Countries / United States / Packing guides / Mountain West

Packing for the Mountain West

Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. High, dry and sunny. Denver sits about a mile (1,600 m) above sea level and many towns are higher, so the air is thin and dry, the sun is strong, and days and nights can differ a lot in temperature. Winters bring snow, especially in the mountains. Summers are warm and dry, sometimes with wildfire smoke.

States: Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming

General information only. Weather varies a lot within each region and from year to year. Check your city’s forecast on weather.gov before you pack.

Your packing checklist

Tick items as you pack, then share, copy or print the list, or add reminders to your calendar.

All year

Layers: T-shirt, fleece and a light jacket
Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat
Lip balm and moisturiser
Refillable water bottle

Winter

Warm winter coat
Waterproof boots
Hat and gloves

Summer

A few N95 masks for wildfire smoke

All year

Layers you can add and remove: a T-shirt, a fleece and a light jacket on the same day is normal.
Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat: the sun is stronger at altitude.
Lip balm, moisturiser and a refillable bottle for the dry air. Drink more water than usual for your first few days while you adjust to the altitude.

Winter (November to April)

A warm coat, waterproof boots, a hat and gloves. Mountain towns get heavy snow.
Ski and snow gear can be rented or bought second-hand locally, so leave it at home.

Summer and wildfire smoke

Days are warm and dry, nights cool.
In wildfire season, smoke can make the air unhealthy. Check air quality on AirNow and keep a few N95 masks.

Documents, medicines, electronics, food and cash rules are the same everywhere: see the newcomer basics. For a tick-off list for a trip, try the packing list maker.

Other regions

Official sources

Last checked October 2026.