How Crowded Is Lake Meredith National Recreation Area in January?

January runs about 0.4× Lake Meredith National Recreation Area's average month, which makes it a very quiet month here — roughly 3% of the park's yearly visitors come in January.

In a typical January the park sees about 42,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

It is the quietest month of the year at Lake Meredith; by contrast July, the busiest, runs about 1.9× the average — so January is the easiest time to have the place largely to yourself.

On our Best Time to Visit score January rates 52/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated October at 71/100 — 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 52°F and an overnight low around 21°F, with about 0.6" of precipitation.

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

Because June, July and August together draw about 42% 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 9.8 hours of daylight in January to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 1,017,135 recreation visits, down 16.1% from 1,212,905 in 2024.