Recreationists participate in backhaul kayaking on the Colorado River upriver from Lees Ferry during a record-breaking year at Glen Canyon Recreation Area, location and date not specified | Photo courtesy of National Park Service, St. George News
ST. GEORGE — Last week, the National Park Service announced in a press release that 400 national parks reported a total of 325.5 million visits in 2023, an increase of 13 million or 4% over 2022.
At Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, 5.2 million visitors set an all-time high record for the park and is one of the most visited among 429 National Park Service units nationwide. Before the increase in tourism brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, Glen Canyon’s highest visitation was in 2017 with approximately 4.6 million visitors.
Michelle Kerns, superintendent of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Rainbow Bridge National Monument, noted in the press release how recreationists’ views of the area have changed.
“While Lake Powell continues to provide significant recreational opportunities, more people are also recognizing the unparalleled land-based and river-based recreation options and cultural and historic resources within our 1.25 million acres,” Kerns said. “Glen Canyon continues to be an economic engine for the region in Utah and Arizona and is especially important to our gateway communities.”
The largest increase in visitation was in the Lees Ferry District, which increased from 1,052,978 visits in 2022 to 2,190,250 visits in 2023. Lees Ferry is situated below the Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River. Recreational opportunities in the area include hiking, camping, fishing, camping, motorized boating, rafting and kayaking.
Visitation figures and trends guide how the park service manages parks to ensure the best experience possible for park visitors. The Visitation Statistics Dashboard provides recreational visit statistics for every park in the United States for 2023 and also for previous years, dating back to 1979 for some parks. The National Park Service app and Plan like a Park Ranger program are keys to successful experiences for national park visitors, according to the news release.
To learn more about national parks in Utah and Arizona and how the National Park Service works with communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, visit this website or click here.
LATEST STORIES
Free News Delivery by Email
Would you like to have the day’s news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!
Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. This website makes no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you are affiliated with this page and would like it removed please contact editor @santaclarautah.business
