How Crowded Is Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument in December?

December runs about 0.6× Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument's average month, which makes it a quiet month here — roughly 5% of the park's yearly visitors come in December.

In a typical December the park sees roughly 2,300 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes December the 11th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the March peak (1.7×) and the January low (0.4×).

On our Best Time to Visit score December rates 45/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated August at 76/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical December weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 56°F and an overnight low around 18°F, with about 1.2" of precipitation and roughly 1" of snow.

That average of about 37°F is cool, so layers and a shorter daylight window matter.

Because June, July and August together draw about 26% of annual visitors, choosing December instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 9.8 hours of daylight in December to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 34,438 recreation visits, down 27.3% from 47,378 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 31.2%, so December may feel a touch quieter than it once did.