How Crowded Is Cedar Breaks National Monument in January?

January runs about 0.3× Cedar Breaks National Monument's average month, which makes it a very quiet month here — roughly 2% of the park's yearly visitors come in January.

In a typical January the park sees about 16,000 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 (2.5×) and the February low (0.2×).

On our Best Time to Visit score January rates 42/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated May at 59/100 — 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 35°F and an overnight low around 19°F.

That average of about 27°F is cold, with winter conditions likely on higher ground.

Because June, July and August together draw about 52% 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 9.7 hours of daylight in January to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 718,014 recreation visits, down 0.7% from 722,834 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 9.3%, so January may feel a touch quieter than it once did.