How Crowded Is Friendship Hill National Historic Site in September?

September runs about 3.9× Friendship Hill National Historic Site's average month, which makes it a very busy month here — roughly 32% of the park's yearly visitors come in September.

In a typical September the park sees roughly 8,400 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1983 to 2025.

It is the single busiest month of the year at Friendship Hill; January, the quietest, runs only about 0.3× the average — a 13-to-1 swing between high and low season.

On our Best Time to Visit score September rates 45/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated June at 83/100 — best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight.

Typical September weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 77°F and an overnight low around 54°F, with about 3.4" of precipitation.

That average of about 65°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 27% of annual visitors, choosing September instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 12.2 hours of daylight in September to explore — between the 9.2-hour midwinter low and the 14.8-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 18,080 recreation visits, down 7.1% from 19,465 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 48%, so September may feel a touch quieter than it once did.