How Crowded Is Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument in January?

January runs about 0.5× Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument's average month, which makes it a very quiet month here — roughly 4% of the park's yearly visitors come in January.

In a typical January the park sees about 490 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 2015 to 2025.

That makes January the 10th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the September peak (1.6×) and the October low (0.3×).

On our Best Time to Visit score January rates 37/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated October at 72/100 — 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 38°F and an overnight low around 23°F, with about 3.4" of precipitation and roughly 7" of snow.

That average of about 30°F is cold, with winter conditions likely on higher ground.

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 9.5 hours of daylight in January to explore — between the 9.2-hour midwinter low and the 14.8-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2022 drew 3,518 recreation visits, down 56.6% from 8,110 in 2021.