How Crowded Is Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park in January?

January runs about 0.3× Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park's average month, which makes it a very quiet month here — roughly 3% of the park's yearly visitors come in January.

In a typical January the park sees roughly 8,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes January the 9th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (1.8×) and the December low (0.2×).

On our Best Time to Visit score January rates 41/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated April at 56/100 — best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight.

Typical January weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 37°F and an overnight low around 13°F, with about 1.7" of precipitation.

That average of about 25°F is cold, with winter conditions likely on higher ground.

Because June, July and August together draw about 45% 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, 2025 drew 250,086 recreation visits, down 25.5% from 335,862 in 2024.