Story perspectives

Yellowstone Sees 4.7 Million Visitors Despite Shutdown

3/20/2026

Summary

Story summary

In 2025, Yellowstone National Park, spanning Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, recorded 4,762,988 visits and ranked third among U.S. national parks.
Despite a 43-day government shutdown, visitors spent 86,891,452 hours in the park.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park led with over 11.5 million visits, followed by Zion with nearly 5 million.
The National Park Service reported 323 million visits across all parks in 2025, slightly down from the prior year.

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Story summary

In 2025, Yellowstone National Park, spanning Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, recorded 4,762,988 visits and ranked third among U.S. national parks.
Despite a 43-day government shutdown, visitors spent 86,891,452 hours in the park.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park led with over 11.5 million visits, followed by Zion with nearly 5 million.
The National Park Service reported 323 million visits across all parks in 2025, slightly down from the prior year.