Month guide · Denver · United States
Denver in May
What May is really like in Denver: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
May is a shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 21°C (70°F), lows of 6°C (43°F), about 11 rainy days and roughly 14.3 hours of daylight. Greening up with spring showers and the start of the Red Rocks concert season.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 21°C (70°F) / 6°C (43°F)
- Rainy days
- About 11
- Daylight
- About 14.3 hours
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in May
May is the 5th-warmest month in Denver: days average 21°C (70°F) against a yearly average high of 18°C (64°F), and nights fall to about 6°C (43°F). Rain falls on roughly 11 of its 31 days. Compared with April (16°C (61°F)), May is warmer; by June highs climb to around 28°C (82°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 05:45
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 20:07
- Daylight
- About 14.3 hours
Spring (March–May). Highly changeable, with warm sunny days and heavy wet snowstorms; March is often the snowiest month.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 3 for crowds (the peak is July at 5) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in July). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in May
- Cinco de Mayo festival in Civic Center Park (around early May)
- Red Rocks concert season begins (usually spring)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in May
With frequent rain, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Historic site · Capitol Hill
Molly Brown House Museum
Guided tours are timed; book a slot online in busy periods.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Experience · Sun Valley
Meow Wolf Convergence Station
A four-storey immersive art installation by the Santa Fe-founded collective Meow Wolf, where visitors wander through surreal, interconnected worlds of colour, sound and hidden passages beside the Interstate 25 and Colfax interchange.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Art
- Kids
- Rainy day
- After dark
Landmark · Morrison
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre
Climb to the top row for sunset views of Denver and the plains; on concert days the amphitheatre closes to visitors in the afternoon.
- Time needed
- 2 hours, or an evening for a concert
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- After dark
- Outdoors
Architecture · Golden Triangle
Colorado State Capitol
The Capitol's dome is covered with real Colorado gold leaf, and one of its west steps is engraved 'One Mile Above Sea Level'.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Views
What to pack
For highs near 21°C, lows near 6°C and 11 wet days: light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Denver?
A shoulder-season month, with 2 notable events on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, June–September are better overall. Compare every month.
Denver in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Denver?
It is a shoulder-season month. Greening up with spring showers and the start of the Red Rocks concert season.
+How warm is Denver in May?
Average highs are around 21°C (70°F) and lows around 6°C (43°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Denver in May?
Expect rain on about 11 days of the month.