How Crowded Is César E. Chávez National Monument in January?

January runs about 0.8× César E. Chávez National Monument's average month, which makes it a quiet month here — roughly 6% of the park's yearly visitors come in January.

In a typical January the park sees about 970 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 2013 to 2025.

That makes January the 11th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the April peak (1.3×) and the December low (0.7×).

On our Best Time to Visit score January rates 50/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated August at 75/100 — 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 52°F and an overnight low around 32°F, with about 2.4" of precipitation.

That average of about 42°F is cool, so layers and a shorter daylight window matter.

Because June, July and August together draw about 26% 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 9.9 hours of daylight in January to explore — between the 9.6-hour midwinter low and the 14.4-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 31,497 recreation visits, up 18.2% from 26,641 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 47.1%, so a January visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.