How Crowded Is Steamtown National Historic Site in October?

October runs about 1.2× Steamtown 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 roughly 8,400 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1989 to 2025.

That makes October the 5th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the August peak (1.9×) and the January low (0.3×).

On our Best Time to Visit score October rates 44/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated May at 64/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical October weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 63°F and an overnight low around 43°F, with about 3.7" 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 40% 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 10.9 hours of daylight in October to explore — between the 9-hour midwinter low and the 15-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2024 drew 60,243 recreation visits, up 3.2% from 58,403 in 2023.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 26.4%, so October may feel a touch quieter than it once did.