How Crowded Is Cabrillo National Monument in January?

January runs about 0.9× Cabrillo National Monument's average month, which makes it an average month here — roughly 7% of the park's yearly visitors come in January.

In a typical January the park sees about 63,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes January the 10th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (1.3×) and the September low (0.9×).

On our Best Time to Visit score January rates 74/100 ("Good"), versus the top-rated September at 89/100 — 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 66°F and an overnight low around 49°F, with about 1.7" of precipitation.

That average of about 58°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 29% 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 10.1 hours of daylight in January to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2024 drew 845,912 recreation visits, up 4.4% from 810,147 in 2023.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 17.2%, so January may feel a touch quieter than it once did.