News Release

Golden Gate National Recreation Area remained very popular with visitors in 2021

View from Point Bonita Lighthouse looking west towards Pacific Ocean and Marin Headlands coast.

NPS/LElze

News Release Date: February 18, 2022 SAN FRANCISCO—In 2021, more than 15.3 million visitors visited Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Woods National Monument, and Fort Point National Historic Site. 

While some of the most well-known national parks again had record visitation in 2021, numbers across the entire National Park System remained below pre-pandemic totals as shown in the latest National Park Service report about annual visitation statistics for 2021.

Of 423 parks in the National Park System, just 25 received more than 50 percent of the system’s total 297.1 million recreation visits in 2021. Last year’s visitation increased by 60 million over 2020 when COVID-19 shuttered facilities in most parks for at least part of the year.

2021 by the numbers:

• Golden Gate National Recreation Area — 13,712,614
• Muir Woods National Monument — 657,722
• Fort Point National Historic Site — 947,238

“Visitors continued to discover and explore our very special park sites in 2021," said Laura E. Joss, General Superintendent of Golden Gate National Recreation Area. "Our dedicated staff and partners have provided great opportunities for visitors to relax and recreate at local national park sites and we encourage visitors to add our lesser-known national park sites to their itinerary this year. One way to plan new experiences is to explore clusters of parks—create your own circle of discovery."

A visit to the San Francisco Bay Area offers a great opportunity to explore Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park, John Muir National Historic Site, and Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site.

As you plan your travel, take advantage of the search feature on the NPS website to search by state, activity, and topic—you're sure to discover a hidden gem or two. Also be sure to download the NPS App from the iOS App Store or Google Play Store to find up-to-date information about all 423 national parks.For an in-depth look at visitation statistics, please visit the National Park Service Social Science website.

For national summaries and individual park figures, please visit the National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics website.

In 2020, the 13.6 million park visitors to Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Woods National Monument and Fort Point National Historic Site spent $775 million in gateway communities which supported 7,850 local jobs, according to a 2020 NPS Visitor Spending Effects Report. The updated economic report is expected to be released later this year.

To learn more about national parks in California and how the National Park Service works with California communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/california.  Visit our websites for more information about Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Woods National Monument, Alcatraz Island, and Fort Point National Historic Site.