How Crowded Is Everglades National Park in December?

December runs about 1.2× Everglades National Park's average month, which makes it a busy month here — roughly 10% of the park's yearly visitors come in December.

In a typical December the park sees about 88,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes December the 4th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the February peak (1.5×) and the September low (0.6×).

On our Best Time to Visit score December rates 58/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated May 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 78°F and an overnight low around 61°F, with about 1.7" of precipitation.

That average of about 70°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 21% 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 10.4 hours of daylight in December to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 778,198 recreation visits, up 4.9% from 741,983 in 2024.