How Crowded Is De Soto National Memorial in October?
October runs about 0.9× De Soto National Memorial's average month, which makes it an average month here — roughly 7% of the park's yearly visitors come in October.
In a typical October the park sees about 17,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.
That makes October the 9th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the March peak (1.6×) and the September low (0.7×).
On our Best Time to Visit score October rates 68/100 ("Good"), versus the top-rated September at 87/100 — the best overall balance of crowds and daylight.
Because June, July and August together draw about 21% of annual visitors, choosing October instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.
You'll have about 11.3 hours of daylight in October to explore — between the 10.3-hour midwinter low and the 13.7-hour summer high.
Park-wide, 2023 drew 231,892 recreation visits, up 33.9% from 173,150 in 2022.
Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 22.9%, so October may feel a touch quieter than it once did.
Frequently Asked Questions
October is average at De Soto National Memorial (about 0.9× the average month). Our best-time score rates it "Good". The single best month overall is September.
The busiest month is March and the quietest is September. October sits at about 0.9× the park's average, or 7% of annual visitation.
A typical October sees about 17,000 recreation visits at De Soto National Memorial, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979–2025.
Where to stay near De Soto in October
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See the full ranking of the best national parks to visit in October.
Source: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025). Updated 2026-07-14.