How Crowded Is Lake Clark National Park & Preserve in December?

December runs about 0.2× Lake Clark National Park & Preserve's average month, which makes it a very quiet month here — roughly 1% of the park's yearly visitors come in December.

In a typical December the park sees about 180 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1982 to 2025.

That makes December the 9th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the August peak (3.3×) and the January low (0.1×).

On our Best Time to Visit score December rates 39/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated May at 73/100 — best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight.

Typical December weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 27°F and an overnight low around 15°F, with about 1" of precipitation and roughly 18" of snow.

That average of about 21°F is cold, with winter conditions likely on higher ground.

Because June, July and August together draw about 70% 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 5.3 hours of daylight in December to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2017 drew 22,755 recreation visits, up 7.8% from 21,102 in 2016.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 109.9%, so a December visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.