National park visitation broke records in 2019
Highlights need for sustained investment to conserve parks for future generations
Visitation at national parks soared to 327 million in 2019, an increase of 3 percent over visitation in 2018, and the third highest level since record-keeping began in 1904. In addition, 33 national parks reported record-breaking attendance numbers for 2019. While it is worth celebrating that our parks are beloved by millions across the country and around the globe, these staggering visitation numbers are a reminder of the need to invest in our parks and ensure they are protected for future generations to enjoy, starting with addressing the maintenance backlog.
Of the 419 individual sites managed by the National Park Service, over half of the visitation last year occurred in just 27 national parks. That places quite a burden on the most heavily visited parks and can lead to significant overcrowding during peak tourist seasons. Many parks that are strained by record-breaking visitation are already feeling the stress of declining budgets and the pile up of deferred maintenance projects, including necessary park infrastructure, like roads, bridges and trails.
The fact that so many people seek to experience the awe-inspiring wonder of our parks is an indication of the value of nature in our daily lives. Fortunately, there is a highly successful program to use some of the royalties collected from offshore oil and gas drilling activities to support land conservation. The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) has been in existence since 1965 and has been used to conserve land inholdings in national parks, to create community and urban parks, and to protect wilderness areas — at no cost to U.S. taxpayers. The program receives consistent bipartisan support, and LWCF projects have been completed in every county in the United States.
The record-breaking visitation numbers to our national parks emphasizes the need for Congress to address the park maintenance backlog as well as fully fund the LWCF. The Interior Department budget proposal for fiscal year 2021 initially called for a 97 percent cut to the LWCF, but just this week, President Donald Trump reversed course and expressed his support for (and intention to sign) a bill to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and provide funding to address maintenance needs in national parks. The fiscal year 2021 Interior Department budget proposal also called for deep cuts by agency, including over half a billion dollars to the National Park Service budget. In order to provide an enjoyable visitor experience for all, the National Park Service must receive the necessary funding to adequately protect the resources it manages.
Despite Congress’ inaction on these priorities, these staggering visitation numbers point to a need for a bold conservation vision for the future. According to recent studies, the United States loses a football field of natural area every 30 seconds. As our population continues to grow along with our desire to experience our parks and public lands, we need to ensure we are protecting more natural areas before they are gone forever. This is why scientists recommend protecting 30 percent of America’s lands and waters by 2030. As part of a broader global conservation push, New Mexico Senator Tom Udall is leading the “30x30” effort in the United States Senate and has proposed a resolution to direct the federal government to protect 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030.
Finally, these visitation numbers should also be taken as a reminder that there are millions of acres of public lands to enjoy beyond our 62 designated national parks. While it’s true that little compares to the awe-inspiring grandeur of the Grand Canyon and the other parks listed in the top ten most visited sites, there is so much to explore on our public lands that is off the beaten path. In addition to our treasured national parks, Americans are blessed with access to millions of acres of public lands within our national wildlife refuges, national forests, national monuments, and national recreation areas, not to mention state parks and wilderness areas. In many cases, there is an adjacent public land area just waiting to be explored, and many national parks are open year-round and with a fraction of the crowds during peak tourist season. Arches National Park and Yellowstone are equally stunning in winter, to name just two examples. While these visitation numbers are a celebration of the beauty of our national parks, they are also a reminder that there are millions of acres of public lands to be explored, so don’t forget to zoom out on the map and see what hidden gems are nearby.
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