National Park Service Certifies 307 Million 2015 Visitations

By
Martin Vilaboy
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President Theodore Roosevelt was reelected in 1904, the same year rangers started counting national park visitors. There were more than 120,000 visits to America’s 11 national parks in the first year of counting. Last week, the National Park Service (NPS) certified 2015 national park visitation at more than 307 million. It also released its popular Top 10 list of the most visited national park sites.

“The popularity of national parks is well known, but last year’s numbers really are extraordinary,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “As the National Park Service celebrates its 100th year, we’re preparing to welcome more visitors than ever including a new generation of park supporters and advocates who are discovering their own national park adventures.”

Today’s figures were an increase from the unofficial visitation total of 305 million reported by the NPS in January. The difference is attributed to the recently completed NPS visitation audit. The 307,247,252 recreation visits is a 4.9 percent increase over 2014 and the previous record of 292.8 million recreation visits. Overnight stays in park campgrounds and backcountry were up over 2014. Total overnight stays (sum of all categories) were up 6 percent over 2014.

More notable park milestones in 2015 and data points:

  • Joshua Tree National Park surpassed 2 million annual recreation visits for the first time.
  • Rocky Mountain National Park surpassed 4 million annual recreation visits for the first time.
  • Yellowstone National Park surpassed 4 million annual recreation visits for the first time.
  • Grand Canyon National Park surpassed 5 million annual recreation visits for the first time.
  • Glacier National Park surpassed 100 million total recreation visits (1910 to 2015)
  • 2 parks are reporting visitation for the first time: Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument and Waco Mammoth National Monument

Highlights:

  • Concessioner campground overnights were up 12.5 percent.
  • NPS campground tent overnights were up 13 percent.
  • NPS campground RV overnights were up 10 percent.
  • Backcountry overnights were up 7 percent.

Top 10 Visitation

All Parks of the National Park System

  1. Blue Ridge Parkway – 15,054,603
  2. Golden Gate National Recreation Area – 14,888,537
  3. Great Smoky Mountains National Park – 10,712,674
  4. Lincoln Memorial – 7,941,771
  5. Lake Mead National Recreation Area – 7,298,465
  6. George Washington Memorial Parkway – 7,286,463
  7. Gateway National Recreation Area – 6,392,565
  8. Natchez Trace Parkway – 5,785,812
  9. Vietnam Veterans Memorial – 5,597,077
  10. Grand Canyon National Park – 5,520,736

National Parks

  1. Great Smoky Mountains National Park – 10,712,674
  2. Grand Canyon National Park – 5,520,736
  3. Rocky Mountain National Park – 4,155,916
  4. Yosemite National Park – 4,150,217
  5. Yellowstone National Park – 4,097,710
  6. Zion National Park – 3,648,846
  7. Olympic National Park – 3,263,761
  8. Grand Teton National Park – 3,149,921
  9. Acadia National Park – 2,811,184
  10. Glacier National Park – 2,366,056