How Crowded Is Ice Age National Scenic Trail in September?

September runs about 0.8× Ice Age National Scenic Trail's average month, which makes it a quiet month here — roughly 7% of the park's yearly visitors come in September.

In a typical September the park sees roughly 1,900 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 2024 to 2025.

That makes September the 8th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (1.8×) and the February low (0.6×).

On our Best Time to Visit score September rates 73/100 ("Good") — the single best-rated month at Ice Age, balancing crowds against weather and daylight.

Typical September weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 72°F and an overnight low around 49°F, with about 3.3" of precipitation.

That average of about 60°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 33% of annual visitors, choosing September instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 12.3 hours of daylight in September to explore — between the 8.7-hour midwinter low and the 15.3-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 29,125 recreation visits, down 2% from 29,711 in 2024.