How Crowded Is Big Thicket National Preserve in December?

December runs about 1× Big Thicket National Preserve's average month, which makes it an average month here — roughly 9% of the park's yearly visitors come in December.

In a typical December the park sees about 21,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1981 to 2025.

That makes December the 7th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the October peak (1.2×) and the February low (0.7×).

On our Best Time to Visit score December rates 37/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated March at 64/100 — 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 64°F and an overnight low around 40°F, with about 5.4" of precipitation.

That average of about 52°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 27% 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 10 hours of daylight in December to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 228,310 recreation visits, down 16% from 271,823 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 15.7%, so a December visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.