How Crowded Is Walnut Canyon National Monument in December?

December runs about 0.5× Walnut Canyon National Monument's average month, which makes it a quiet month here — roughly 4% of the park's yearly visitors come in December.

In a typical December the park sees roughly 7,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes December the 11th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the April peak (1.5×) and the January low (0.4×).

On our Best Time to Visit score December rates 39/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated August at 70/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical December weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 45°F and an overnight low around 21°F, with about 1.2" of precipitation and roughly 10" of snow.

That average of about 33°F is cold, with winter conditions likely on higher ground.

Because June, July and August together draw about 27% of annual visitors, choosing December 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 December to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2024 drew 187,205 recreation visits, up 22.7% from 152,548 in 2023.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 14.2%, so a December visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.