How Crowded Is Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River in January?

January runs about 0.2× Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River'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 roughly 5,700 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1980 to 2025.

That makes January the 11th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (2.9×) and the December low (0.2×).

On our Best Time to Visit score January rates 42/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated June at 69/100 — best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight.

Typical January weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 33°F and an overnight low around 15°F, with about 2.6" of precipitation.

That average of about 24°F is cold, with winter conditions likely on higher ground.

Because June, July and August together draw about 59% 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 9.3 hours of daylight in January to explore — between the 9-hour midwinter low and the 15-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 380,245 recreation visits, up 0.8% from 377,061 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 34.9%, so a January visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.