How Crowded Is Theodore Roosevelt National Park in December?

December runs about 0.1× Theodore Roosevelt National Park's average month, which makes it a very quiet month here — roughly 0% of the park's yearly visitors come in December.

In a typical December the park sees roughly 2,700 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

It is the quietest month of the year at Theodore Roosevelt; by contrast July, the busiest, runs about 2.7× the average — so December is the easiest time to have the place largely to yourself.

On our Best Time to Visit score December rates 41/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated May at 64/100 — best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight.

Typical December weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 28°F and an overnight low around 10°F.

That average of about 19°F is cold, with winter conditions likely on higher ground.

Because June, July and August together draw about 61% of annual visitors, choosing December instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 8.3 hours of daylight in December to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 729,893 recreation visits, about flat from 732,951 in 2024.