How Crowded Is Mississippi National River & Recreation Area in October?

October runs about 0.9× Mississippi National River & Recreation Area's average month, which makes it an average month here — roughly 7% of the park's yearly visitors come in October.

In a typical October the park sees about 22,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 2011 to 2025.

That makes October the 7th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (1.4×) and the December low (0.7×).

On our Best Time to Visit score October rates 56/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated September at 63/100 — best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight.

Typical October weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 58°F and an overnight low around 40°F, with about 2.5" of precipitation.

That average of about 49°F is cool, so layers and a shorter daylight window matter.

Because June, July and August together draw about 33% 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 10.7 hours of daylight in October to explore — between the 8.6-hour midwinter low and the 15.4-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 224,722 recreation visits, down 12.3% from 256,133 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 22.6%, so October may feel a touch quieter than it once did.