How Crowded Is Martin Van Buren National Historic Site in October?

October runs about 1.6× Martin Van Buren National Historic Site's average month, which makes it a very busy month here — roughly 13% of the park's yearly visitors come in October.

In a typical October the park sees roughly 2,200 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1982 to 2025.

That makes October the 3rd-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (2.2×) and the January low (0.3×).

On our Best Time to Visit score October rates 38/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated May at 69/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical October weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 62°F and an overnight low around 41°F, with about 4.3" of precipitation.

That average of about 52°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 48% of annual visitors, choosing October instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 10.8 hours of daylight in October to explore — between the 8.9-hour midwinter low and the 15.1-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 15,807 recreation visits, down 10.8% from 17,712 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 28.9%, so October may feel a touch quieter than it once did.