How Crowded Is Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in May?

May runs about 1.4× Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine's average month, which makes it a busy month here — roughly 12% of the park's yearly visitors come in May.

In a typical May the park sees about 56,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes May the 1st-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (1.4×) and the January low (0.3×).

On our Best Time to Visit score May rates 51/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated October at 49/100 — 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 76°F and an overnight low around 58°F, with about 3.4" of precipitation.

That average of about 67°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 May instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 14.2 hours of daylight in May to explore — between the 9.2-hour midwinter low and the 14.8-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2024 drew 394,175 recreation visits, down 8.3% from 429,967 in 2023.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 47.4%, so May may feel a touch quieter than it once did.