How Crowded Is Cane River Creole National Historical Park in December?

December runs about 1× Cane River Creole National Historical Park'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 roughly 1,900 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 2002 to 2025.

That makes December the 7th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (1.4×) and the January low (0.5×).

On our Best Time to Visit score December rates 38/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated November at 52/100 — 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 62°F and an overnight low around 41°F, with about 5.6" 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 28% 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 9.9 hours of daylight in December to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2024 drew 12,592 recreation visits, up 7.6% from 11,701 in 2023.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 41.5%, so December may feel a touch quieter than it once did.