How Crowded Is Haleakalā National Park in December?

December runs about 1.1× Haleakalā National Park's average month, which makes it an average month here — roughly 9% of the park's yearly visitors come in December.

In a typical December the park sees about 87,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes December the 4th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (1.1×) and the November low (0.9×).

On our Best Time to Visit score December rates 38/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated September at 58/100 — 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 61°F and an overnight low around 45°F, with about 5.3" of precipitation.

That average of about 53°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 December instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 10.7 hours of daylight in December to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 853,711 recreation visits, up 16.6% from 732,477 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 23.3%, so December may feel a touch quieter than it once did.