(The Center Square) – Wyoming’s sites managed by the National Park Service saw overall decreases in visits and consumer spending in 2022, according to federal data released this week.
NPS sites in the Cowboy State had 6.2 million visits last year and consumers spent $870 million near the parks, the agency’s 2022 report says. That’s down from 8.6 million visits and $1.1 million spent in 2021, according to data.
“Wyoming’s visitor spending went down this year because total visitation to Wyoming national park sites decreased by about 28%,” Naaman Horn, public affairs specialist for NPS Intermountain Regional Office, told The Center Square. “Visitor spending decreased by about 21%.”
Horn said total spending did not decrease as much as total visitations because the “spending-per-visitor estimate in Grand Teton National Park increased as a result of newly available survey data for the park.”
Grand Teton National Park had 2.8 million visits in 2022 and $597 million in consumer spending. Yellowstone National Park had 3.3 million visits with $452 million spent locally.
NPS-managed sites in the state also include national monuments, national historic sites, and national recreation areas.
“Since 1916, the National Park Service has been entrusted with the care of our national parks,” NPS Director Chuck Sams said in a press release. “With the help of volunteers and partners, we safeguard these special places and share their stories with more than 300 million visitors every year.”
