How Crowded Is George Washington Carver National Monument in May?

May runs about 1.4× George Washington Carver National Monument's average month, which makes it a busy month here — roughly 12% of the park's yearly visitors come in May.

In a typical May the park sees roughly 4,500 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes May the 2nd-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the April peak (1.5×) and the January low (0.3×).

On our Best Time to Visit score May rates 45/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated August at 60/100 — 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 76°F and an overnight low around 54°F, with about 6.7" 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 May instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 14 hours of daylight in May to explore — between the 9.5-hour midwinter low and the 14.5-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2024 drew 39,081 recreation visits, up 4.8% from 37,282 in 2023.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 29.4%, so May may feel a touch quieter than it once did.