How Crowded Is El Malpais National Monument in October?

October runs about 1.1× El Malpais National Monument's average month, which makes it an average month here — roughly 9% of the park's yearly visitors come in October.

In a typical October the park sees about 15,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1988 to 2025.

That makes October the 5th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the May peak (1.4×) and the January low (0.5×).

On our Best Time to Visit score October rates 44/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated August at 69/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical October weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 69°F and an overnight low around 32°F.

That average of about 51°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 30% of annual visitors, choosing October instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 11.1 hours of daylight in October to explore — between the 9.7-hour midwinter low and the 14.3-hour summer high.

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 October visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.