How Crowded Is Nez Perce National Historical Park in May?

May runs about 1.2× Nez Perce National Historical Park's average month, which makes it a busy month here — roughly 10% of the park's yearly visitors come in May.

In a typical May the park sees about 31,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes May the 4th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the August peak (1.4×) and the January low (0.7×).

On our Best Time to Visit score May rates 54/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated July at 67/100 — best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight.

Typical May weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 68°F and an overnight low around 43°F.

That average of about 56°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 33% of annual visitors, choosing May instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 14.8 hours of daylight in May to explore — between the 8.5-hour midwinter low and the 15.5-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 343,910 recreation visits, about flat from 342,924 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 31.8%, so a May visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.