How Crowded Is Wilson's Creek National Battlefield in October?
October runs about 1× Wilson's Creek National Battlefield's average month, which makes it an average month here — roughly 9% of the park's yearly visitors come in October.
In a typical October the park sees about 23,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.
That makes October the 5th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the August peak (1.8×) and the January low (0.5×).
On our Best Time to Visit score October rates 54/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated January at 79/100 — the best overall balance of crowds and daylight.
Because June, July and August together draw about 34% 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 9.5-hour midwinter low and the 14.5-hour summer high.
Park-wide, 2025 drew 370,558 recreation visits, up 3.6% from 357,805 in 2024.
Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 41.5%, so a October visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.
Frequently Asked Questions
October is average at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield (about 1.0× the average month). Our best-time score rates it "Fair". The single best month overall is January.
The busiest month is August and the quietest is January. October sits at about 1.0× the park's average, or 9% of annual visitation.
A typical October sees about 23,000 recreation visits at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979–2025.
Where to stay near Wilson's Creek in October
Booking a October trip to Wilson's Creek National Battlefield? Compare hotels, cabins and vacation rentals near the park with live October availability and prices.
Top-rated places to stay near Wilson's Creek
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Visiting Wilson's Creek in October?
Get crowd forecasts and lodging deals for Wilson's Creek by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
See the full ranking of the best national parks to visit in October.
Source: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025). Updated 2026-07-14.