After nearly breaking its August visitation record, Yellowstone National Park experienced its highest September visitation in history.
Park officials released the latest year-to-date numbers along with September’s totals. The park hosted 837,499 recreation visits in September, an 21% increase from September 2019, and the highest number on record for Yellowstone for September visitation.
This is the continuation of a trend of high visitation. August 2020’s visitation was 7.5% higher than August 2019 with 881,453 visits. Only August 2017 was busier — the year a total solar eclipse was visible in the park and across Wyoming.
The park’s annual visitation is still below recent years. By the end of September, 3,383,872 recreation visits were recorded.
That’s an 11% decline from the same period in 2019 (3,807,815.)
The disparity between Yellowstone’s 2019 and 2020 is getting smaller with each passing month. There was an 18% difference in the years’ August year-to-date numbers.
2020 is still on track to experience the lowest Yellowstone visitation since 2013.
Park officials remind anyone planning to visit Yellowstone to do so responsibly. The park’s fire danger is currently set to High and services throughout the park remain limited due to COVID-19.
The East, South, and West Entrances to Yellowstone will close 8 a.m. on Nov. 2. Only the North and Northeast Entrances will remain open.
The East Entrance will reopen to over-snow travel by snowmobile and snow coach at 8 a.m. on Dec. 22.
