How Crowded Is Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in May?

May runs about 1.1× Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve's average month, which makes it an average month here — roughly 9% of the park's yearly visitors come in May.

In a typical May the park sees about 32,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes May the 3rd-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the March peak (1.4×) and the September low (0.8×).

On our Best Time to Visit score May rates 59/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated November at 67/100 — 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 84°F and an overnight low around 66°F, with about 5.5" of precipitation.

That average of about 75°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 24% 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 13.5 hours of daylight in May to explore — between the 10.1-hour midwinter low and the 13.9-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 226,543 recreation visits, up 6.6% from 212,591 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 45.4%, so May may feel a touch quieter than it once did.