How Crowded Is Buck Island Reef National Monument in August?
August runs about 0.8× Buck Island Reef National Monument's average month, which makes it a quiet month here — roughly 7% of the park's yearly visitors come in August.
In a typical August the park sees roughly 2,600 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.
That makes August the 9th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the March peak (1.5×) and the September low (0.4×).
On our Best Time to Visit score August rates 58/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated September at 87/100 — the best overall balance of crowds and daylight.
August falls inside the park's busiest stretch: June, July and August together pull about 28% of the year's visitors, so a visit this month means sharing the park with the peak-season crowd.
You'll have about 12.6 hours of daylight in August to explore — between the 10.9-hour midwinter low and the 13.1-hour summer high.
Park-wide, 2025 drew 40,079 recreation visits, down 5.2% from 42,289 in 2024.
Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 40.3%, so a August visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.
Frequently Asked Questions
August is quiet at Buck Island Reef National Monument (about 0.8× the average month). Our best-time score rates it "Fair". The single best month overall is September.
The busiest month is March and the quietest is September. August sits at about 0.8× the park's average, or 7% of annual visitation.
A typical August sees about 3,000 recreation visits at Buck Island Reef National Monument, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979–2025.
Where to stay near Buck Island Reef in August
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See the full ranking of the best national parks to visit in August.
Source: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025). Updated 2026-07-14.