Yellowstone National Park had more visitors last month than it has during any other September on record.
About 837,000 people visited the park last month, beating out the previous September 2018 record of 724,000 guests.
Last month’s attendance was up by 21% compared to the same time last year.
The increased turnout could be attributed, at least in part, to people’s desire to get out and about after months of quarantining amid the coronavirus pandemic.
COVID-19 shutdowns forced Yellowstone to close March 24 through May 18, when it reopened its two Wyoming entrances. Its three Montana entrances were reopened June 1.
The park’s attendance rate was lower than normal in June but picked up in July and August, when it recorded its second-busiest August ever.
Coronavirus-related closures undoubtedly contributed to the park’s 11% drop in recreational visits overall compared to visits by this time in 2019.
Yellowstone hosted 837,499 recreation visits in September 2020. This is a 21% increase from September 2019, making it the busiest September on record. So far in 2020, the park has hosted 3,383,872 visits, down 11% from the same period last year. Details at https://t.co/OPIJjIHoPq pic.twitter.com/HM8tHiPO3V
— Yellowstone National Park (@YellowstoneNPS) October 8, 2020
Yellowstone spans nearly 3,500 square miles across parts of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. The park is home to hundreds of animal species and features canyons, rivers and geysers, including the famous Old Faithful.
Cox Media Group
