How Crowded Is Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve in December?

December runs about 0× Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve'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 about 40 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1982 to 2025.

That makes December the 10th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (3.9×) and the January low (0×).

On our Best Time to Visit score December rates 40/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated May at 68/100 — 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 9°F and an overnight low around -4°F, with about 1.1" of precipitation and roughly 11" of snow.

That average of about 2°F is cold, with winter conditions likely on higher ground.

Because June, July and August together draw about 83% 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 5 hours of daylight in December to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 108,840 recreation visits, up 33.3% from 81,670 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 20.8%, so a December visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.