How Crowded Is Fort Matanzas National Monument in October?

October runs about 0.8× Fort Matanzas National Monument's average month, which makes it a quiet month here — roughly 7% of the park's yearly visitors come in October.

In a typical October the park sees about 41,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes October the 9th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (1.5×) and the December low (0.6×).

On our Best Time to Visit score October rates 69/100 ("Good"), versus the top-rated December at 77/100 — 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 81°F and an overnight low around 69°F, with about 4.5" of precipitation.

That average of about 75°F is warm enough that midday heat is worth planning around.

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 11.3 hours of daylight in October to explore — between the 10.1-hour midwinter low and the 13.9-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 653,152 recreation visits, down 4% from 680,040 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 14.7%, so a October visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.