How Crowded Is Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument in May?

May runs about 1× Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument's average month, which makes it an average month here — roughly 8% of the park's yearly visitors come in May.

In a typical May the park sees about 970 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 2015 to 2025.

That makes May the 7th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the September peak (1.6×) and the October low (0.3×).

On our Best Time to Visit score May rates 64/100 ("Good"), versus the top-rated October at 72/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical May weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 73°F and an overnight low around 54°F, with about 4.8" 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 26% of annual visitors, choosing May instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 14.2 hours of daylight in May to explore — between the 9.2-hour midwinter low and the 14.8-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2022 drew 3,518 recreation visits, down 56.6% from 8,110 in 2021.