How Crowded Is Wupatki National Monument in January?

January runs about 0.3× Wupatki National Monument's average month, which makes it a very quiet month here — roughly 3% of the park's yearly visitors come in January.

In a typical January the park sees roughly 5,300 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

It is the quietest month of the year at Wupatki; by contrast July, the busiest, runs about 1.5× the average — so January is the easiest time to have the place largely to yourself.

On our Best Time to Visit score January rates 52/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated October at 56/100 — 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 48°F and an overnight low around 26°F, with about 0.7" of precipitation.

That average of about 37°F is cool, so layers and a shorter daylight window matter.

Because June, July and August together draw about 36% 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 9.8 hours of daylight in January to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2024 drew 220,205 recreation visits, up 2.1% from 215,703 in 2023.