this
| Verdict | Good A solid visit with a caveat — usually crowds or heat. |
|---|---|
| Temps °F | 60° high / 32° low |
| Crowds | moderate · #5 busiest of the park's 12 months |
| What May is like | Lower trails (Taggart Lake, String Lake) melt out; the high passes are still snow-covered |
| Best window (whole year) | July & September |
| Peak crowds (whole year) | Jul–Aug |
CROWDS: RELATIVE SEASONALITY FROM NPS VISITATION STATISTICS · TEMPS: APPROXIMATE NOAA NORMALS AT MAIN VISITOR ELEVATION — HIGH COUNTRY RUNS 10–20°F COLDER
DAYLIGHT ON MAY 15 · LOCAL PARK TIME (MDT)COMPUTED FROM THE PARK'S OWN COORDINATES FOR THE 15TH — THE MIDDLE OF THE MONTH STANDS FOR IT, AS IT DOES FOR CLIMATE NORMALS. WITHIN A MONTH THESE TIMES SHIFT BY UP TO AN HOUR
LEAVE THE TRAILHEAD BY — TO FINISH BEFORE DARK ON MAY 15WALKING TIMES ESTIMATED FROM EACH TRAIL'S MEASURED DISTANCE AND ELEVATION GAIN — A PLANNING FIGURE, NOT A PACE. ADD YOUR OWN MARGIN FOR PHOTOS, REST AND CROWDS. WATER AT THE COOL-WEATHER RATE, BECAUSE THIS MONTH AVERAGES 60°F. TRAILS WE HAVE NOT MEASURED ARE LEFT OUT RATHER THAN GUESSED
WHAT MAY ASKS OF YOU HEREGrand Teton National Park in June — Good, highs around 70°F, crowds: busy (long days and early wildflowers, but paintbrush divide and other high passes often hold snow into july).
Our verdict for May is "Good". A solid visit with a caveat — usually crowds or heat. Expect highs around 60°F and lows around 32°F, with crowds at the "moderate" level. Temperatures are approximate NOAA normals at the main visitor elevation; crowd levels follow published NPS visitation statistics.
Across the full 12-month review, the best window is July & September, and the peak-crowd months are Jul–Aug. May itself we rate "Good".
About 14h 44m on May 15: the sun rises around 5:57 AM and sets around 8:41 PM local park time (MDT). Computed from the park's own coordinates, so it is the light you actually get at the trailhead, not the nearest city's.
Paintbrush Canyon–Cascade Canyon Loop takes about 8h 50m of walking, so on May 15 you would need to leave the trailhead by about 11:49 AM to finish before dark — the sun sets around 8:41 PM local park time (MDT). Walking times are estimated from each trail's measured distance and elevation gain, so treat them as a planning figure and add your own margin for photos, rest and crowds.
Get a heads-up before timed-entry and lottery windows open — plus new guides for the parks you care about.
FREE · NO SPAM · UNSUBSCRIBE IN ONE TAP
© 2026 StayNear National Parks · About · Methodology · Privacy · Terms · Affiliate disclosure · Refunds