News Release

Yellowstone May 2019 visitation statistics

People exploring the Mammoth Hot Spring boardwalks near Palette Spring

NPS / Jacob W. Frank

News Release Date: June 7, 2019

Contact: Morgan Warthin, [phone]

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY – The park hosted 434,385 visits in May 2019, making it the third busiest on record. This is a 2.8 percent decrease from 2018 (446,875 visits), which was the busiest May on record.

So far in 2019, the park has hosted 576,776 visits, up 1 percent from the same period last year. The list below shows the trend over the last five years. Year-to-date visitation in 2019 is 11 percent higher than five years ago in 2015.

Year-To-Date Recreation Visits (through May)

2019 - 576,776
2018 - 570,823
2017 - 550,486
2016 - 593,755
2015 - 518,087

The continued high level of visitation in the park underscores the need to plan a Yellowstone adventure ahead of time. Anticipate delays or limited parking at popular destinations, and check road conditions on the park’s website before you arrive.

The National Park Service works hard to protect Yellowstone and we need your help. Take the Yellowstone Pledge, put the pledge into action, and protect Yellowstone National Park!

More data on park visitation, including how we calculate these numbers, is available on the NPS Stats website.