New Mexico
National parks in New Mexico
New Mexico has 2 national parks and 7 other busy National Park System sites in this guide. The best months below balance mild weather and crowds.
| Park | Best months | Busiest | July high / January low °F | Visitors a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Sands National Park | Jan, Feb and Nov | Mar | 97° / 22° | 697,000 |
| Carlsbad Caverns National Park | Jan, Feb and Nov | Mar | 91° / 34° | 422,000 |
| Petroglyph National Monument | Feb and Apr | Oct | 93° / 24° | 327,000 |
| Bandelier National Monument | Apr | May | 83° / 21° | 220,000 |
| El Malpais National Monument | Mar, Apr and May | May | 83° / 20° | 161,000 |
| Capulin Volcano National Monument | Mar and Apr | Jul | 86° / 15° | 91,000 |
| Valles Caldera National Preserve | May and Jun | Oct | 74° / 9° | 81,000 |
| Manhattan Project National Historical Park | May, Oct and Nov | Jul | 88° / 28° | 64,000 |
| El Morro National Monument | Apr and May | May | 85° / 14° | 54,000 |
New Mexico parks by month
| Month | Visitors, all 9 sites | Sites with mild weather |
|---|---|---|
| January | 106,000 | White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns |
| February | 117,000 | White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns, Petroglyph National Monument |
| March | 246,000 | White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns, El Malpais National Monument, Capulin Volcano National Monument |
| April | 217,000 | White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns, Petroglyph National Monument, Bandelier National Monument, El Malpais National Monument, Capulin Volcano National Monument, El Morro National Monument |
| May | 212,000 | El Malpais National Monument, Valles Caldera National Preserve, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, El Morro National Monument |
| June | 215,000 | Valles Caldera National Preserve |
| July | 213,000 | none |
| August | 161,000 | none |
| September | 162,000 | none |
| October | 170,000 | Manhattan Project National Historical Park |
| November | 141,000 | White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns, Manhattan Project National Historical Park |
| December | 157,000 | Carlsbad Caverns |
Weather 1991–2020 NOAA normals at each park's nearest station. Visitors National Park Service recreation visits, 2023–2025 average. Mild means an average high of 55–80°F without above-normal rain.