News Release

Over one million people enjoyed Death Valley in 2021

View from Dantes View to the northwest, looking at Badwater (the white salt flat) and Panamint Mountains.

NPS photo

News Release Date: February 17, 2022

Contact: Abby Wines, 760-786-3221

DEATH VALLEY, CA – Death Valley National Park welcomed 1,146,551 visitors in 2021. This was about two-thirds of the park’s highest visitation level, set in 2019. 

Winter and spring visitation was close to pre-pandemic levels. January through April 2021 had visitation at 86% of record levels.

Most of the drop in visitation was in the summer. Visitation from May through September 2021 was only 38% of 2019 visitation levels. In a typical year, most of the park’s summer visitors are international travelers. 

People recreated in the park at high levels again in the fall, which was 88% of record visitation. This year saw the park’s busiest November ever, with 133,130 visitors.