Our recommendation
Visit Steamtown in May
May offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). For comparison, August is the most crowded month (~1.9× the average month) and January is the quietest.
Annual visits
60K
2024
Busiest month
Aug
1.9× avg
Quietest month
Jan
0.3× avg
10-yr trend
falling
-26.4%
How crowded is Steamtown by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 1989–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Avg high / low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Very quiet | 42 Poor | 36°F / 20°F | 9.3 h |
| February | Very quiet | 42 Poor | 39°F / 22°F | 10.4 h |
| March | Very quiet | 42 Poor | 48°F / 29°F | 11.7 h |
| April | Quiet | 55 Fair | 61°F / 39°F | 13.1 h |
| May★ best | Average | 64 Good | 72°F / 50°F | 14.3 h |
| June | Busy | 66 Good | 80°F / 58°F | 15.0 h |
| July | Very busy | 49 Fair | 85°F / 63°F | 14.7 h |
| August | Very busy | 46 Fair | 82°F / 61°F | 13.7 h |
| September | Busy | 56 Fair | 75°F / 54°F | 12.3 h |
| October | Busy | 44 Poor | 63°F / 43°F | 10.9 h |
| November | Quiet | 36 Poor | 51°F / 34°F | 9.6 h |
| December | Quiet | 28 Poor | 40°F / 26°F | 9.0 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USW00014777, ~5.8 mi away).
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About visiting Steamtown
Steamtown National Historic Site is a National Historic Site in PA and a relatively quiet park, drawing about 60,000 recreation visits in 2024. Visitation has eased over the past decade, down about 26.4%. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: August is the busiest month at about 1.9× the park's average month, while January is the calmest at roughly 0.3× — a 7-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 40% of the year's visitors arrive in the three summer months of June, July and August alone, so timing a trip outside that window is the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels. Weather swings from an average high-season warmth near 74°F in July down to about 28°F in January, with the wettest stretch in September. About 7 months a year see comfortable average temperatures in the 50–80°F range, which is part of why crowd timing and weather timing don't always line up. The sweet spot is May: pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). Visit then and you trade a little peak-season certainty for noticeably shorter lines and easier parking than the August rush. Daylight ranges from about 9.0 hours in midwinter to 15.0 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. These crowd figures are drawn from 1989–2025 of National Park Service visitor-use records, paired with 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
Feel the heat from the firebox, smell hot steam and oil; hear the whistle and the "chuff-chuff" from the smokestack, feel the ground vibrate, and watch as one-ton drive rods turn steel wheels. Discover how steam railroading helped shaped our nation's history and culture. Learn about the stories of the people who built, repaired and rode, and about the ongoing work to preserve railroading history.
Weather & conditions
Warm and sometimes humid summers; cold and rainy or snowy winters. Wear seasonable clothing and good walking shoes. For travel aboard the summer and fall seasonal excursion trains, please note that the commuter-type coaches are not air-conditioned, or may not be heated. Therefore, we recommend that you dress appropriately for the season that you plan to visit us!
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Steamtown
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Steamtown National Historic Site — live availability and prices to plan your trip. May is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather.
Top-rated places to stay near Steamtown
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Getting to Steamtown
The nearest airport is Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP), about 9 mi (16 min drive) away. Most visitors reach Steamtown by car.
Frequently Asked Questions
May offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season) at Steamtown National Historic Site. The park is busiest in August (about 1.9× the average month) and quietest in January.
August is the busiest month at Steamtown National Historic Site, running roughly 1.9 times the park's average monthly visitation.
January is the quietest month at Steamtown National Historic Site, at about 0.3× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Steamtown National Historic Site recorded about 60,243 recreation visits in 2024. Visitation has been falling over the past decade (-26.4%).
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Steamtown National Historic Site averages about 74°F (July). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP) is the closest airport to Steamtown National Historic Site, about 9 mi (16 min drive) away.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Water quality of lakes near Steamtown
If you are planning to swim, paddle or fish on this trip, these graded lakes are within a 40-mile drive. Grades are A–F from EPA and state-agency sampling.
- Lake Carey water qualityGrade — · 19 mi · PA
- Lake Wallenpaupack water qualityGrade — · 23 mi · PA
- Swamp Pond water qualityGrade — · 38 mi · NY
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1989–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.