Yellowstone 2021 tallies show record year in visitation

JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — Yearend totals are in for Yellowstone and, no surprise, 2021 will go down as the busiest calendar year on record the park.

Yellowstone National Park hosted 4,860,537 recreation visits in 2021. That’s up dramatically (28%) from the previous record year in 2020 (3,806,306 visits).

In 2021, visitation for May, June, July, August, and September shattered records as the American people flocked to perceived safe havens in the great outdoors as the pandemic continued its grip on the world. July was also the most-visited month on record in Yellowstone’s history and the first time visitation exceeded 1 million visits in a single month.

The list below shows the year-to-date trend for recreation visits over the last several years:

• 2021 – 4,860,537
• 2020 – 3,806,306* (COVID closed the park for some stretches)
• 2019 – 4,020,288
• 2018 – 4,115,000
• 2017 – 4,116,524
• 2016 – 4,257,177

Although the park accurately counted 4.86 million visits in 2021, a closer analysis of visitor use data shows that over 350,000 vehicles re-entered the park in 2021 compared to 2019 (before COVID-19). This is likely due to approximately 20% fewer overnight stays in the park during the year.

A variety of factors were likely at play. Several construction projects and COVID-19 restrictions limited the park to fewer overnight accommodations. The park had approximately 20% fewer campsites and hotel rooms available in 2021 compared to previous years. This translated to more visitors leaving the park to overnight elsewhere and then returning than in previous years.

Additionally, statistical categories the park tracked, including trail counters, tonnage of trash, water usage, and public safety calls, showed visitor-use levels more comparable to 2019, when the park counted 4 million visits. The park is evaluating improved software that can more reliably and accurately differentiate new visits versus the same visitors entering the park multiple times.

 Affected areas: developed corridors

Yellowstone’s road corridors and parking areas equate to less than 1,750 (0.079%) acres of the park’s 2.2 million acres. Most visitors stay within a half mile of these corridors.

 Visitor use strategy

Yellowstone’s visitor use strategy, developed in 2019, focuses on the impacts of increasing visitation on: 1) park resources; 2) staffing, infrastructure and operations; 3) visitor experience; and 4) gateway communities, including economic and recreational access. The park is concentrating on the most congested areas including Old Faithful, Midway Geyser Basin, Norris, Canyon rims and Lamar Valley.

 Actions

The park has developed a comprehensive resource tool to monitor and respond to impacts on resources. The park piloted an AV shuttle system in 2021, moving over 10,000 visitors at Canyon Village and testing technology that could be used in the future. A major shuttle feasibility study is underway to analyze the viability of a shuttle system in the Midway Geyser Basin corridor.

The park is also taking advantage of data derived from recent major visitor surveys and transportation studies to inform future decisions and is working closely with Grand Teton National Park on future solutions since both parks substantially share visitation each year.

Yellowstone has completed over $100 million in projects over the past two years to improve transportation infrastructure, reduce traffic congestion and enhance visitor experiences. Substantial additional investments will continue in 2022 and 2023 in multiple areas of the park as part of funding received from the Great American Outdoors Act.