JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — Compared to zero visitors in April 2020 (due to the pandemic), April 2021 numbers in Grand Teton look eyepopping. Some 87,739 recreation visits were recorded in Grand Teton National Park last month.
Still, compared to any April, the visitation represents a 48% increase compared to April 2019, and an all-time high since records have been kept.
The numbers portend what National Park Service officials are anticipating in a year following COVID, which heavily curtailed travel for nearly a calendar year: huge crowds.
“Park staff is working to provide quality visitor experiences as a predicted busy summer season approaches. Visitors to the park are highly encouraged to plan ahead and recreate responsibly in order to make the most of their visit and to help ensure this iconic landscape may be enjoyed by future generations,” stated park spokesperson Denise Germann.
Grand Teton April by the numbers:
- 2021—87,739
- 2020—Park was closed due to COVID-19 pandemic
- 2019—59,105
- 2018—60,541
- 2017—58,403
Park employees will also collect data and conduct visitation studies to better understand changing visitation trends in the park.
Consistent with CDC recommendations, fully vaccinated individuals are no longer required to wear masks inside park facilities or outdoors. A person is considered fully vaccinated at least two weeks after their final dose of the vaccine. Those who are not fully vaccinated must continue to wear masks indoors and in crowded outdoor spaces where physical distancing is not possible.
