Monticello Travel Guide

City Utah town near Bears Ears National Monument

A dusty gateway in southeastern Utah, the town serves as basecamp for Bears Ears, the Abajo Mountains and canyon country - hikers, rock‑art seekers and dirt‑road travelers use it for guided archaeology trips and hearty diner meals.

Costs

$80-$140 per day

Affordable lodging and outdoor-activity costs; car rental raises expenses.

Safety

Generally safe, small-town caution

Low crime; expect remote roads and wildlife risks.

Best Time

May-October (best for trails)

Warm, dry months for hiking and canyon access.

In This Guide

Why Visit
Best Things to Do
Bucket List
Best Time to Visit
How to Get There
How to Get Around
Where to Stay
Where to Eat

Local Time

5:28 PM

GMT-4

Weather

47°F

Overcast

Population

6,505

Infrastructure & Convenience

Car-dependent with basic services and park ranger facilities.

Popularity

Attracts outdoorspeople, archaeology visitors, and road-trippers.

Known For

Bears Ears access, Canyonlands region, Native American ruins, hiking, off-roading, camping, stargazing, Abajo Mountains, river canyons, small-town western charm

Monticello is the practical gateway town for visitors accessing Bears Ears National Monument and nearby archaeological sites.

Why Visit Monticello? #

Best Things to Do in Monticello

All Attractions ›

High Point (New Jersey)

New Jersey's highest point with war memorial

Mountain

Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge

Wetland refuge protecting migratory birds along Wallkill River

Park

Monticello Bucket List

Best Time to Visit Monticello #

Climate

Monticello's climate is classified as Warm-Summer Continental - Warm-Summer Continental climate with warm summers (peaking in July) and freezing winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -11°C to 26°C. Abundant rainfall (1223 mm/year), wettest in May, distributed fairly evenly throughout the year.

Air Quality: AQI 24 Good

Best Time to Visit

JulyAugustJune

Temperature & Rainfall

Temperature Range

39°

Warmest Month

-30°

Coldest Month

Monthly Conditions

January

January is the coldest month with highs of -1°C and lows of -11°C. Regular rainfall (86 mm) and mostly overcast skies.

33 Poor

Comfort

-6°

Feels Like Freezing

-6°C

Temperature

-11° – -1°

90%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

86 mm

Rainfall

3.7 m/s

Wind

Light Breeze

0.2

UV Index

Low

9.4h daylight

February

February is freezing with highs of 1°C and lows of -10°C. Regular rainfall (81 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

37 Poor

Comfort

-5°

Feels Like Freezing

-5°C

Temperature

-10° – 1°

89%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

81 mm

Rainfall

3.8 m/s

Wind

Light Breeze

0.4

UV Index

Low

10.5h daylight

March

March is cold with highs of 6°C and lows of -5°C. Regular rainfall (93 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

46 Poor

Comfort

0°

Feels Like Cold

0°C

Temperature

-5° – 6°

84%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

93 mm

Rainfall

4.1 m/s

Wind

Light Breeze

0.7

UV Index

Moderate

11.8h daylight

April

April is cold with highs of 12°C and lows of 1°C. Significant rainfall (108 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

54 Acceptable

Comfort

7°

Feels Like Cold

7°C

Temperature

1° – 12°

79%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

108 mm

Rainfall

3.9 m/s

Wind

Light Breeze

1.1

UV Index

High

13.2h daylight

May

May is cool with highs of 19°C and lows of 6°C. The wettest month with heavy rain (120 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

64 Good

Comfort

13°

Feels Like Cool

13°C

Temperature

7° – 19°

79%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

120 mm

Rainfall

3.3 m/s

Wind

Light Breeze

1.4

UV Index

High

14.4h daylight

June

June is cool with highs of 24°C and lows of 11°C. Significant rainfall (113 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

74 Very Good

Comfort

17°

Feels Like Cool

17°C

Temperature

11° – 24°

80%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

113 mm

Rainfall

3.0 m/s

Wind

Light Breeze

1.7

UV Index

Very High

15.0h daylight

July

July is the warmest month with highs of 26°C and lows of 14°C. Significant rainfall (110 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

77 Very Good

Comfort

20°

Feels Like Mild

20°C

Temperature

14° – 26°

76%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

110 mm

Rainfall

2.7 m/s

Wind

Calm

1.8

UV Index

Very High

14.7h daylight

August

August is mild with highs of 25°C and lows of 13°C. Significant rainfall (109 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

77 Very Good

Comfort

19°

Feels Like Mild

19°C

Temperature

13° – 25°

75%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

109 mm

Rainfall

2.5 m/s

Wind

Calm

1.5

UV Index

High

13.7h daylight

September

September is cool with highs of 21°C and lows of 9°C. Significant rainfall (103 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

69 Good

Comfort

15°

Feels Like Cool

15°C

Temperature

9° – 21°

74%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

103 mm

Rainfall

2.7 m/s

Wind

Calm

1.1

UV Index

High

12.3h daylight

October

October is cold with highs of 15°C and lows of 3°C. Regular rainfall (95 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

64 Good

Comfort

9°

Feels Like Cold

9°C

Temperature

3° – 15°

79%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

95 mm

Rainfall

3.0 m/s

Wind

Light Breeze

0.6

UV Index

Moderate

11.0h daylight

November

November is cold with highs of 8°C and lows of -2°C. Significant rainfall (107 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

44 Poor

Comfort

3°

Feels Like Cold

3°C

Temperature

-2° – 8°

83%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

107 mm

Rainfall

3.4 m/s

Wind

Light Breeze

0.3

UV Index

Low

9.7h daylight

December

December is freezing with highs of 2°C and lows of -7°C. Regular rainfall (98 mm) and mostly overcast skies.

33 Poor

Comfort

-3°

Feels Like Freezing

-3°C

Temperature

-7° – 2°

89%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

98 mm

Rainfall

3.6 m/s

Wind

Light Breeze

0.2

UV Index

Low

9.1h daylight

How to Get to Monticello

By Air

By Train & Bus

How to Get Around Monticello #

Monticello is a small, car-oriented town; having a car makes it easy to reach nearby attractions in the region. The downtown area is compact enough to walk for errands and dining, but distances between towns in the county can be large. There’s minimal or no fixed-route public transit for most visitors, and taxis are limited. Plan on driving if you want to explore beyond town or visit nearby trailheads and archaeological sites.

Where to Stay in Monticello #

Budget

Mid-Range

Luxury

Where to Eat in Monticello #

Breakdown of cuisine types found across Monticello's restaurants and food venues, based on OpenStreetMap data.

Burger

Donut

Coffee Shop

Pizza

Bar

Asian

Chicken

Chinese

Italian

Mexican

Tex Mex

American

Nightlife in Monticello #

Evenings are quiet; Monticello has a small selection of casual bars and restaurants where locals gather. There’s no bustling nightlife - most entertainment centers on dining and community events.

Shopping in Monticello #

Shopping in Monticello is practical and local: think grocery stores, small hardware or ranch-supply shops and a few gift or outfitter-type stores. Don’t expect a major shopping district; specialty purchases usually require a trip to a larger regional centre.