How Crowded Is Appalachian in May?
May is a busy month at Appalachian National Scenic Trail, running about 1.2× the park's average month — roughly 10% of the year's visitors come in May. That puts it between the July peak and the February low. Overall our best-time score rates May as "Fair" for a visit. Typical May weather averages a high near 72°F and a low around 51°F, with about 4" of precipitation. You'll get about 14.2 hours of daylight to explore.
Frequently Asked Questions
May is busy at Appalachian National Scenic Trail (about 1.2× the average month). Our best-time score rates it "Fair". The single best month overall is September.
The busiest month is July and the quietest is February. May sits at about 1.2× the park's average, or 10% of annual visitation.
Source: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (2025–2025), NOAA NCEI Climate Normals 1991–2020. Updated 2026-06-20.