How Crowded Is Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site in October?

October runs about 1.2× Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site's average month, which makes it a busy month here — roughly 10% of the park's yearly visitors come in October.

In a typical October the park sees about 610 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 2010 to 2025.

That makes October the 6th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (1.6×) and the January low (0.2×).

On our Best Time to Visit score October rates 43/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated September at 58/100 — best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight.

Typical October weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 69°F and an overnight low around 37°F, with about 1.4" of precipitation.

That average of about 53°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 38% of annual visitors, choosing October instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 11 hours of daylight in October to explore — between the 9.3-hour midwinter low and the 14.7-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2024 drew 6,401 recreation visits, up 9.3% from 5,855 in 2023.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 11.4%, so October may feel a touch quieter than it once did.