GARDINER, MT – Yellowstone National Park, one of the biggest drivers of Montana’s thriving tourism sector, is seeing near-record numbers of visitors this year.

Park officials announced Tuesday that Yellowstone had hosted 974,109 recreation visitors in July, down 2% from the same month last year.

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But during the first seven months of the year, tourists visiting Yellowstone number 2,666,031, less than 3,000 fewer visitors than the park saw over the same period during 2021, the all-time record year with more than total 4.8 million visits.

Data from earlier this year showed that Yellowstone, and Glacier National Park in northwest Montana, were on pace for record-breaking years.

Through the end of June, the latest report available, Glacier had seen nearly 40,000 more visitors than during its record year of 2017.

The list below shows the year-to-date trend for recreation visits to Yellowstone National Park over the last several years (through July):

2025 – 2,666,031
2024 – 2,626,091
2023 – 2,462,535
2022 – 1,855,396 (The park was closed June 13 through June 21 due to the historic flood event. Three entrances opened on June 22.)
2021 – 2,668,765 (All-time record visitation year)
2020 – 1,674,699 (The park was closed March 24 through May 17 due to COVID-19. Two entrances opened on May 18 and the remaining three opened on June 1.)

Daily Montanan, like the Idaho Capital Sun, is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Daily Montanan maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Darrell Ehrlick for questions: info@dailymontanan.com.

Idaho Capital Sun is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Idaho Capital Sun maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Christina Lords for questions: info@idahocapitalsun.com.