How Crowded Is Gauley River National Recreation Area in December?

December runs about 0.2× Gauley River National Recreation Area's average month, which makes it a very quiet month here — roughly 2% of the park's yearly visitors come in December.

In a typical December the park sees roughly 3,100 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1993 to 2025.

That makes December the 11th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the September peak (3.6×) and the January low (0.2×).

On our Best Time to Visit score December rates 44/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated May 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 45°F and an overnight low around 26°F, with about 3.9" of precipitation.

That average of about 35°F is cool, so layers and a shorter daylight window matter.

Because June, July and August together draw about 26% 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 9.4 hours of daylight in December to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 213,596 recreation visits, down 21.7% from 272,898 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 79.1%, so a December visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.