How Crowded Is Fire Island National Seashore in December?

December runs about 0.4× Fire Island National Seashore's average month, which makes it a very quiet month here — roughly 4% of the park's yearly visitors come in December.

In a typical December the park sees about 12,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes December the 9th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the August peak (2.6×) and the January low (0.2×).

On our Best Time to Visit score December rates 43/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated May at 71/100 — 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 44°F and an overnight low around 32°F, with about 4.9" 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 55% 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 9.1 hours of daylight in December to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 305,520 recreation visits, up 0.6% from 303,731 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 16.8%, so December may feel a touch quieter than it once did.