How Crowded Is Navajo National Monument in May?

May runs about 1.4× Navajo National Monument's average month, which makes it a busy month here — roughly 12% of the park's yearly visitors come in May.

In a typical May the park sees roughly 6,800 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes May the 2nd-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the September peak (1.5×) and the January low (0.3×).

On our Best Time to Visit score May rates 48/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated June at 64/100 — best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight.

Typical May weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 71°F and an overnight low around 44°F, with about 0.6" of precipitation.

That average of about 58°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 34% of annual visitors, choosing May instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 14 hours of daylight in May to explore — between the 9.5-hour midwinter low and the 14.5-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2024 drew 58,442 recreation visits, up 32.3% from 44,180 in 2023.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 21.8%, so May may feel a touch quieter than it once did.