How Crowded Is Arkansas Post National Memorial in December?

December runs about 0.7× Arkansas Post National Memorial's average month, which makes it a quiet month here — roughly 5% of the park's yearly visitors come in December.

In a typical December the park sees roughly 1,600 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes December the 9th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the May peak (1.7×) and the January low (0.6×).

On our Best Time to Visit score December rates 52/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated September at 77/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical December weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 54°F and an overnight low around 38°F, with about 6" of precipitation.

That average of about 46°F is cool, so layers and a shorter daylight window matter.

Because June, July and August together draw about 33% of annual visitors, choosing December instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 9.7 hours of daylight in December to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2024 drew 26,203 recreation visits, up 4.7% from 25,032 in 2023.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 22.7%, so December may feel a touch quieter than it once did.