How Crowded Is Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site in October?

October runs about 2.1× Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site's average month, which makes it a very busy month here — roughly 17% of the park's yearly visitors come in October.

In a typical October the park sees roughly 4,200 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes October the 2nd-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (2.2×) and the February low (0.2×).

On our Best Time to Visit score October rates 20/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated April at 55/100 — best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight.

Typical October weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 55°F and an overnight low around 26°F, with about 1" of precipitation.

That average of about 41°F is cool, so layers and a shorter daylight window matter.

Because June, July and August together draw about 49% of annual visitors, choosing October instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 10.6 hours of daylight in October to explore — between the 8.4-hour midwinter low and the 15.6-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 23,520 recreation visits, down 14.4% from 27,479 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 11.2%, so a October visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.