How Crowded Is Pea Ridge National Military Park in December?

December runs about 0.5× Pea Ridge National Military Park's average month, which makes it a very quiet month here — roughly 4% of the park's yearly visitors come in December.

In a typical December the park sees roughly 4,400 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes December the 11th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the May peak (1.4×) and the January low (0.4×).

On our Best Time to Visit score December rates 49/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated April at 58/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical December weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 48°F and an overnight low around 26°F.

That average of about 37°F is cool, so layers and a shorter daylight window matter.

Because June, July and August together draw about 31% 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 9.5 hours of daylight in December to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 131,726 recreation visits, up 28.4% from 102,621 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 8.5%, so a December visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.