How Crowded Is Mount Rainier National Park in December?

December runs about 0.2× Mount Rainier National Park's average month, which makes it a very quiet month here — roughly 2% of the park's yearly visitors come in December.

In a typical December the park sees about 26,000 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 (3×) and the February low (0.1×).

On our Best Time to Visit score December rates 40/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated May at 52/100 — best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight.

Typical December weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 33°F and an overnight low around 22°F, with about 18.9" of precipitation.

That average of about 27°F is cold, with winter conditions likely on higher ground.

Because June, July and August together draw about 62% 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 8.3 hours of daylight in December to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 1,635,342 recreation visits, up 0.9% from 1,620,006 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 18.2%, so a December visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.