How Crowded Is Redwood National and State Parks in May?

May runs about 1.3× Redwood National and State Parks's average month, which makes it a busy month here — roughly 11% of the park's yearly visitors come in May.

In a typical May the park sees about 57,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes May the 5th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (1.8×) and the February low (0.5×).

On our Best Time to Visit score May rates 54/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated October at 59/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical May weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 61°F and an overnight low around 43°F.

That average of about 52°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 42% 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 14.3 hours of daylight in May to explore — between the 9-hour midwinter low and the 15-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 1,202,480 recreation visits, up 93.1% from 622,883 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 40.1%, so a May visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.