How Crowded Is Bluestone National Scenic River in August?

August runs about 2.1× Bluestone National Scenic River's average month, which makes it a very busy month here — roughly 17% of the park's yearly visitors come in August.

In a typical August the park sees roughly 4,900 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1993 to 2025.

That makes August the 3rd-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (2.8×) and the January low (0.1×).

On our Best Time to Visit score August rates 54/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated May at 68/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical August weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 84°F and an overnight low around 64°F, with about 3.6" of precipitation.

That average of about 74°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

August falls inside the park's busiest stretch: June, July and August together pull about 60% of the year's visitors, so a visit this month means sharing the park with the peak-season crowd.

You'll have about 13.5 hours of daylight in August to explore — between the 9.4-hour midwinter low and the 14.6-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 12,446 recreation visits, up 69.9% from 7,327 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 42.6%, so August may feel a touch quieter than it once did.