How Crowded Is Carlsbad Caverns National Park in December?

December runs about 0.7× Carlsbad Caverns National Park's average month, which makes it a quiet month here — roughly 6% of the park's yearly visitors come in December.

In a typical December the park sees about 26,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes December the 10th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (1.8×) and the January low (0.5×).

On our Best Time to Visit score December rates 51/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated November at 63/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical December weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 57°F and an overnight low around 35°F, with about 0.6" of precipitation and roughly 2" of snow.

That average of about 46°F is cool, so layers and a shorter daylight window matter.

Because June, July and August together draw about 35% of annual visitors, choosing December 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 December to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2024 drew 460,474 recreation visits, up 16.8% from 394,121 in 2023.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 24%, so December may feel a touch quieter than it once did.