How Crowded Is Big Cypress National Preserve in May?

May runs about 0.8× Big Cypress National Preserve's average month, which makes it a quiet month here — roughly 7% of the park's yearly visitors come in May.

In a typical May the park sees about 115,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1989 to 2025.

That makes May the 7th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the February peak (1.6×) and the September low (0.6×).

On our Best Time to Visit score May rates 67/100 ("Good"), versus the top-rated November at 67/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical May weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 91°F and an overnight low around 66°F, with about 5.8" of precipitation.

That average of about 78°F is warm enough that midday heat is worth planning around.

Because June, July and August together draw about 17% of annual visitors, choosing May instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 13.3 hours of daylight in May to explore — near the year-round maximum.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 2,262,731 recreation visits, up 2.1% from 2,216,708 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 135.4%, so a May visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.