How Crowded Is New River Gorge in May?
May is a busy month at New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, running about 1.3× the park's average month — roughly 11% of the year's visitors come in May. That puts it between the July peak and the January low. Overall our best-time score rates May as "Fair" for a visit. Typical May weather averages a high near 72°F and a low around 51°F, with about 4.7" of precipitation. You'll get about 14.0 hours of daylight to explore.
Frequently Asked Questions
May is busy at New River Gorge National Park & Preserve (about 1.3× the average month). Our best-time score rates it "Fair". The single best month overall is September.
The busiest month is July and the quietest is January. May sits at about 1.3× the park's average, or 11% of annual visitation.
Source: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1984–2025), NOAA NCEI Climate Normals 1991–2020. Updated 2026-06-20.