How Crowded Is Fort Bowie National Historic Site in May?

May runs about 0.7× Fort Bowie National Historic Site's average month, which makes it a quiet month here — roughly 6% of the park's yearly visitors come in May.

In a typical May the park sees about 500 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes May the 8th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the March peak (2.2×) and the August low (0.3×).

On our Best Time to Visit score May rates 83/100 ("Excellent"), versus the top-rated August at 82/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical May weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 83°F and an overnight low around 49°F, with about 0.3" of precipitation.

That average of about 66°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 9% of annual visitors, choosing May instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 13.6 hours of daylight in May to explore — between the 9.9-hour midwinter low and the 14.1-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 8,739 recreation visits, up 3% from 8,483 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 9.8%, so a May visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.