Photo: NPS / Jacob W. Frank
Idaho · Montana · Wyoming
Photo: NPS Photo
California
Photo: NPS Photo by Kent Miller
Maine
The % badge is October’s visitors as a share of the park’s busiest month.
Shoulder season · 9 parks
1. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National ParkColoradoIts quiet month
Black Canyon of the Gunnison averages 29,766 visits in October, 61% of its June peak. Crowds are thinning: 98% in September, 29% in November. By our rule, this is Black Canyon of the Gunnison's quiet shoulder month.
2. Bryce Canyon National ParkUtah
Bryce Canyon averages 235,422 visits in October, 71% of its June peak. Crowds are thinning: 98% in September, 24% in November.
Arches averages 150,241 visits in October, 77% of its May peak. Crowds are thinning: 84% in September, 44% in November.
4. Yosemite National ParkCalifornia
Yosemite averages 412,607 visits in October, 77% of its August peak. Crowds are thinning: 88% in September, 40% in November.
5. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National ParkHawaii
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes averages 117,453 visits in October, 78% of its December peak. Crowds are building: 77% in September, 87% in November.
6. Canyonlands National ParkUtah
Canyonlands averages 96,016 visits in October, 79% of its May peak. Crowds are thinning: 81% in September, 35% in November.
7. Yellowstone National ParkIdaho · Montana · WyomingIts quiet monthSeason’s end
Yellowstone averages 302,468 visits in October, 33% of its July peak. It's the last busy month of the season: 86% in September, then 3% in November. By our rule, this is Yellowstone's quiet shoulder month.
8. Great Basin National ParkNevadaSeason’s end
Great Basin averages 16,599 visits in October, 64% of its July peak. It's the last busy month of the season: 94% in September, then 9% in November.
9. Acadia National ParkMaineIts quiet monthSeason’s end
Acadia averages 557,411 visits in October, 70% of its August peak. It's the last busy month of the season: 83% in September, then 9% in November. By our rule, this is Acadia's quiet shoulder month.
Low season · 32 parks
Saguaro National ParkArizona
Saguaro averages 54,673 visits in October, 35% of its March peak. Crowds are building: 25% in September, 50% in November.
Everglades National ParkFlorida
Everglades averages 38,164 visits in October, 37% of its February peak. September runs 42% and November 58%.
Virgin Islands National ParkUS Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands averages 15,848 visits in October, 40% of its March peak. Crowds are building: 34% in September, 69% in November.
Great Sand Dunes National Park & PreserveColorado
Great Sand Dunes averages 39,055 visits in October, 41% of its June peak. Crowds are thinning: 53% in September, 14% in November.
Indiana Dunes National ParkIndiana
Indiana Dunes averages 212,361 visits in October, 42% of its July peak. Crowds are thinning: 53% in September, 23% in November.
Olympic National ParkWashington
Olympic averages 263,849 visits in October, 42% of its August peak. Crowds are thinning: 67% in September, 28% in November.
Kings Canyon National ParkCalifornia
Kings Canyon averages 51,007 visits in October, 43% of its July peak. Crowds are thinning: 62% in September, 24% in November.
Hot Springs National ParkArkansas
Hot Springs averages 149,687 visits in October, 43% of its June peak. September runs 37% and November 43%.
National Park of American SamoaAmerican Samoa
American Samoa averages 1,416 visits in October, 45% of its April peak. Crowds are thinning: 78% in September, 35% in November. 2025 reported just 0 visits this month (usually about 1,244), kept as reported.
Sequoia National ParkCalifornia
Sequoia averages 93,195 visits in October, 48% of its July peak. Crowds are thinning: 63% in September, 31% in November.
Rocky Mountain National ParkColorado
Rocky Mountain averages 400,367 visits in October, 50% of its July peak. Crowds are thinning: 75% in September, 19% in November.
Big Bend averages 47,188 visits in October, 51% of its March peak. Crowds are building: 26% in September, 63% in November.
Joshua Tree National ParkCalifornia
Joshua Tree averages 209,037 visits in October, 51% of its March peak. Crowds are building: 39% in September, 76% in November.
Mesa Verde National ParkColorado
Mesa Verde averages 48,993 visits in October, 52% of its June peak. Crowds are thinning: 66% in September, 15% in November.
Redwood National and State ParksCalifornia
Redwood averages 49,415 visits in October, 52% of its June peak. Crowds are thinning: 76% in September, 30% in November.
White Sands National ParkNew Mexico
White Sands averages 53,137 visits in October, 54% of its March peak. September runs 47% and November 52%.
Pinnacles National ParkCalifornia
Pinnacles averages 21,236 visits in October, 55% of its April peak. Crowds are building: 51% in September, 63% in November.
Carlsbad Caverns National ParkNew Mexico
Carlsbad Caverns averages 27,986 visits in October, 55% of its July peak. September runs 53% and November 55%. 2025 reported just 0 visits this month (usually about 35,323), kept as reported.
Death Valley National ParkCalifornia · Nevada
Death Valley averages 88,753 visits in October, 55% of its March peak. Crowds are building: 38% in September, 68% in November.
Mammoth Cave National ParkKentucky
Mammoth Cave averages 55,994 visits in October, 56% of its July peak. Crowds are thinning: 58% in September, 33% in November. 2025 reported just 12,646 visits this month (usually about 67,103), kept as reported.
Dry Tortugas National ParkFlorida
Dry Tortugas averages 4,965 visits in October, 57% of its May peak. September runs 67% and November 74%. No road in: you arrive by boat or plane, per NPS.
Biscayne National ParkFlorida
Biscayne averages 36,611 visits in October, 59% of its May peak. September runs 74% and November 66%.
Guadalupe Mountains National ParkTexas
Guadalupe Mountains averages 22,294 visits in October, 63% of its March peak. September runs 35% and November 55%.
New River Gorge National Park & PreserveWest Virginia
New River Gorge averages 193,526 visits in October, 69% of its July peak. September runs 66% and November 33%.
Petrified Forest National ParkArizona
Petrified Forest averages 44,784 visits in October, 70% of its June peak. September runs 67% and November 45%. 2025 reported just 0 visits this month (usually about 56,459), kept as reported.
Channel Islands National ParkCalifornia
Channel Islands averages 25,322 visits in October, 71% of its July peak. Crowds are thinning: 77% in September, 64% in November. No road in: you arrive by boat or plane, per NPS.
Congaree National ParkSouth Carolina
Congaree averages 21,349 visits in October, 73% of its May peak. September runs 58% and November 72%.
Mount Rainier National ParkWashingtonSeason’s end
Mount Rainier averages 134,477 visits in October, 32% of its July peak. It's the last busy month of the season: 56% in September, then 7% in November.
Theodore Roosevelt National ParkNorth DakotaSeason’s end
Theodore Roosevelt averages 54,275 visits in October, 34% of its July peak. It's the last busy month of the season: 75% in September, then 7% in November.
Grand Teton National ParkWyomingSeason’s end
Grand Teton averages 247,505 visits in October, 34% of its July peak. It's the last busy month of the season: 77% in September, then 7% in November.
Lassen Volcanic National ParkCaliforniaSeason’s end
Lassen Volcanic averages 37,677 visits in October, 35% of its July peak. It's the last busy month of the season: 47% in September, then 9% in November.
Glacier Bay National Park & PreserveAlaskaSeason’s end
Glacier Bay averages 43,949 visits in October, 38% of its July peak. It's the last busy month of the season: 75% in September, then 0% in November. No road in: you arrive by boat or plane, per NPS.
Peak season · 8
Under 30% of the peak: few visitors, and services may be limited.
Likely closed · 2
These parks average almost no recreation visits in October. That usually means a seasonal closure or no way in, but it’s our inference from the numbers, not an NPS notice. Check before you go:
How we rank
Every number here is National Park Service recreation visits, averaged by calendar month over 2021–2025. A park’s crowd index compares each month with its own busiest month (100). Peak season is 80 or above; shoulder months border the peak and still reach 30. We rank shoulder months quietest first.
We don’t score weather, and a quiet month can be quiet because of it. The crowd calendar has the full method and every park’s twelve months side by side; each park page links to its nps.gov conditions.
October 2025 at a glance
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