How Crowded Is Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument in January?

January runs about 0.4× Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument's average month, which makes it a very quiet month here — roughly 4% of the park's yearly visitors come in January.

In a typical January the park sees roughly 4,200 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

It is the quietest month of the year at Sunset Crater Volcano; by contrast July, the busiest, runs about 1.5× the average — so January is the easiest time to have the place largely to yourself.

On our Best Time to Visit score January rates 44/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated September at 52/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical January weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 44°F and an overnight low around 13°F, with about 1.4" of precipitation and roughly 12" 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 34% 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 9.9 hours of daylight in January to explore — between the 9.6-hour midwinter low and the 14.4-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2024 drew 73,260 recreation visits, down 10.1% from 81,519 in 2023.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 31.8%, so January may feel a touch quieter than it once did.