Best Time to Visit Fort Larned National Historic Site
OctoberBest month to visit
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Visit Fort Larned in October
October offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). For comparison, May is the most crowded month (~1.7× the average month) and January is the quietest.
Annual visits
26K
2024
Busiest month
May
1.7× avg
Quietest month
Jan
0.3× avg
10-yr trend
falling
-12.6%
More photos of Fort Larned
Photos courtesy of the National Park Service (public domain).
How crowded is Fort Larned by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 1979–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Avg high / low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Very quiet | 46 Fair | 44°F / 20°F | 9.6 h |
| February | Very quiet | 47 Fair | 47°F / 23°F | 10.6 h |
| March | Quiet | 50 Fair | 58°F / 31°F | 11.7 h |
| April | Busy | 51 Fair | 68°F / 41°F | 13.0 h |
| May | Very busy | 45 Fair | 78°F / 52°F | 14.1 h |
| June | Busy | 49 Fair | 89°F / 62°F | 14.6 h |
| July | Busy | 44 Poor | 94°F / 68°F | 14.4 h |
| August | Busy | 50 Fair | 91°F / 65°F | 13.5 h |
| September | Average | 65 Good | 84°F / 57°F | 12.2 h |
| October★ best | Average | 53 Fair | 71°F / 44°F | 11.0 h |
| November | Quiet | 53 Fair | 57°F / 31°F | 9.9 h |
| December | Very quiet | 42 Poor | 45°F / 22°F | 9.4 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USC00144531, ~5.8 mi away).
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About visiting Fort Larned
Fort Larned National Historic Site is a National Historic Site in KS and one of the system's hidden, low-traffic units, drawing about 26,000 recreation visits in 2024. Visitation has eased over the past decade, down about 12.6%. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: May is the busiest month at about 1.7× the park's average month, while January is the calmest at roughly 0.3× — a 6-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 37% of the year's visitors arrive in the three summer months of June, July and August alone, so timing a trip outside that window is the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels. Weather swings from an average high-season warmth near 81°F in July down to about 32°F in January, with the wettest stretch in May. About 6 months a year see comfortable average temperatures in the 50–80°F range, which is part of why crowd timing and weather timing don't always line up. The sweet spot is October: pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). Visit then and you trade a little peak-season certainty for noticeably shorter lines and easier parking than the May rush. Daylight ranges from about 9.4 hours in midwinter to 14.6 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. These crowd figures are drawn from 1979–2025 of National Park Service visitor-use records, paired with 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
Discover a complete and authentic army post from the 1860s -1870s! This well-preserved fort on the Santa Fe Trail shares a tumultuous history of the Indian Wars era. The sandstone constructed buildings sheltered troops who were known as the Guardians of the Santa Fe Trail.
Weather & conditions
Central Kansas has a four-season climate. Winter tends to be cold and dry, with average daytime highs below 40F (4C). Foehn winds blowing across the Great Plains from the Southwest periodically raise temperatures above 80F (27C). Unsettled warmer air, higher winds, and severe weather arrive in the spring and often last through early July. Late summer days hover above 90F (32C) and readings over 100F (38C) are not uncommon. Fall is variable but generally milder with showers changing to snow and ice later.
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Fort Larned
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Fort Larned National Historic Site — live availability and prices to plan your trip. October is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather.
Top-rated places to stay near Fort Larned
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Getting to Fort Larned
The nearest airport is Hays Municipal Airport (HYS), about 58 mi (1 hr 27 min drive) away. Most visitors reach Fort Larned by car.
Frequently Asked Questions
October offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season) at Fort Larned National Historic Site. The park is busiest in May (about 1.7× the average month) and quietest in January.
May is the busiest month at Fort Larned National Historic Site, running roughly 1.7 times the park's average monthly visitation.
January is the quietest month at Fort Larned National Historic Site, at about 0.3× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Fort Larned National Historic Site recorded about 26,219 recreation visits in 2024. Visitation has been falling over the past decade (-12.6%).
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Fort Larned National Historic Site averages about 81°F (July). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Hays Municipal Airport (HYS) is the closest airport to Fort Larned National Historic Site, about 58 mi (1 hr 27 min drive) away.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Water quality of lakes near Fort Larned
If you are planning to swim, paddle or fish on this trip, these graded lakes are within a 40-mile drive. Grades are A–F from EPA and state-agency sampling.
- Quivera Big Salt Marsh Lake water qualityGrade D · 37 mi · KS
- Veteran'S Lake water qualityGrade F · 26 mi · KS
- Cheyenne Bottoms Pool water qualityGrade F · 37 mi · KS
- Stone Lake water qualityGrade — · 27 mi · KS
- Hodgeman Co State Fishing Lake water qualityGrade — · 34 mi · KS
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.