How Crowded Is Dry Tortugas National Park in December?

December runs about 1× Dry Tortugas National Park's average month, which makes it an average month here — roughly 8% of the park's yearly visitors come in December.

In a typical December the park sees roughly 6,100 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes December the 6th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the June peak (1.2×) and the October low (0.7×).

On our Best Time to Visit score December rates 57/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated February at 65/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical December weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 76°F and an overnight low around 67°F, with about 2.4" of precipitation.

That average of about 71°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 28% 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 10.5 hours of daylight in December to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 89,355 recreation visits, up 5.3% from 84,873 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 34.7%, so a December visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.