How Crowded Is Prince William Forest Park in December?

December runs about 0.6× Prince William Forest Park's average month, which makes it a quiet month here — roughly 5% of the park's yearly visitors come in December.

In a typical December the park sees about 16,000 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 July peak (1.3×) and the January low (0.6×).

On our Best Time to Visit score December rates 49/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated April at 59/100 — 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 49°F and an overnight low around 32°F, with about 3.3" of precipitation and roughly 2" of snow.

That average of about 40°F is cool, so layers and a shorter daylight window matter.

Because June, July and August together draw about 32% 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 9.3 hours of daylight in December to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 339,015 recreation visits, down 4.6% from 355,196 in 2024.