Glacier National Park in December
Glacier National Park · crowd + weather almanac
December crowd level
quietest stretch
about 18,000 visits in a
typical December
The 10th-busiest month of the year ·
median of 2016–2025 official NPS counts
December is the 10th-busiest month of the year at Glacier National Park: about 18,000 recreation visits in a typical December (1% of the year's traffic, and 2% of what the peak month, July, sees). This is the off-season — the park is at or near its quietest. Weather-wise, December days at the W Glacier, MT station typically top out around 29°F with nights near 20°F, and about 3.2 inches of precipitation falls over the month. The station's long-term normal includes about 31 inches of December snowfall.
- Typical December: 18,205 recreation visits (median 2016–2025); the range across those years ran 12,877 (2016) to 28,196 (2020).
- Busier than 2 of the other 11 months.
- 1991–2020 December normals at W Glacier, MT: high 29°F, low 20°F, 3.21 in precipitation, 31.4 in snow.
December weather (1991–2020 normals)
| Typical daytime high | 29°F |
|---|---|
| Typical overnight low | 20°F |
| Precipitation (monthly normal) | 3.21 in |
| Snowfall (monthly normal) | 31.4 in |
| Measured at | W Glacier, MT (USC00248809), 0.2 mi from the park reference point, elev. 3,148 ft |
Every month at Glacier
| Month | Typical visits | Crowds | High / Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 15,182 | quietest stretch | 30°F / 19°F | 3.5 in |
| February | 16,603 | quietest stretch | 34°F / 19°F | 2.2 in |
| March | 24,020 | quietest stretch | 42°F / 25°F | 2.6 in |
| April | 41,061 | quietest stretch | 53°F / 31°F | 2.1 in |
| May | 182,656 | quiet | 64°F / 39°F | 2.6 in |
| June | 546,839 | busy | 70°F / 45°F | 3.8 in |
| July | 794,292 | busiest stretch | 80°F / 50°F | 1.4 in |
| August | 697,050 | busiest stretch | 79°F / 48°F | 1.2 in |
| September | 511,148 | busy | 68°F / 41°F | 2.0 in |
| October | 120,642 | quiet | 52°F / 33°F | 3.0 in |
| November | 22,423 | quietest stretch | 37°F / 26°F | 3.2 in |
| December | 18,205 | quietest stretch | 29°F / 20°F | 3.2 in |