How Crowded Is Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site in January?

January runs about 0.2× Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site's average month, which makes it a very quiet month here — roughly 1% of the park's yearly visitors come in January.

In a typical January the park sees about 340 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

It is the quietest month of the year at Bent's Old Fort; by contrast May, the busiest, runs about 1.9× the average — so January is the easiest time to have the place largely to yourself.

On our Best Time to Visit score January rates 48/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated October 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 47°F and an overnight low around 18°F, with about 0.2" of precipitation.

That average of about 32°F is cold, with winter conditions likely on higher ground.

Because June, July and August together draw about 38% 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 9.6 hours of daylight in January to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2024 drew 16,102 recreation visits, down 18.3% from 19,718 in 2023.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 20.8%, so January may feel a touch quieter than it once did.