How Crowded Is New River Gorge in October?
October is a busy month at New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, running about 1.4× the park's average month — roughly 11% of the year's visitors come in October. That puts it between the July peak and the January low. Overall our best-time score rates October as "Poor" for a visit. Typical October weather averages a high near 64°F and a low around 44°F, with about 2.7" of precipitation and roughly 1.4" of snow. You'll get about 11.0 hours of daylight to explore.
Frequently Asked Questions
October is busy at New River Gorge National Park & Preserve (about 1.4× the average month). Our best-time score rates it "Poor". The single best month overall is September.
The busiest month is July and the quietest is January. October sits at about 1.4× 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.