Our recommendation
Visit Pea Ridge in April
April offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). For comparison, May is the most crowded month (~1.4× the average month) and January is the quietest.
Annual visits
132K
2025
Busiest month
May
1.4× avg
Quietest month
Jan
0.4× avg
10-yr trend
rising
+8.5%
How crowded is Pea Ridge by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 1979–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Avg high / low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Very quiet | 50 Fair | 45°F / 23°F | 9.8 h |
| February | Quiet | 50 Fair | 50°F / 26°F | 10.7 h |
| March | Busy | 29 Poor | 58°F / 34°F | 11.7 h |
| April★ best | Average | 58 Fair | 68°F / 42°F | 12.9 h |
| May | Busy | 51 Fair | 76°F / 52°F | 13.9 h |
| June | Busy | 62 Good | 83°F / 60°F | 14.5 h |
| July | Busy | 47 Fair | 88°F / 65°F | 14.3 h |
| August | Average | 57 Fair | 88°F / 64°F | 13.4 h |
| September | Average | 66 Good | 81°F / 55°F | 12.2 h |
| October | Average | 50 Fair | 71°F / 44°F | 11.0 h |
| November | Average | 45 Fair | 58°F / 33°F | 10.0 h |
| December | Very quiet | 49 Fair | 48°F / 26°F | 9.5 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USC00237645, ~8.1 mi away).
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About visiting Pea Ridge
Pea Ridge National Military Park is a National Military Park in AR and a relatively quiet park, drawing about 132,000 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has climbed over the past decade, up roughly 8.5%, so crowds are trending heavier each year. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: May is the busiest month at about 1.4× the park's average month, while January is the calmest at roughly 0.4× — a 4-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 31% of the year's visitors arrive in the three summer months of June, July and August alone, so timing a trip outside that window is the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels. Weather swings from an average high-season warmth near 77°F in July down to about 34°F in January, with the wettest stretch in January. About 7 months a year see comfortable average temperatures in the 50–80°F range, which is part of why crowd timing and weather timing don't always line up. The sweet spot is April: pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). Visit then and you trade a little peak-season certainty for noticeably shorter lines and easier parking than the May rush. Daylight ranges from about 9.5 hours in midwinter to 14.5 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. These crowd figures are drawn from 1979–2025 of National Park Service visitor-use records, paired with 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
On March 7-8, 1862, over 23,000 soldiers fought here to decide the fate of Missouri which was a turning point of the war in the Trans-Mississippi. This 4,400-acre battlefield honors those who fought and died on these hallowed grounds. Pea Ridge was the most pivotal Civil War battle west of the Mississippi River.
Weather & conditions
Pea Ridge National Military Park is located in the northwestern part of the state and is on a part of the Ozark Plateau. The climate is hot and humid in the summers, has mild temperatures in the fall, and drier and cooler temperatures in the winter. During the spring and summer, active thunderstorms can pop up. During the winter months, the wind chill factor can make the temperature feel much colder than the air temperature. The winters can be cold with some snow and ice.
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Pea Ridge
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Pea Ridge National Military Park — live availability and prices to plan your trip. April is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather.
Top-rated places to stay near Pea Ridge
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Getting to Pea Ridge
The nearest airport is Northwest Arkansas Regional (XNA), about 28 mi (53 min drive) away. Most visitors reach Pea Ridge by car.
Frequently Asked Questions
April offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season) at Pea Ridge National Military Park. The park is busiest in May (about 1.4× the average month) and quietest in January.
May is the busiest month at Pea Ridge National Military Park, running roughly 1.4 times the park's average monthly visitation.
January is the quietest month at Pea Ridge National Military Park, at about 0.4× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Pea Ridge National Military Park recorded about 131,726 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has been rising over the past decade (+8.5%).
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Pea Ridge National Military Park averages about 77°F (July). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Northwest Arkansas Regional (XNA) is the closest airport to Pea Ridge National Military Park, about 28 mi (53 min drive) away.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Water quality of lakes near Pea Ridge
If you are planning to swim, paddle or fish on this trip, these graded lakes are within a 40-mile drive. Grades are A–F from EPA and state-agency sampling.
- Beaver Lake water qualityGrade A · 11 mi · AR
- Table Rock L. Ab. Carter Br. Lake water qualityGrade A · 23 mi · MO
- Table Rock Lake water qualityGrade A · 28 mi · MO
- Table Rock Lk. Btwn Campbell Point Rd And Hendrickson School Rd Lake water qualityGrade A · 29 mi · MO
- Table Rock L. @ Mouth of James R. Arm Lake water qualityGrade A · 33 mi · MO
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.