How Crowded Is Fort Vancouver National Historic Site in December?

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

In a typical December the park sees about 47,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

It is the quietest month of the year at Fort Vancouver; by contrast July, the busiest, runs about 1.8× the average — so December is the easiest time to have the place largely to yourself.

On our Best Time to Visit score December rates 47/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated September at 74/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical December weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 47°F and an overnight low around 35°F, with about 6.1" of precipitation.

That average of about 41°F is cool, so layers and a shorter daylight window matter.

Because June, July and August together draw about 38% of annual visitors, choosing December instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 8.5 hours of daylight in December to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 1,071,161 recreation visits, up 6.3% from 1,007,756 in 2024.