How Crowded Is Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument in May?

May runs about 1.3× Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument's average month, which makes it a busy month here — roughly 10% of the park's yearly visitors come in May.

In a typical May the park sees about 13,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes May the 4th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (1.5×) and the January low (0.4×).

On our Best Time to Visit score May rates 46/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated September at 52/100 — 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 70°F and an overnight low around 34°F, with about 0.7" of precipitation.

That average of about 52°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 34% 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 13.9 hours of daylight in May 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 May may feel a touch quieter than it once did.