Yellowstone National Park Marks Best-Ever October for Visits
Yellowstone National Park recorded the most visits for the month of October, according to a news release from the park on Thursday.
Yellowstone hosted 360,034 recreation visits last month, up 110% from October 2019, and surpassed the busiest October on record in 2015 when 252,013 people entered the park
So far in 2020, the park has hosted 3,743,907 recreation visits, down 6% from the same period last year.
On March 24, the park was closed due to health and safety reasons related to COVID-19. Two Wyoming entrances opened on May 18 and the three Montana entrances opened on June 1.
The list below shows the year-to-date trend through October for recreation visits since 2015:
- 2020 – 3,743,907.
- 2019 – 3,979,153.
- 2018 – 4,078,771.
- 2017 – 4,084,762.
- 2016 – 4,212,782.
- 2015 – 4,066,191.
All roads in Yellowstone, with one exception, are closed to automobile traffic until late April. The road from the park’s North Entrance at Gardiner, Mont., through Mammoth Hot Springs to the Northeast Entrance and the communities of Cooke City and Silver Gate, Mont., is open year-round, weather-permitting.
Conditions permitting, most park roads will open to snowmobiles and snowcoaches on Dec.15. Visit Explore in Winter for details.
If you plan to visit the park this winter, please have flexible travel plans and prepare for changing weather conditions. Temporary travel restrictions or closures can occur at any time without notice.
Visit Park Roads for the status of Yellowstone roads, or call (307) 344-2117 for recorded information. To receive Yellowstone road alerts on your mobile phone, text "82190" to 888-777, and an automatic text reply will confirm receipt and provide instructions.
The park urges visitors to recreate responsibly and reduce the spread of COVID-19. If you are sick, do not visit the park. Self-quarantine to avoid exposing others.
Services are limited in the park. Stay informed about changes to park operations. Download the Yellowstone App, and consult the park's social media channels here.
More data on park visitation, including how we calculate these numbers, is available on the NPS Stats website.
10 Absolute WORST Tourist Incidents at Yellowstone National Park
NEXT UP: 10 Absolute WORST Tourist Incidents at Yellowstone National Park