How Crowded Is Clara Barton National Historic Site in December?

December runs about 0.4× Clara Barton National Historic Site's average month, which makes it a very quiet month here — roughly 3% of the park's yearly visitors come in December.

In a typical December the park sees about 520 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes December the 11th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the June peak (1.5×) and the January low (0.4×).

On our Best Time to Visit score December rates 49/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated October at 60/100 — best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight.

Typical December weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 47°F and an overnight low around 30°F, with about 3.8" of precipitation.

That average of about 38°F is cool, so layers and a shorter daylight window matter.

Because June, July and August together draw about 34% 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 9.3 hours of daylight in December to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 11,309 recreation visits, down 15.2% from 13,334 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 9.5%, so December may feel a touch quieter than it once did.