How Crowded Is El Malpais National Monument in January?

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

In a typical January the park sees roughly 7,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1988 to 2025.

It is the quietest month of the year at El Malpais; by contrast May, the busiest, runs about 1.4× the average — so January is the easiest time to have the place largely to yourself.

On our Best Time to Visit score January rates 47/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated August at 69/100 — 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 47°F and an overnight low around 15°F.

That average of about 31°F is cold, with winter conditions likely on higher ground.

Because June, July and August together draw about 30% 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 — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 151,998 recreation visits, down 7.1% from 163,679 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 7.2%, so a January visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.