How Crowded Is Fossil Butte National Monument in January?

January runs about 0.1× Fossil Butte National Monument's average month, which makes it a very quiet month here — roughly 0% of the park's yearly visitors come in January.

In a typical January the park sees about 80 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

It is the quietest month of the year at Fossil Butte; by contrast July, the busiest, runs about 2.8× the average — so January is the easiest time to have the place largely to yourself.

On our Best Time to Visit score January rates 42/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated August at 56/100 — 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 28°F and an overnight low around 5°F, with about 0.7" of precipitation.

That average of about 16°F is cold, with winter conditions likely on higher ground.

Because June, July and August together draw about 61% 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 9.3 hours of daylight in January to explore — between the 9-hour midwinter low and the 15-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 20,626 recreation visits, down 4% from 21,491 in 2024.