National Park Service visitor spending in Utah

Wahweap Overlook at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Photo: NPS Photo/Bonnie Allen

BULLFROG, Utah. — In 2020, 11.1 million people visited National Parks in Utah, bringing in an estimated $878 million, according to National Park Service (NPS) data. That was down slightly from the estimated total visitor spending of $1.2 billion in 2019.

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area led the way with an estimated $253 million in visitor spending, followed by Zion National Park at $208 million, Arches National Park generated $152 million, Bryce Canyon drew $125 million, Capitol Reef National Park brought in $72.4 million, and Canyonlands National Park did $31 million.

Despite the busy season during the pandemic, Lake Powell in Bullfrog, Utah (Glen Canyon NRA) has been slow so far this year. “Compared to what people say Memorial Day is like most years, this year has been very tame- and did not quite live up to the expectations I was given,” said Michaal Landry, who is a seasonal worker in Bullfrog, Utah on Lake Powell.

Still, Landry thinks the exposure some people had last year falling in love with the national parks will not fade. “I think people are going to enjoy the outdoors more after the pandemic. The value of the outdoors has been realized.”

Explore data about the NPS data about Utah and the rest of the country here.