How Crowded Is Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site in October?

October runs about 0.6× Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site's average month, which makes it a quiet month here — roughly 5% of the park's yearly visitors come in October.

In a typical October the park sees about 620 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 (3.6×) and the January low (0.1×).

On our Best Time to Visit score October rates 52/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated August at 71/100 — 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 58°F and an overnight low around 33°F, with about 1" of precipitation and roughly 3" of snow.

That average of about 46°F is cool, so layers and a shorter daylight window matter.

Because June, July and August together draw about 65% 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 10.6 hours of daylight in October to explore — between the 8.2-hour midwinter low and the 15.8-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2024 drew 12,028 recreation visits, down 7.1% from 12,942 in 2023.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 23.2%, so October may feel a touch quieter than it once did.