How Crowded Is Mojave National Preserve in September?

September runs about 0.8× Mojave National Preserve's average month, which makes it a quiet month here — roughly 7% of the park's yearly visitors come in September.

In a typical September the park sees about 48,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1997 to 2025.

That makes September the 11th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the November peak (1.3×) and the August low (0.7×).

On our Best Time to Visit score September rates 78/100 ("Excellent"), versus the top-rated August at 79/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical September weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 85°F and an overnight low around 68°F, with about 0.7" of precipitation.

That average of about 76°F is warm enough that midday heat is worth planning around.

Because June, July and August together draw about 22% of annual visitors, choosing September instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 12.2 hours of daylight in September to explore — between the 9.6-hour midwinter low and the 14.4-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 569,844 recreation visits, up 34.1% from 424,864 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 7.7%, so a September visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.