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

September runs about 1.4× Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site's average month, which makes it a busy month here — roughly 11% of the park's yearly visitors come in September.

In a typical September the park sees about 660 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 2010 to 2025.

That makes September the 4th-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 September rates 58/100 ("Fair") — the single best-rated month at Sand Creek Massacre, balancing crowds against weather and daylight.

Typical September weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 82°F and an overnight low around 52°F, with about 1" of precipitation.

That average of about 67°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 September instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 12.2 hours of daylight in September 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 September may feel a touch quieter than it once did.