How Crowded Is Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument in October?

October runs about 1× Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument's average month, which makes it an average month here — roughly 9% of the park's yearly visitors come in October.

In a typical October the park sees about 10,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes October the 8th-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 October rates 40/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated September at 52/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical October weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 65°F and an overnight low around 28°F, with about 1.4" of precipitation and roughly 1" of snow.

That average of about 46°F is cool, so layers and a shorter daylight window matter.

Because June, July and August together draw about 34% of annual visitors, choosing October instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 11.1 hours of daylight in October 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 October may feel a touch quieter than it once did.