How Crowded Is Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site in January?

January runs about 0.5× Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site's average month, which makes it a quiet month here — roughly 4% of the park's yearly visitors come in January.

In a typical January the park sees roughly 8,200 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

It is the quietest month of the year at Allegheny Portage Railroad; by contrast July, the busiest, runs about 1.4× the average — so January is the easiest time to have the place largely to yourself.

On our Best Time to Visit score January rates 43/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated May at 56/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical January weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 34°F and an overnight low around 19°F, with about 2.9" of precipitation and roughly 10" of snow.

That average of about 26°F is cold, with winter conditions likely on higher ground.

Because June, July and August together draw about 33% of annual visitors, choosing January instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 9.4 hours of daylight in January to explore — between the 9.1-hour midwinter low and the 14.9-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 162,905 recreation visits, down 16% from 193,903 in 2024.