How Crowded Is Little River Canyon National Preserve in May?

May runs about 1.3× Little River Canyon National Preserve's average month, which makes it a busy month here — roughly 11% of the park's yearly visitors come in May.

In a typical May the park sees about 73,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 2003 to 2025.

That makes May the 3rd-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (1.6×) and the January low (0.5×).

On our Best Time to Visit score May rates 55/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated September at 63/100 — 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 81°F and an overnight low around 58°F, with about 5" of precipitation.

That average of about 70°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 35% 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 13.8 hours of daylight in May to explore — between the 9.7-hour midwinter low and the 14.3-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 781,518 recreation visits, up 2.4% from 763,209 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 40.8%, so a May visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.