How Crowded Is Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in January?

January runs about 0.2× Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve'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 about 540 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1998 to 2025.

It is the quietest month of the year at Tallgrass Prairie; by contrast June, the busiest, runs about 1.7× the average — so January is the easiest time to have the place largely to yourself.

On our Best Time to Visit score January rates 43/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated October at 45/100 — 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 43°F and an overnight low around 19°F, with about 0.8" of precipitation and roughly 3" of snow.

That average of about 31°F is cold, with winter conditions likely on higher ground.

Because June, July and August together draw about 38% 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 9.6 hours of daylight in January to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 27,531 recreation visits, down 8.1% from 29,955 in 2024.