How Crowded Is George Rogers Clark National Historical Park in May?

May runs about 2.9× George Rogers Clark National Historical Park's average month, which makes it a very busy month here — roughly 24% of the park's yearly visitors come in May.

In a typical May the park sees about 29,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

It is the single busiest month of the year at George Rogers Clark; January, the quietest, runs only about 0.2× the average — a 14-to-1 swing between high and low season.

On our Best Time to Visit score May rates 46/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated October at 66/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical May weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 77°F and an overnight low around 55°F, with about 5.5" of precipitation.

That average of about 66°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

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

You'll have about 14.1 hours of daylight in May to explore — between the 9.3-hour midwinter low and the 14.7-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 113,397 recreation visits, down 31.9% from 166,621 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 18.6%, so a May visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.