Updated October 2026
Best Time to Visit Harry S Truman National Historic Site
National Historic SiteMissouri
Best month to visit
October
67°F / 47°F avg high / low
Our recommendation
Visit Harry S Truman in October
October offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). For comparison, July is the most crowded month (~1.8× the average month) and January is the quietest.
- Annual visits
- 19K
- 2025
- Busiest month
- Jul
- 1.8× avg
- Quietest month
- Jan
- 0.3× avg
- 10-yr trend
- falling
- -32.5%
More photos of Harry S Truman
Photos courtesy of the National Park Service (public domain).
How crowded is Harry S Truman by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 1984–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
Harry S Truman National Historic Site weather by month →
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Avg high / low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Very quiet | 45 Fair | 39°F / 22°F | 9.6 h |
| February | Very quiet | 48 Fair | 44°F / 26°F | 10.5 h |
| March | Quiet | 48 Fair | 55°F / 35°F | 11.7 h |
| April | Average | 58 Fair | 66°F / 46°F | 13.0 h |
| May | Busy | 59 Fair | 75°F / 56°F | 14.1 h |
| June | Busy | 51 Fair | 84°F / 65°F | 14.7 h |
| July | Very busy | 31 Poor | 88°F / 70°F | 14.5 h |
| August | Busy | 40 Poor | 87°F / 68°F | 13.5 h |
| September | Busy | 62 Good | 79°F / 59°F | 12.2 h |
| Octoberour pick | Busy | 50 Fair | 67°F / 47°F | 11.0 h |
| November | Quiet | 50 Fair | 54°F / 36°F | 9.8 h |
| December | Very quiet | 45 Fair | 43°F / 26°F | 9.3 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USW00053879, ~8.1 mi away).
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About visiting Harry S Truman
Harry S Truman National Historic Site is a National Historic Site in MO and one of the system's hidden, low-traffic units, drawing about 19,000 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has eased over the past decade, down about 32.5%. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: July is the busiest month at about 1.8× the park's average month, while January is the calmest at roughly 0.3× — a 6-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 41% of the year's visitors arrive in the three summer months of June, July and August alone, so timing a trip outside that window is the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels. Weather swings from an average high-season warmth near 79°F in July down to about 31°F in January, with the wettest stretch in May. About 7 months a year see comfortable average temperatures in the 50–80°F range, which is part of why crowd timing and weather timing don't always line up. The sweet spot is October: pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). Visit then and you trade a little peak-season certainty for noticeably shorter lines and easier parking than the July rush. Daylight ranges from about 9.3 hours in midwinter to 14.7 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. These crowd figures are drawn from 1984–2025 of National Park Service visitor-use records, paired with 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
President Harry S Truman took America from its traditional isolationism into the age of international involvement. Despite his power, he never forgot where he came from. Today, visitors can experience the surroundings Truman knew as a young man of modest ambition through his political career and final years as a former president.
Weather & conditions
Located on the western edge of Missouri, the park enjoys each of the four seasons. Early spring brings frequent and rapid fluctuations in weather. The summer season has warm days, periods of high heat and humidity, and mild nights. The fall season is normally mild with sunny days and cool nights. Winters can be cold. The January low averages 21 degrees. The area receives a yearly average of 37 inches of rain per year and around 18 inches of snow. Our zip code is 64050 if you wish to go to www.weather.gov
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Harry S Truman
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Harry S Truman National Historic Site — live availability and prices to plan your trip. October is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather. Full lodging guide: when to book, gateway vs in-park, and the crowd calendar that drives room rates.
Top-rated places to stay near Harry S Truman
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
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Getting to Harry S Truman
The nearest airport is Kansas City International Airport (MCI), about 33 mi (49 min drive) away. Most visitors reach Harry S Truman by car.
What takes a reservation at Harry S Truman
From National Park Service records read on October 11, 2026. Timed-entry and permit rules change from season to season; the official Harry S Truman page has this year's.
Activities the park marks as needing a reservation
Frequently Asked Questions
October offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season) at Harry S Truman National Historic Site. The park is busiest in July (about 1.8× the average month) and quietest in January.
July is the busiest month at Harry S Truman National Historic Site, running roughly 1.8 times the park's average monthly visitation.
January is the quietest month at Harry S Truman National Historic Site, at about 0.3× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Harry S Truman National Historic Site recorded about 19,296 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has been falling over the past decade (-32.5%).
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Harry S Truman National Historic Site averages about 79°F (July). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Kansas City International Airport (MCI) is the closest airport to Harry S Truman National Historic Site, about 33 mi (49 min drive) away.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Water quality of lakes near Harry S Truman
If you are planning to swim, paddle or fish on this trip, these graded lakes are within a 40-mile drive. Grades are A–F from EPA and state-agency sampling.
- Rock Lake Village Lake water qualityGrade A · 24 mi · MO
- Douglas Co State Fishing Lake water qualityGrade A · 36 mi · KS
- Jacomo Lake water qualityGrade B · 12 mi · MO
- Lotawana Lake water qualityGrade B · 14 mi · MO
- New Olathe Lake water qualityGrade B · 20 mi · KS
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1984–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.