How Crowded Is Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site in January?

January runs about 0.1× Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site's average month, which makes it a very quiet month here — roughly 1% of the park's yearly visitors come in January.

In a typical January the park sees about 70 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

It is the quietest month of the year at Fort Union Trading Post; by contrast June, the busiest, runs about 3.6× the average — so January is the easiest time to have the place largely to yourself.

On our Best Time to Visit score January rates 41/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated August at 71/100 — 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 24°F and an overnight low around 4°F, with about 0.4" of precipitation and roughly 8" of snow.

That average of about 14°F is cold, with winter conditions likely on higher ground.

Because June, July and August together draw about 65% 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 8.6 hours of daylight in January to explore — between the 8.2-hour midwinter low and the 15.8-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2024 drew 12,028 recreation visits, down 7.1% from 12,942 in 2023.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 23.2%, so January may feel a touch quieter than it once did.