Jackson Hole Daily | Park logs another record

Jackson Hole Daily | Park logs another record

By Cory Hatch, Jackson Hole, Wyo.

November 9, 2010

Yellowstone National Park broke yet another visitation record last month, probably thanks in part to unseasonably mild and sunny weather, officials announced Monday.

The park saw 189,072 recreation visitors in October, up nearly 53 percent from the same month last year, which saw 123,867 visitors.

October marks the fifth month in a row of record visitation numbers.

In September, Yellowstone broke its all-time annual visitation record. The number continued to increase through October to 3,605,977 recreation visits to date this year, an increase of more than 10 percent over 2009.

The previous October record came after the fires of 1988, Yellowstone public affairs assistant Linda Miller said. Miller said that year’s bump in visitation was likely due to people’s curiosity in the aftermath of the huge blazes.

This year’s October was probably bolstered by the good weather, she said.

“We’ve had a few little squalls blow through, but overall it has been incredibly mild and beautiful,” Miller said. “I’ve lived here 30-some years, and I don’t remember ever having a fall this long with the temperatures we’ve been having. I’ve still got tomatoes in my little greenhouse that haven’t frosted.

“I think a lot of people who came were regional folks who were watching the weather,” Miller said.

Another possible factor in the substantial jump in October visitation over last year could be road construction.

“Last year, the road between Madison and Norris was closed. That affected things pretty significantly,” Miller said, adding that last year it was cold in early October.

This year’s mild fall lasted right up until many of the park’s roads closed for the season Monday, Miller said.

“It just happened that the weather stayed nice through the weekend,” she said.

Yellowstone’s roads are closed for the season at the South, West and East entrances. The road from Gardiner, Montana, through the North Entrance to Mammoth Hot Springs, Tower Junction, the Lamar Valley and Cooke City, Montana, is open to wheeled vehicles through the winter.

At Mammoth Hot Springs, the Yellowstone General Store, post office, medical clinic and Albright Visitor Center remain open all year.

Fuel is available 24 hours a day all year at the Mammoth Hot Springs and Tower Junction service stations.

On Dec. 15, most unplowed roads in the park open to oversnow travel.

The park’s East Entrance road opens to oversnow travel Dec. 22.