Buoyed by unseasonably warm temperatures and post-pandemic momentum, Wyoming’s State Parks and Historic Sites continue to experience visitation statistics similar to last year’s record-setting numbers.

State Parks is on pace to match the record visitation of 2020. Through October, 5,199,772 people have visited Wyoming’s State Parks and Historic Sites in 2021, a 24 percent increase over the system’s five-year average.   

These numbers provide additional encouragement to Wyoming State Park officials, who expected continued interest and visitation to Wyoming’s State Parks. What this year seems to indicate is that many first-time visitors to the parks last year are returning this year.

“These statistics are an indication to us that we had a lot of first-time visitors come to our parks last year as a way to safely recreate during the pandemic,” State Parks and Cultural Resources Deputy Director Dave Glenn said. “A lot of those people have returned this year despite a lot more options now available for entertainment or recreation.”

Glenn also attributed the continued influx of visitors to the hard work of the parks’ passionate and dedicated staff, who work to provide a pleasant experience.

Glendo State Park has continued to sustain last year’s momentum with increased visitation throughout much of the year. Through October, Glendo has hosted 660,027 recreationists compared to 610,836 last year; an increase of 8 percent.

Other state parks that posted positive numbers this year are Boysen, 4 percent; Curt Gowdy, 10 percent; Guernsey, 12 percent; and Hawk Springs, 10 percent.

Wyoming State Parks continues to look for new ways to engage with these new visitors. The division is currently working to expand campgrounds throughout the system, as well as other outdoor recreation opportunities such as archery ranges, additional trails, and special events. 

Caption: Mountain Biking at Curt Gowdy State Park.