Yellowstone National Park Sees Record Breaking Park Attendance This Year

The months of July and August are the busiest time for Yellowstone National Park, however, this June holds a record for high attendance numbers.

"So far this year, Yellowstone visitation is up about 20 percent," Public Affairs Officer Traci Weaver said. "June was a record month for us with 780,768 total visits which is a 17 percent increase over last year."

Weaver says the increase in numbers may be due to lower gas prices, higher temperatures, and the Find Your Park Campaign. Because of this, she says visitors may want to pack something extra this season.

"We just like to remind people that when they are packing and preparing to come to Yellowstone that they also pack their patience," Weaver said. "With the number of visitors we have, the main roads in the park can get congested, but just remember that even if there is a traffic jam its likely caused by visitors stopping to see wildlife they have never seen before."

To maintain park safety, Weaver wants to remind people to keep a distance from large wild animals.