How Crowded Is Walnut Canyon National Monument in October?

October runs about 1.2× Walnut Canyon National Monument's average month, which makes it a busy month here — roughly 10% of the park's yearly visitors come in October.

In a typical October the park sees about 17,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes October the 3rd-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 October rates 37/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated August at 70/100 — 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 67°F and an overnight low around 35°F, with about 1.2" of precipitation and roughly 1" of snow.

That average of about 51°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 27% 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 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 October visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.