How Crowded Is Fire Island National Seashore in October?

October runs about 0.9× Fire Island National Seashore'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 25,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes October the 5th-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 October rates 61/100 ("Good"), versus the top-rated May at 71/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical October weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 63°F and an overnight low around 50°F, with about 3.6" of precipitation.

That average of about 56°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 55% 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 10.9 hours of daylight in October to explore — between the 9.1-hour midwinter low and the 14.9-hour summer high.

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 October may feel a touch quieter than it once did.