How Crowded Is Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument in October?

October runs about 1× Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument'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 roughly 5,700 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes October the 6th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (2.2×) and the January low (0.3×).

On our Best Time to Visit score October rates 36/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated August at 48/100 — best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight.

Typical October weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 60°F and an overnight low around 23°F, with about 0.7" of precipitation and roughly 4" of snow.

That average of about 41°F is cool, so layers and a shorter daylight window matter.

Because June, July and August together draw about 49% 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 11 hours of daylight in October to explore — between the 9.3-hour midwinter low and the 14.7-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 63,680 recreation visits, down 10.9% from 71,499 in 2024.