How Crowded Is Mount Rushmore National Memorial in January?

January runs about 0.1× Mount Rushmore National Memorial'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 20,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

It is the quietest month of the year at Mount Rushmore; by contrast July, the busiest, runs about 3× 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 61/100 — 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 37°F and an overnight low around 19°F, with about 0.5" of precipitation and roughly 7" of snow.

That average of about 28°F is cold, with winter conditions likely on higher ground.

Because June, July and August together draw about 63% 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 9.1 hours of daylight in January to explore — between the 8.7-hour midwinter low and the 15.3-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 1,905,649 recreation visits, up 3% from 1,850,329 in 2024.