How Crowded Is Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument in July?

July runs about 1.5× Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument's average month, which makes it a busy month here — roughly 13% of the park's yearly visitors come in July.

In a typical July the park sees about 15,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

It is the single busiest month of the year at Sunset Crater Volcano; January, the quietest, runs only about 0.4× the average — a 4-to-1 swing between high and low season.

On our Best Time to Visit score July rates 51/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated September at 52/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical July weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 84°F and an overnight low around 49°F, with about 2.7" of precipitation.

That average of about 67°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

July falls inside the park's busiest stretch: June, July and August together pull about 34% of the year's visitors, so a visit this month means sharing the park with the peak-season crowd.

You'll have about 14.2 hours of daylight in July to explore — near the year-round maximum.

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 July may feel a touch quieter than it once did.