How Crowded Is Rio Grande in March?
March is a very busy month at Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River, running about 2.6× the park's average month — roughly 21% of the year's visitors come in March. It is in fact the busiest month of the year here, so expect full parking lots, busy trails and booked-out campgrounds. If crowds bother you, August (the quietest month) or the recommended September are easier. Typical March weather averages a high near 76°F and a low around 48°F, with about 0.6" of precipitation. You'll get about 11.8 hours of daylight to explore.
Frequently Asked Questions
March is very busy at Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River (about 2.6× the average month). Our best-time score rates it "Poor". The single best month overall is September.
The busiest month is March and the quietest is August. March sits at about 2.6× the park's average, or 21% of annual visitation.
Source: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1985–2025), NOAA NCEI Climate Normals 1991–2020. Updated 2026-06-20.