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Visitor statistics

How many people visit Big Bend?

Last verified NPS Visitor Use Statistics1979–2025
568,104 recreation visits in 2025, #38 of 63 national parks. The record is 2021 (581,220). Every year since 1979, straight from the National Park Service’s own counts.
2025 visits
568,104
+1.2% vs 2024
Rank, 2025
#38
of 63 national parks
Record year
2021
581,220 visits
vs 2015
+48.8%
ten-year change
vs 1979
+100.8%
since the first full year
Busiest month ever
Mar 2025
106,911 visits

1979–2025

Every year since the counts began

Recreation visits per calendar year, as reported to the NPS Visitor Use Statistics office. The 2025 bar is highlighted; a missing bar means the park did not report all twelve months that year.
0291K581K1979: 282,941 visits1980: 174,008 visits1981: 167,332 visits1982: 180,144 visits1983: 164,926 visits1984: 167,665 visits1985: 188,045 visits1986: 200,622 visits1987: 227,921 visits1988: 239,595 visits1989: 281,728 visits1990: 257,378 visits1991: 296,470 visits1992: 294,535 visits1993: 327,907 visits1994: 330,417 visits1995: 295,460 visits1996: 279,454 visits1997: 305,882 visits1998: 338,442 visits1999: 327,649 visits2000: 262,320 visits2001: 328,927 visits2002: 327,747 visits2003: 312,384 visits2004: 357,723 visits2005: 398,583 visits2006: 298,717 visits2007: 364,856 visits2008: 362,512 visits2009: 363,905 visits2010: 372,330 visits2011: 361,862 visits2012: 292,055 visits2013: 316,953 visits2014: 314,102 visits2015: 381,747 visits2016: 388,290 visits2017: 440,276 visits2018: 440,091 visits2019: 463,832 visits2020: 393,907 visits2021: 581,220 visits2022: 514,107 visits2023: 509,129 visits2024: 561,458 visits2025: 568,104 visits1980198519901995200020052010201520202025
Show the full table (47 years) ↓
YearRecreation visitsChangeRank
2025568,104+1.2%#38
2024561,458+10.3%#36
2023509,129−1.0%#40
2022514,107−11.5%#38
2021581,220+47.6%#37
2020393,907−15.1%#37
2019463,832+5.4%#44
2018440,091−0.0%#45
2017440,276+13.4%#45
2016388,290+1.7%#46
2015381,747+21.5%#45
2014314,102−0.9%#46
2013316,953+8.5%#45
2012292,055−19.3%#45
2011361,862−2.8%#45
2010372,330+2.3%#45
2009363,905+0.4%#44
2008362,512−0.6%#45
2007364,856+22.1%#45
2006298,717−25.1%#46
2005398,583+11.4%#41
2004357,723+14.5%#45
2003312,384−4.7%#46
2002327,747−0.4%#45
2001328,927+25.4%#46
2000262,320−19.9%#46
1999327,649−3.2%#46
1998338,442+10.6%#45
1997305,882+9.5%#48
1996279,454−5.4%#47
1995295,460−10.6%#46
1994330,417+0.8%#43
1993327,907+11.3%#43
1992294,535−0.7%#45
1991296,470+15.2%#45
1990257,378−8.6%#47
1989281,728+17.6%#45
1988239,595+5.1%#46
1987227,921+13.6%#45
1986200,622+6.7%#46
1985188,045+12.2%#46
1984167,665+1.7%#46
1983164,926−8.4%#46
1982180,144+7.7%#44
1981167,332−3.8%#46
1980174,008−38.5%#45
1979282,941—#40

By decade

The long view

1970s
282,941
avg · 1 yr
1980s
199,199
avg · 10 yrs
1990s
305,359
avg · 10 yrs
2000s
337,767
avg · 10 yrs
2010s
377,154
avg · 10 yrs
2020s
521,321
avg · 6 yrs

Seasonality: in 1979–1983 the three busiest months carried 40% of the year’s visits; in 2021–2025 they carried 40% — about the same shape as before.

Average visits by month

2021–2025 · NPS IRMA
JFMAMJJASOND
Monthly recreation visits: Jan 46,388, Feb 48,002, Mar 93,143, Apr 66,154, May 42,582, Jun 24,638, Jul 20,245, Aug 16,691, Sep 24,605, Oct 47,188, Nov 58,815, Dec 58,354.

Quietest: AugustBusiest: March

The weather page puts these crowd levels beside each month’s temperatures.

About these numbers

Figures are the National Park Service’s monthly recreation-visit counts, retrieved from its public statistics service and summed by calendar year. A year is shown only when all twelve months were reported. The NPS revises recent months occasionally, so small differences from a later nps.gov table are normal. Rankings compare the 63 national parks for the same year. See every park ranked for 2025.

Sources · 2

  1. 1.NPS Visitor Use Statistics — monthly recreation visits by park, 1979–2025 · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
  2. 2.NPS Visitor Use Statistics Definitions · National Park Service

FAQ

Big Bend visitor questions

How many people visit Big Bend National Park each year?
568,104 recreation visits in 2025, ranking #38 of the 63 national parks. The 2010s averaged 377,154 a year.
What was Big Bend's busiest year?
2021, with 581,220 recreation visits — +2.3% more than 2025. The single busiest month on record was March 2025 (106,911 visits).
Is Big Bend getting more crowded?
2025 visits were +48.8% compared with 2015 and +42.5% compared with 2005.
What counts as a recreation visit?
The NPS counts a recreation visit as one person entering the park for recreation; someone who leaves and re-enters is counted again, and commuters, through-traffic and staff are excluded. Counts come from gate and traffic counters with park-specific multipliers, so they are estimates.

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