How Crowded Is Gauley River National Recreation Area in September?

September runs about 3.6× Gauley River National Recreation Area's average month, which makes it a very busy month here — roughly 30% of the park's yearly visitors come in September.

In a typical September the park sees about 47,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1993 to 2025.

It is the single busiest month of the year at Gauley River; January, the quietest, runs only about 0.2× the average — a 21-to-1 swing between high and low season.

On our Best Time to Visit score September rates 43/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated May at 74/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical September weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 76°F and an overnight low around 53°F, with about 3.8" of precipitation.

That average of about 64°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 26% 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 9.4-hour midwinter low and the 14.6-hour summer high.

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 September visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.