How Crowded Is Fort Union National Monument in October?

October runs about 1.2× Fort Union National Monument's average month, which makes it an average month here — roughly 10% of the park's yearly visitors come in October.

In a typical October the park sees roughly 1,000 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 June peak (1.7×) and the January low (0.3×).

On our Best Time to Visit score October rates 46/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated August at 65/100 — 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 71°F and an overnight low around 32°F, with about 1.2" of precipitation.

That average of about 51°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 37% 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 11.1 hours of daylight in October to explore — between the 9.6-hour midwinter low and the 14.4-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2024 drew 9,217 recreation visits, down 3.7% from 9,570 in 2023.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 12.5%, so October may feel a touch quieter than it once did.