How Crowded Is Channel Islands National Park in September?

September runs about 1.1× Channel Islands National Park's average month, which makes it an average month here — roughly 10% of the park's yearly visitors come in September.

In a typical September the park sees about 30,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes September the 4th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (1.5×) and the January low (0.5×).

On our Best Time to Visit score September rates 63/100 ("Good"), versus the top-rated November 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 71°F and an overnight low around 56°F, with about 0.1" of precipitation.

That average of about 64°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 35% 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 9.7-hour midwinter low and the 14.3-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 227,186 recreation visits, down 13.5% from 262,581 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 13.6%, so September may feel a touch quieter than it once did.