Majority of four-million-plus visitors are coming to Yellowstone between June and August
EBS STAFF
After flooding in June 2022 devastated sections of Yellowstone National Park, causing temporary closures and lasting damage, visitation bounced back in 2023.
According to a Feb. 26 press release from the National Park Service, Yellowstone hosted 4,501,382 recreational visitors in 2023, an increase of 37% over 2022, when 3,290,242 visitors came to America’s first and oldest national park.
“Lower visitation numbers in 2022 were likely due to an historic flood event that closed the park from June 13 through June 21. Three entrances opened June 22 and two remained closed until October,” the release stated.
2023 was the second-busiest year on record—2021 saw 4,860,242 visitors, still about 8% more than 2023.
More than 50% of visitors in 2021 and 2023 came between June and August, the release added.
In 2023, Yellowstone’s 4.5 million visitors is only a fraction of total national park visits across the country. The release stated that 400 U.S. national parks recorded 325.5 million recreation visits in 2023, a 4% increase over 2022.
An NPS news release explains why 20 parks broke visitation records in 2023.
“Visitors are increasingly discovering opportunities in less well-known parks and during park off-seasons,” the news release explains.
