How Crowded Is Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in January?

January runs about 0.8× Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument's average month, which makes it a quiet month here — roughly 7% of the park's yearly visitors come in January.

In a typical January the park sees roughly 2,600 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 2020 to 2025.

That makes January the 8th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the February peak (2.6×) and the April low (0.1×).

On our Best Time to Visit score January rates 30/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated June at 79/100 — 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 22°F and an overnight low around 3°F.

That average of about 13°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 8.8 hours of daylight in January to explore — between the 8.5-hour midwinter low and the 15.5-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 33,835 recreation visits, down 3.8% from 35,173 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 8.2%, so January may feel a touch quieter than it once did.