Best Time to Visit Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
SeptemberBest month to visit
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Visit Fort Vancouver in September
September offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). For comparison, July is the most crowded month (~1.8× the average month) and December is the quietest.
Annual visits
1.1M
2025
Busiest month
Jul
1.8× avg
Quietest month
Dec
0.6× avg
10-yr trend
steady
-2.8%
More photos of Fort Vancouver
Photos courtesy of the National Park Service (public domain).
How crowded is Fort Vancouver 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 | Quiet | 47 Fair | 47°F / 34°F | 8.9 h |
| February | Quiet | 49 Fair | 51°F / 35°F | 10.1 h |
| March | Average | 51 Fair | 56°F / 38°F | 11.6 h |
| April | Average | 58 Fair | 61°F / 42°F | 13.3 h |
| May | Busy | 56 Fair | 68°F / 48°F | 14.7 h |
| June | Busy | 62 Good | 74°F / 53°F | 15.5 h |
| July | Very busy | 57 Fair | 81°F / 57°F | 15.2 h |
| August | Busy | 70 Good | 82°F / 57°F | 13.9 h |
| September★ best | Average | 74 Good | 76°F / 52°F | 12.3 h |
| October | Quiet | 66 Good | 64°F / 45°F | 10.7 h |
| November | Quiet | 53 Fair | 53°F / 39°F | 9.2 h |
| December | Quiet | 47 Fair | 47°F / 35°F | 8.5 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USW00094298, ~0.4 mi away).
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About visiting Fort Vancouver
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site is a National Historic Site in OR, WA and a moderately visited park, drawing about 1.1 million recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has held fairly steady over the past decade. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: July is the busiest month at about 1.8× the park's average month, while December is the calmest at roughly 0.6× — a 3-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 38% 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 69°F in August down to about 41°F in January, with the wettest stretch in December. About 7 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 September: 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 July rush. Daylight ranges from about 8.5 hours in midwinter to 15.5 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. A standard private-vehicle entrance pass runs about $10, valid for several days, so a shoulder-season trip stretches that fee across quieter, more comfortable days. 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
Located on the north bank of the Columbia River, in sight of snowy mountain peaks and a vibrant urban landscape, this park has a rich cultural past. From a frontier fur trading post, to a powerful military legacy, the magic of flight, and the origin of the American Pacific Northwest, history is shared at four unique sites. Discover stories of transition, settlement, conflict, and community.
Weather & conditions
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site is located in a mild, temperate climate. However, in the case of severe weather, park alerts posted on the park's website will provide information about emergency closures.
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Fort Vancouver
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Fort Vancouver National Historic Site — live availability and prices to plan your trip. September is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather.
Top-rated places to stay near Fort Vancouver
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Getting to Fort Vancouver
The nearest airport is Portland International Airport (PDX), about 12 mi (21 min drive) away. Most visitors reach Fort Vancouver by car.
Entrance fees
A standard private-vehicle entrance pass is about $10, typically valid for several days.
Frequently Asked Questions
September offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season) at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. The park is busiest in July (about 1.8× the average month) and quietest in December.
July is the busiest month at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, running roughly 1.8 times the park's average monthly visitation.
December is the quietest month at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, at about 0.6× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site recorded about 1,071,161 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has been steady over the past decade (-2.8%).
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site averages about 69°F (August). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Portland International Airport (PDX) is the closest airport to Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, about 12 mi (21 min drive) away.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Water quality of lakes near Fort Vancouver
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.
- Henry Hagg Lake water qualityGrade A · 29 mi · OR
- Vancouver Lake water qualityGrade — · 5 mi · WA
- Lacamas Lake water qualityGrade — · 12 mi · WA
- Scout Lake water qualityGrade — · 38 mi · OR
- Haskins Reservoir water qualityGrade — · 40 mi · OR
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.