How Crowded Is Petroglyph National Monument in May?

May runs about 1.1× Petroglyph National Monument's average month, which makes it an average month here — roughly 9% of the park's yearly visitors come in May.

In a typical May the park sees about 26,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1992 to 2025.

That makes May the 4th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the October peak (1.4×) and the August low (0.8×).

On our Best Time to Visit score May rates 72/100 ("Good"), versus the top-rated August at 83/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical May weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 81°F and an overnight low around 50°F, with about 0.4" of precipitation.

That average of about 66°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 21% 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 13.8 hours of daylight in May to explore — between the 9.6-hour midwinter low and the 14.4-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 310,672 recreation visits, down 12.4% from 354,534 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 42%, so a May visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.