How Crowded Is Scotts Bluff National Monument in January?

January runs about 0.3× Scotts Bluff National Monument's average month, which makes it a very quiet month here — roughly 2% of the park's yearly visitors come in January.

In a typical January the park sees roughly 3,500 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

It is the quietest month of the year at Scotts Bluff; by contrast July, the busiest, runs about 2.1× 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 June at 60/100 — 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 41°F and an overnight low around 15°F, with about 0.3" of precipitation and roughly 5" 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 47% 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 9.3 hours of daylight in January to explore — between the 9-hour midwinter low and the 15-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 182,392 recreation visits, down 0.8% from 183,915 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 17.7%, so a January visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.