The Arches and Grand Canyon Weather Conditions for camping in Early May?

Depending on snowfall over the season, the road to the GC North Rim may still be closed in early May. Southern Utah will be cool and very windy -- actually a nice time of year to hike but bring bandanas to keep your hair from whipping around your face and driving you nuts, and good wraparound sunglasses to keep sand out of your eyes while hiking. Your best chance of hitting rain and clouds will be this time of year but there is never much of it and it will blow out and dry up quickly.

Go prepared for a diverse set of conditions, especially if you intend to change elevation from the top of Grand Canyon to the valley floor. Since I am at high altitude, about 12,000 feet, I sleep about ten months of the year in a Marmot Never Summer 0 degree sleeping bag. I am comfortable across a broad range of temperatures. In the desert, you will probably be fine with a 15 degree sleeping bag. Discount weather reports and go prepared for worse conditions than predicted. Arches averages: Low 50; High 80. Grand Canyon averages: Low 36; High 72.

Mays like a tranision month snow is unlikely as are thunderstorms but not to be ruled out.temps shound be low forties upper thirties highs 70-90 depends on location. They get just over half an inch of rain in may so keep that in mind.