How Crowded Is Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial in December?

December runs about 0.1× Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial'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 roughly 1,500 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes December the 10th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (4.9×) and the January low (0.1×).

On our Best Time to Visit score December rates 45/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated October at 75/100 — 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 47°F and an overnight low around 30°F, with about 4" of precipitation and roughly 2" of snow.

That average of about 38°F is cool, so layers and a shorter daylight window matter.

Because June, July and August together draw about 67% 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 9.4 hours of daylight in December to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 115,517 recreation visits, down 11.1% from 129,904 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 8.9%, so December may feel a touch quieter than it once did.