2020 montana state parks annual visitation update...1 2020 montana state parks annual visitation...

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1 2020 Montana State Parks Annual Visitation Update Issued January 2021 The Montana State Parks system experienced more visitors in 2020 than ever before. Driven by a desire to head outdoors, over 3.4 million individuals were estimated to have visited a state park. This represents a 29.5% increase over 2019's estimates. Visitation increased every month in 2020 over 2019, in spite of temporary closures at a small handful of parks and the absence or sharp decline in school field trips, and other group activities. Some parks experienced explosive growth. As viewed in the chart below, June was the only month in which there was a single digit increase in visitation. JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN 2019 72,608 53,884 94,648 146,589 284,340 437,261 2020 92,121 83,506 151,911 224,062 396,508 465,567 % Change 26.9% 55.0% 60.5% 52.9% 39.4% 6.5% JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC EST. TOTAL 2019 545,156 452,339 248,866 138,170 99,648 73,678 2,647,187 2020 691,549 582,160 342,403 182,221 112,466 103,013 3,427,487 % Change 26.9% 28.7% 37.6% 31.9% 12.9% 39.8% 29.5% The 10 top visited parks in 2020 are listed below. State Park Region State Park (City/Town) Estimated 2020 Visitation 1 Flathead Lake-all units (Kalispell) 471,690 4 Giant Springs (Great Falls) 384,309 5 Cooney (Roberts) 359,607 5 Lake Elmo (Billings) 231,388 4 Spring Meadow (Helena) 178,156 1 Thompson Chain of Lakes (Libby) 169,296 1 Lone Pine (Kalispell) 129,747 6/7 Makoshika (Glendive) 128,288 6/7 Tongue River Reservoir (Decker) 92,492 2 Placid Lake (Seeley Lake) 90,179 - 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC 2019 2020

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Page 1: 2020 Montana State Parks Annual Visitation Update...1 2020 Montana State Parks Annual Visitation Update Issued January 2021 The Montana State Parks system experienced more visitors

1

2020MontanaStateParksAnnualVisitationUpdate

IssuedJanuary2021

TheMontanaStateParkssystemexperiencedmorevisitorsin2020thaneverbefore.Drivenbyadesiretoheadoutdoors,over3.4millionindividualswereestimatedtohavevisitedastatepark.Thisrepresentsa29.5%increaseover2019'sestimates.Visitationincreasedeverymonthin2020over2019,inspiteoftemporaryclosuresatasmallhandfulofparksandtheabsenceorsharpdeclineinschoolfieldtrips,andothergroupactivities.Someparksexperiencedexplosivegrowth.Asviewedinthechartbelow,Junewastheonlymonthinwhichtherewasasingledigitincreaseinvisitation.

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN 2019 72,608 53,884 94,648 146,589 284,340 437,261 2020 92,121 83,506 151,911 224,062 396,508 465,567 %Change 26.9% 55.0% 60.5% 52.9% 39.4% 6.5%

JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC EST.TOTAL2019 545,156 452,339 248,866 138,170 99,648 73,678 2,647,1872020 691,549 582,160 342,403 182,221 112,466 103,013 3,427,487%Change 26.9% 28.7% 37.6% 31.9% 12.9% 39.8% 29.5%The10topvisitedparksin2020arelistedbelow.

StateParkRegion

StatePark(City/Town) Estimated2020Visitation

1 FlatheadLake-allunits(Kalispell) 471,6904 GiantSprings(GreatFalls) 384,3095 Cooney(Roberts) 359,6075 LakeElmo(Billings) 231,3884 SpringMeadow(Helena) 178,1561 ThompsonChainofLakes(Libby) 169,2961 LonePine(Kalispell) 129,7476/7 Makoshika(Glendive) 128,2886/7 TongueRiverReservoir(Decker) 92,4922 PlacidLake(SeeleyLake) 90,179

-

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

2019

2020

Page 2: 2020 Montana State Parks Annual Visitation Update...1 2020 Montana State Parks Annual Visitation Update Issued January 2021 The Montana State Parks system experienced more visitors

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IntroductionTheforthcomingreporthasbeendevelopedutilizing2019and2020reportednumbersbyparkmanagers.Thesystem'svisitationmethodologyandreportingpracticesdidnotsubstantiallychangeduringthistime.However,itisnoteworthytomentionthatstaffmembershavebegunundertakingasignificantlookatwaystoimproveaccuracy.Thishasincludedinstallingnewvehicleandtrailcountersatparkentranceswheretherewerenone,andreplacingdevicesthatwerenolongerreliablyfunctioning.Pleaseseeotherreportingnotesattheendofthissummary.iAregion-by-regionglimpseAninterestingwaytolookatvisitationdataistoseewhathashappenedacrosseachstateparkadministrativeregionfor2020versuslastyear.TheMontanaStateParkssystemissub-dividedintosixadministrativeregionswithregionalheadquarterofficeslocatedinKalispell,Missoula,Bozeman,GreatFalls,Billings,andMilesCity.AlthoughRegions1and5experiencedthemostnetgrowthbetween2019and2020,therateofgrowthwasalsohighinRegions2andthecombinedRegions6and7.Region3wasthesmallexceptionin2020,withaslightdipof8.3%below2019estimates.ThiswasattributabletothesharpdeclineintourofferingsatLewisandClarkCavernsduetoCOVID-19.Inthatparkalone,visitationwasdownanestimated52.8%fortheyear.Anotherstateparkinthatregion,Bannack,wasalsoimpactednegativelybyCOVID-19-thehistoricghosttownstructuresweretemporarilyclosedandunfortunatelystaffmemberswereunabletocarryouttheannualBannackDayseventthisyear,whichtypicallyattractsatleast5,000visitorsinasingleweekend.Region #Parks

reporting2019Total 2020Total Change %Change

1 8 769,922 997,562 227,640 29.6%2 9 328,092 467,906 139,814 42.6%3 7 234,713 215,287 -19,426 -8.3%4 8 653,939 780,899 126,960 19.4%5 5 438,278 659,559 221,281 50.5%6/7 7 222,243 306,274 84,031 37.8%TOTAL 2,647,187 3,427,487

Madison

Carbon

PowderRiver

Beaverhead Big Horn

Carter

DeerLodge

Silver BowSweet Grass Stillwater

Jefferson GallatinPark

YellowstoneTreasure Rosebud

Custer

BroadwaterWheatland Golden

Valley

Ravalli

GraniteMusselshell Fallon

MeagherJudithBasin Wibaux

Prairie

Lewis &Clark

Cascade Petroleum Garfield

MineralPowell

Fergus Dawson

Sanders LakeMissoula

McCone

Teton ChouteauRichland

PonderaBlaine Roosevelt

Valley

Flathead GlacierToole

Liberty

Hill Phillips

DanielsLincoln

SheridanYe

llowsto

neR

i ver

Cla

rkF

ork

Riv

erYe

llow

stone River

Mis

souri R ive r

Koo

tena

i Riv

er

Canyon FerryLake

Fort PeckLake

FlatheadLake

Tongue River ReservoirBannack Clark's Lookout

CooneyReservoir

ChiefPlentyCoups Rosebud Battlefield

MadisonBuffaloJump

GreycliffPrairie

Dog TownPictographCave

Lewis& Clark

Caverns

PaintedRocks

MissouriHeadwaters

LakeElmo

MedicineRocks

AnacondaSmoke Stack

LostCreek

Elkhorn

FortOwen

Pirogue Island

SpringMeadow

Lake Black Sandy

Travelers'Rest

Ackley Lake

CouncilGrove

FrenchtownPond

Milltown

FishCreek

Placid LakeSalmon Lake

TowerRock

Sluice Boxes Makoshika

ThompsonFalls First Peoples

Buffalo Jump Giant Springs Hell Creek

FL - Big Arm FL - Finley PointFL - Wild Horse Island

Lake Mary Ronan FL - West ShoreFL - Yellow Bay

Logan FL - Wayfarers

ThompsonChain-of-Lakes Lone Pine

Whitefish LakeLes Mason

Brush Lake

Bozeman Billings

Miles City

Missoula

Great Falls

Kalispell

Region 3

Region2

Region 5

Region 6/7

Region 4

Region 1

Smith RiverBeavertail Hill Smith River238

254

201

323

236

1

3

3713

80

200

24

7

83

200

200 200

94

15

90

287

212

287

212

12

287

12

191

191

212

89

87

212

87

87

12

2

MONTANAFWPMontana State ParksState Parks and Parks Administrative Regions

Map Produced by: Geographic Data ServicesBureau, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks,

1420 E 6th Avenue, Helena, MT 59620JEM - 11/24/2020 - ISR 0044920 - DRAFT

Disclaimer & Credits: State Parks and Parks Administrative Regions data from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Helena, MT. All other data from Montana State Library, Helena, MT.

0 5025Miles

Park Regional Headquarters

State Park County Boundary

Park Administrative Region

* Please note that Montana State Parks manages five sites not included on this map:

These sites are currently undeveloped and do not offer visitor amenities.

Granite State Park, Beaverhead Rock State Park, Marias River State Park,Yellowstone River State Park, and Flathead Lake State Park/North Shore Unit.

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Stateparkssortedbyhighesttotal2020visitationParksRegion StatePark 2019 2020 %Change1 FlatheadLake(allunits) 354,826 471,690 32.9%4 GiantSprings 384,023 384,309 0.1%5 Cooney 175,870 359,607 104.5%5 LakeElmo 182,022 231,388 27.1%4 SpringMeadow 134,992 178,156 32.0%1 ThompsonChainofLakes 123,682 169,296 36.9%1 LonePine 114,132 129,747 13.7%6/7 Makoshika 85,272 128,288 50.4%6/7 TongueRiverReservoir 64,504 92,492 43.4%2 PlacidLake 67,695 90,179 33.2%1 Whitefish 72,573 86,398 19.0%2 FrenchtownPond 51,272 83,670 63.2%2 SalmonLake 50,754 72,709 43.3%2 Milltown 36,387 72,433 99.1%3 MissouriHeadwaters 51,898 70,917 36.6%4 BlackSandy 43,241 69,288 60.2%4 AckleyLake 32,522 66,480 104.4%1 LesMason 35,898 50,638 41.1%2 Travelers'Rest 39,851 49,545 24.3%2 CouncilGrove 35,868 46,757 30.4%5 PictographCave 54,273 42,870 -21.0%3 Lewis&ClarkCaverns 86,077 40,591 -52.8%3 Bannack 43,804 38,085 -13.1%1 Logan 30,050 35,928 19.6%1 LakeMaryRonan 23,086 34,625 50.0%6/7 HellCreek 36,189 34,515 -4.6%4 SluiceBoxes 22,085 31,847 44.2%4 TowerRock 14,777 29,172 97.4%2 BeavertailHill 22,201 29,104 31.1%6/7 MedicineRocks 16,819 27,527 63.7%3 MadisonBuffaloJump 15,649 24,715 57.9%1 ThompsonFalls 15,675 19,240 22.7%2 PaintedRocks 12,987 19,014 46.4%3 LostCreek 15,346 18,633 21.4%3 AnacondaSmokeStack 16,309 16,787 2.9%4 FirstPeoplesBuffaloJump 16,202 15,376 -5.1%5 ChiefPlentyCoups 15,907 13,017 -18.2%3 GreycliffPrairieDogTown 10,206 12,677 24.2%6/7 BrushLake 8,556 11,270 31.7%4 SmithRiver 6,097 6,271 2.9%6/7 PirogueIsland 4,340 6,209 43.1%6/7 RosebudBattlefield 6,563 5,973 -9.0%3 Clark'sLookout 5,630 5,559 -1.3%2 FortOwen 4,796 4,495 -6.3%2 FishCreek 6,281 N/A N/A

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Howhasstateparkvisitationchangedbetween2019and2020?Visitationatstateparksincreasedfor77.8%ofstateparksin2020comparedwithlastyear.Someexperiencedexplosivegrowthduring2020,evenwiththeabsenceorsharpdeclineinschoolfieldtripsandothergroupactivitiesthatordinarilywouldtakeplace.Parkssortedbythelargesttosmallest%changebetween2020visitationandlastyear's

ParksRegion StatePark 2019 2020 %Change5 Cooney 175,870 359,607 104.5%4 AckleyLake 32,522 66,480 104.4%2 Milltown 36,387 72,433 99.1%4 TowerRock 14,777 29,172 97.4%6/7 MedicineRocks 16,819 27,527 63.7%2 FrenchtownPond 51,272 83,670 63.2%4 BlackSandy 43,241 69,288 60.2%3 MadisonBuffaloJump 15,649 24,715 57.9%6/7 Makoshika 85,272 128,288 50.4%1 LakeMaryRonan 23,086 34,625 50.0%2 PaintedRocks 12,987 19,014 46.4%4 SluiceBoxes 22,085 31,847 44.2%6/7 TongueRiverReservoir 64,504 92,492 43.4%2 SalmonLake 50,754 72,709 43.3%6/7 PirogueIsland 4,340 6,209 43.1%1 LesMason 35,898 50,638 41.1%1 ThompsonChainofLakes 123,682 169,296 36.9%3 MissouriHeadwaters 51,898 70,917 36.6%2 PlacidLake 67,695 90,179 33.2%1 FlatheadLake(allunits) 354,826 471,690 32.9%4 SpringMeadow 134,992 178,156 32.0%6/7 BrushLake 8,556 11,270 31.7%2 BeavertailHill 22,201 29,104 31.1%2 CouncilGrove 35,868 46,757 30.4%5 LakeElmo 182,022 231,388 27.1%2 Travelers'Rest 39,851 49,545 24.3%3 GreycliffPrairieDogTown 10,206 12,677 24.2%1 ThompsonFalls 15,675 19,240 22.7%3 LostCreek 15,346 18,633 21.4%1 Logan 30,050 35,928 19.6%1 Whitefish 72,573 86,398 19.0%1 LonePine 114,132 129,747 13.7%3 AnacondaSmokeStack 16,309 16,787 2.9%4 SmithRiver 6,097 6,271 2.9%4 GiantSprings 384,023 384,309 0.1%3 Clark'sLookout 5,630 5,559 -1.3%6/7 HellCreek 36,189 34,515 -4.6%4 FirstPeoplesBuffaloJump 16,202 15,376 -5.1%2 FortOwen 4,796 4,495 -6.3%

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6/7 RosebudBattlefield 6,563 5,973 -9.0%3 Bannack 43,804 38,085 -13.1%5 ChiefPlentyCoups 15,907 13,017 -18.2%5 PictographCave 54,273 42,870 -21.0%3 Lewis&ClarkCaverns 86,077 40,591 -52.8%2 FishCreek 6,281 0 N/A

*FlatheadLakeunits(Region1)Park 2019 2020 %ChangeFL-FinleyPoint 29,106 47,443 63.0%FL-BigArm 50,579 68,264 35.0%FL-Wayfarers 196,434 262,402 33.6%FL-WestShore 29,127 38,839 33.3%FL-YellowBay 25,412 32,811 29.1%FL-WildHorseIsland 24,168 21,931 -9.3%

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AlookintotheregionsAcloserlookatvisitationforeachstateparkrevealsmoreinformationaboutwhatisoccurring.Whatfollowsisaregion-by-regionlookatthechangesinvisitationfor2020.Amoredetailedlookatmonth-to-monthdataforeachparkisavailableuponrequest.

REGION1Region1experiencedanestimated29.6%increaseinits2020visitationascomparedwithlastyear.ItistheonlyregionthatsawanincreaseatallofitsstateparksanditisthefirstyeartheRegionplayedhosttonearly1,000,000visitors.FlatheadLakealone,knownforitsbeautyandaccesstocampingandwaterrecreation,sawanestimated471,690visitorsacrossitssixunitsin2020,makingitthemostvisitedparkinthestatefor2020.ThompsonChainofLakesalsoexperiencedahighlevelofgrowthin2020,withanestimated45,614morevisitorsthanlastyear.EstimatedTotal2020Visitation

Region1parkssortedbygreatesttoleast%changebetween2020and2019

StatePark 2019 2020 Change %ChangeLakeMaryRonan 23,086 34,625 11,539 50.0%LesMason 35,898 50,638 14,740 41.1%ThompsonChainofLakes 123,682 169,296 45,614 36.9%FlatheadLake(allunits) 354,826 471,690 116,864 32.9%ThompsonFalls 15,675 19,240 3,565 22.7%Logan 30,050 35,928 5,878 19.6%Whitefish 72,573 86,398 13,825 19.0%LonePine 114,132 129,747 15,615 13.7% 769,922 997,562 227,640 29.6%

ItisalsointerestingtoobservechangesattheindividualFlatheadLakeunits,asdepictedbelow.

FlatheadLakeUnits 2019 2020 Change %ChangeFL-FinleyPoint 29,106 47,443 18,337 63.0%FL-BigArm 50,579 68,264 17,685 35.0%FL-Wayfarers 196,434 262,402 65,968 33.6%FL-WestShore 29,127 38,839 9,712 33.3%FL-YellowBay 25,412 32,811 7,399 29.1%FL-WildHorseIsland 24,168 21,931 -2,237 -9.3% 354,826 471,690 116,864 32.9%NOTE:VisitationdataisnotcollectedatFL-NorthShore.

471,690

169,296129,747

86,39850,638 35,928 34,625 19,240

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

FlatheadLake(allunits)

ThompsonChainofLakes

LonePine Whitefish LesMason Logan LakeMaryRonan

ThompsonFalls

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REGION2

Withanestimated467,906visitors,Region2experienceda42.6%increaseinits2020visitationascomparedwithlastyear.Itisthesecondlargestrateofchangeofallregions.Therewasonlyoneparkthatexperiencedaslightdeclineinvisitation,whichwasFortOwen.InpartthisisattributabletoitstemporaryclosurebeginninginOctoberduetoconstruction.Ontheotherhand,therewassignificantgrowthatMilltown,FrenchtownPond,CouncilGrove,andSalmonandPlacidLakes.EstimatedTotal2020Visitation

Region2parkssortedbygreatesttoleast%changebetween2020and2019

StatePark 2019 2020 Change %ChangeMilltown 36,387 72,433 36,046 99.1%FrenchtownPond 51,272 83,670 32,398 63.2%PaintedRocks 12,987 19,014 6,027 46.4%SalmonLake 50,754 72,709 21,955 43.3%PlacidLake 67,695 90,179 22,484 33.2%BeavertailHill 22,201 29,104 6,903 31.1%CouncilGrove 35,868 46,757 10,889 30.4%Travelers'Rest 39,851 49,545 9,694 24.3%FortOwen 4,796 4,495 -301 -6.3%FishCreek 6,281 N/A N/A N/A 328,092 467,906 139,814 42.6%NOTE:VisitationdataatFishCreekwasnotcollectedin2020;BeavertailHillisoftenseasonallyclosed;and,FortOwenwastemporarilyclosedbeginninginOctober2020duetoconstruction.

90,17983,670

72,709 72,433

49,545 46,757

29,10419,014

4,495

010,00020,00030,00040,00050,00060,00070,00080,00090,000100,000

PlacidLake FrenchtownPond

SalmonLake Milltown Travelers'Rest

CouncilGrove

BeavertailHill

PaintedRocks

FortOwen

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REGION3

Withanestimated215,287visitors,Region3experiencedan8.3%decreaseinits2020visitationascomparedwithlastyear.Itistheonlyregionthatexperiencedadropinitsoverallvisitation,drivenprimarilybydecreasesatLewisandClarkCaverns.Regrettably,COVID-19prohibitedstafffromofferingtheirnormallevelsofcavetoursandprogramming.VisitationlevelsatBannackwerealsoimpactedbythehealthpandemic.EstimatedTotal2020Visitation

Region3parkssortedbygreatesttoleast%changebetween2020and2019

StatePark 2019 2020 Change %ChangeMadisonBuffaloJump 15,649 24,715 9,066 57.9%MissouriHeadwaters 51,898 70,917 19,019 36.6%LostCreek 15,346 18,633 3,287 21.4%AnacondaSmokeStack 16,309 16,787 478 2.9%Clark'sLookout 5,630 5,559 -71 -1.3%Bannack 43,804 38,085 -5,719 -13.1%Lewis&ClarkCaverns 86,077 40,591 -45,486 -52.8%

234,713 215,287 -19,426 -8.3%

NOTE:VisitationdataisnotregularlycollectedatBeaverheadRockorGraniteGhostTown.Additionally,Clark'sLookoutistypicallyseasonallyclosed;BannackexperiencedatemporaryclosureduetoCOVID-19;andcavetourticketswerelimitedin2020atLewis&ClarkCaverns.

70,917

40,591 38,085

24,71518,633 16,787

5,559

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

MissouriHeadwaters

Lewis&ClarkCaverns

Bannack MadisonBuffaloJump

LostCreek AnacondaSmokeStack

Clark'sLookout

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REGION4

Withanestimated780,899visitors,Region4experienceda19.4%increaseinits2020visitationascomparedwithlastyear.TheonlyparkthatexperiencedaslightdeclineinvisitationwasFirstPeoples'BuffaloJump,whoseprogrammingtypicallyattractsalargenumberofschoolfieldtripsandgroupactivitiesandwasimpactednegativelybyCOVID-19s.Ontheotherhand,therewassubstantialnetgrowthatAckleyLake,BlackSandyandSpringMeadowthisyear.EstimatedTotal2020Visitation

NOTE:VisitationdataisnotregularlycollectedatMariasRiveorElkhorn.VisitationdatafortheSmithRiveriscapturedusingfloatlogsandisnotrecordedduringthewintermonths.

Region4parkssortedbygreatesttoleast%changebetween2020and2019

StatePark 2019 2020 Change %ChangeAckleyLake 32,522 66,480 33,958 104.4%TowerRock 14,777 29,172 14,395 97.4%BlackSandy 43,241 69,288 26,047 60.2%SluiceBoxes 22,085 31,847 9,762 44.2%SpringMeadow 134,992 178,156 43,164 32.0%SmithRiver 6,097 6,271 174 2.9%GiantSprings 384,023 384,309 286 0.1%FirstPeoplesBuffaloJump 16,202 15,376 -826 -5.1% 653,939 780,899 126,960 19.4%

384,309

178,156

69,288 66,48031,847 29,172 15,376 6,271

050,000100,000150,000200,000250,000300,000350,000400,000450,000

GiantSprings SpringMeadow

BlackSandy AckleyLake SluiceBoxes TowerRock FirstPeoplesBuffaloJump

SmithRiver

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REGION5

Region5experienceda50.5%increaseinits2020visitationoverlastyear,withanincreasetoapproximately659,559visitors.GrowthwasespeciallyprominentatCooneyandLakeElmowhileCOVID-19unfortunatelyhadnegativeimpactsonvisitationatChiefPlentyCoupsandPictographCave,parksthatareknowntoattractabroadbaseofschoolfieldtripsandgroupoutings.EstimatedTotal2020Visitation

NOTE:VisitationdataisnotregularlycollectedattheYellowstoneRiverwhileGreycliffPrairieDogTownistypicallyseasonallyclosed.

Region5parkssortedbygreatesttoleast%changebetween2020and2019

StatePark 2019 2020 Change %ChangeCooney 175,870 359,607 183,737 104.5%LakeElmo 182,022 231,388 49,366 27.1%GreycliffPrairieDogTown 10,206 12,677 2,471 24.2%ChiefPlentyCoups 15,907 13,017 -2,890 -18.2%PictographCave 54,273 42,870 -11,403 -21.0% 438,278 659,559 221,281 50.5%

359,607

231,388

42,87013,017 12,677

050,000100,000150,000200,000250,000300,000350,000400,000

Cooney LakeElmo PictographCave ChiefPlentyCoups GreycliffPrairieDogTown

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REGIONS6and7

Withanestimated306,274visitors,Regions6and7experienceda37.8%increaseinits2020visitationascomparedwithlastyear.With84,031morevisitorsthanlastyear,netgrowthintheregionwasdrivenbygainsatTongueRiverReservoirandMakoshika.EstimatedTotal2020Visitation

NOTE:VisitationdataisnotcollectedatBrushLakeduringthemonthsofJanuarythruAprilasitisclosedfortheseason.

Regions6and7parkssortedbygreatesttoleast%changebetween2020and2019

StatePark 2019 2020 Change %ChangeMedicineRocks 16,819 27,527 10,708 63.7%Makoshika 85,272 128,288 43,016 50.4%TongueRiverReservoir 64,504 92,492 27,988 43.4%PirogueIsland 4,340 6,209 1,869 43.1%BrushLake 8,556 11,270 2,714 31.7%HellCreek 36,189 34,515 -1,674 -4.6%RosebudBattlefield 6,563 5,973 -590 -9.0% 222,243 306,274 84,031 37.8%

128,288

92,492

34,515 27,52711,270 6,209 5,973

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

Makoshika TongueRiverReservoir

HellCreek MedicineRocks BrushLake PirogueIsland RosebudBattlefield

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iReportingnotes:Visitationdataisbasedonreportedestimatesfrom45ofMontana's55stateparks.Intheearliermonthsoftheyear,someparksareseasonallyclosed.Inseveralinstancescampgroundswereclosedon/aroundMarch21duetothestate'sCOVID-19directive.Typically,mostcampgroundsdonotopenuntilMay1withreservationsbeginningonMay15.Whilethesystemdoesexperiencesomeoff-seasoncamping,numbersaregenerallylow.StaffmembersarecurrentlyworkingwithexpertsattheUniversityofMontana'sInstituteforTourismandRecreationResearch(ITRR)togainassistancewithrevisingitsvisitationmethodology.Currentlyvisitationdataonlyincludesestimatesforvisitorsarrivingbyvehicle.Lookingahead,walk-in/bike-invisitorswillbecountedafterthisseason.Atseveralparks,thereareasignificantnumberofindividualsthataccesstheparkinthismanner.Forthisreport:Region1includesFlatheadLakebeingcountedasoneparkcomprisedofsixunitsbutdoesnotincludedatafortheFL-NorthShoreunit.Region2doesnotincludeFishCreekdatafor2020.Region3doesnotincludedataforGraniteGhostTownorBeaverheadRock.Region4doesnotincludedataforElkhornortheMariasRiver.Region5doesnotincludedataforYellowstoneRiver.Additionallytherearetypicallyseasonalclosuresatthefollowingparks:BeavertailHill(Region2),Clark'sLookout(Region3),theSmithRiver(Region4),GreycliffPrairieDogTown(Region5),andBrushLake(Region6/7).Itshouldalsobenotedthatatsomeparks,gatesareseasonallyclosedtoprohibitvehiclesfromenteringbutwalk-invisitorsareallowed.Last,thereweretemporaryclosuresatFortOwen(Region2),Bannack(Region3),andtheSmithRiver(Region4)in2020.