How Crowded Is Big Thicket National Preserve in May?

May runs about 1.1× Big Thicket National Preserve's average month, which makes it an average month here — roughly 9% of the park's yearly visitors come in May.

In a typical May the park sees about 22,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1981 to 2025.

That makes May the 6th-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 May rates 52/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated March at 64/100 — 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 87°F and an overnight low around 64°F, with about 4.5" of precipitation.

That average of about 75°F is warm enough that midday heat is worth planning around.

Because June, July and August together draw about 27% 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 13.5 hours of daylight in May to explore — between the 10-hour midwinter low and the 14-hour summer high.

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 May visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.