How Crowded Is First Ladies National Historic Site in October?

October runs about 0.9× First Ladies National Historic Site's average month, which makes it an average month here — roughly 8% of the park's yearly visitors come in October.

In a typical October the park sees about 880 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 2006 to 2025.

That makes October the 7th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the December peak (1.6×) and the January low (0.3×).

On our Best Time to Visit score October rates 50/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated May at 61/100 — 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 44°F, with about 3.3" of precipitation.

That average of about 54°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 35% 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, 2024 drew 12,642 recreation visits, up 13% from 11,187 in 2023.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 26.7%, so October may feel a touch quieter than it once did.