How Crowded Is Cabrillo National Monument in September?

September runs about 0.9× Cabrillo National Monument's average month, which makes it an average month here — roughly 7% of the park's yearly visitors come in September.

In a typical September the park sees about 63,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

It is the quietest month of the year at Cabrillo; by contrast July, the busiest, runs about 1.3× the average — so September is the easiest time to have the place largely to yourself.

On our Best Time to Visit score September rates 89/100 ("Excellent") — the single best-rated month at Cabrillo, balancing crowds against weather and daylight.

Typical September weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 77°F and an overnight low around 65°F, with about 0.2" of precipitation.

That average of about 71°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 29% of annual visitors, choosing September instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 12.2 hours of daylight in September to explore — between the 9.9-hour midwinter low and the 14.1-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2024 drew 845,912 recreation visits, up 4.4% from 810,147 in 2023.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 17.2%, so September may feel a touch quieter than it once did.