How Crowded Is Yellowstone National Park in October?

October runs about 0.7× Yellowstone National Park's average month, which makes it a quiet month here — roughly 6% of the park's yearly visitors come in October.

In a typical October the park sees about 261,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes October the 6th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (2.7×) and the November low (0.1×).

On our Best Time to Visit score October rates 38/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated April at 48/100 — best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight.

Typical October weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 46°F and an overnight low around 22°F, with about 1.9" of precipitation.

That average of about 34°F is cold, with winter conditions likely on higher ground.

Because June, July and August together draw about 61% 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 10.7 hours of daylight in October to explore — between the 8.6-hour midwinter low and the 15.4-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 4,762,988 recreation visits, about flat from 4,744,353 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 7.5%, so a October visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.