Grand Teton National Park: July 2021 Busiest Month Ever

Grand Teton National continues a trend of historically high visitation in 2021 with the busiest July – and busiest month – in the park’s 92-year history.

Statistics collected by Grand Teton National Park show that July 2021 had the highest number of recreation visits on record for any single month in park history. The park hosted an estimated 828,777 recreation visits in July 2021. This is a 9.7% increase from July 2020 (755,766 recreation visits) and a 6.8% increase from July 2019 (775,788 recreation visits).

July recreation visits over the last several years:

• July 2021        828,777
• July 2020        755,766* COVID-19 pandemic
• July 2019        775,788
• July 2018        795,725
• July 2017        739,046
• July 2016        758,253

Compared to July 2019, camping in the park increased 2.7% in July 2021, backcountry camping increased 15.4%, and trail use increased 21% in July 2021.

Additional data on National Park Service visitor-use statistics is available at irma.nps.gov/STATS/.

Park staff are collecting data and conducting studies to better understand changing visitation trends in Grand Teton National Park. Historically, July and August have been the busiest months of the year at the park. However, recent trends include increased visitation in the spring and fall.

In early August, Grand Teton hosted a workshop with Jackson Hole community leaders and organizations to see and experience current visitation trends at different areas in the park, including Lupine Meadows, Jenny Lake, and String Lake. Participants had an opportunity to learn about how the park is working with universities and research organizations to study changing visitation. During the workshop, community leaders shared and discussed their own experiences with changing visitation in Jackson Hole. The park will continue to engage with the community and stakeholders.

This summer, Grand Teton National Park staff initiated several studies regarding changing visitation, including visitor-use and experience studies.

These studies survey visitors in these areas to better understand visitor demographics, visitor expectations, and more.

A transportation and visitor movement study was also initiated in late July and early August to gain a comprehensive understanding of transportation and visitor movement to, through, and within the park. This study will help park managers understand the relationships between the number of vehicles entering the park and the levels of use at key areas within the park. This study also identifies common visitor traffic patterns and understands how visitors disperse and move throughout the parks.

Researchers are surveying visitors and placing a variety of monitoring equipment in the park through mid-August.