How Crowded Is Catoctin Mountain Park in September?

September runs about 1.3× Catoctin Mountain Park's average month, which makes it a busy month here — roughly 11% of the park's yearly visitors come in September.

In a typical September the park sees about 42,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes September the 3rd-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the October peak (1.4×) and the February low (0.5×).

On our Best Time to Visit score September rates 48/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated May at 62/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical September weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 75°F and an overnight low around 58°F, with about 5.3" of precipitation.

That average of about 66°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 31% 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 9.2-hour midwinter low and the 14.8-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 460,857 recreation visits, up 21.1% from 380,681 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 40.8%, so a September visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.